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 "excerpt": "Rebecca B. Smith, also known as Rebecca Beach Smith, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 1989.",
 "snippet": "Rebecca B. Smith, also known as Rebecca Beach Smith, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 1989.",
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 "markdown": "# Rebecca B. Smith\n\nRebecca Beach Smith (born 1949) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-eastern-district-of-virginia) since 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She was appointed by President George H.W. Bush.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She served as chief judge of the court from 2011 to 2018 and assumed senior status on August 1, 2019.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | George H.W. Bush<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | October 24, 1989, by voice vote<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n| Senior status | August 1, 2019<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n| Born | 1949 in Hopewell, Virginia<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., College of William and Mary, 1971; M.A., University of Virginia, 1973; J.D., William and Mary Law School, 1979<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSmith was born in 1949 in Hopewell, Virginia.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the College of William and Mary in 1971 and a [Master of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-arts) from the [University of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-virginia) in 1973.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She earned her Juris Doctor from William and Mary Law School in 1979.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1973 to 1974, Smith worked as a planning analyst for Enviro-Med, Inc., in Washington, D.C., and [La Jolla](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-jolla), California.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She then served as a research associate at the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., from 1974 to 1977.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup>\n\nIn 1978, she worked as a law clerk in private practice in [Norfolk, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/norfolk-virginia).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> From 1979 to 1980, she was a law clerk to Judge J. Calvitt Clarke, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She then entered private practice in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1980 to 1985, and served as a U.S. Magistrate for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 1985 to 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident George H.W. Bush nominated Smith to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on August 4, 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> The Senate confirmed her by voice vote on October 24, 1989, and she received her commission on October 25, 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She served as chief judge of the court from 2011 to 2018.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup> She assumed senior status on August 1, 2019.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Rebecca Beach Smith](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1388001)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames Se to Sy*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "credit": "\"Rebecca B. Smith\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/rebecca-b-smith. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Rebecca B. Smith, also known as Rebecca Beach Smith, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 1989."
}