Jack Smith (lawyer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Smith
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Smith in 2023
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| Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice | |
| In office November 18, 2022 – January 10, 2025 |
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| Appointed by | Merrick Garland |
| United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee | |
| Acting March 14, 2017 – September 21, 2017 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | David Rivera |
| Succeeded by | Donald Q. Cochran |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Luman Smith
June 5, 1969 |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse |
Katy Chevigny
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education |
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| Profession | Lawyer |
John Luman Smith (born June 5, 1969) is an American lawyer. He has worked for the United States Department of Justice, which is part of the U.S. government. He has held several important roles there, including being a special counsel.
In November 2022, a top government official named Merrick Garland chose Smith for a special job. Smith became an independent special counsel. This meant he was in charge of two important investigations involving former President Donald Trump. One investigation looked into events around January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol. The other looked into how government documents, including secret ones, were handled. Smith finished his work as special counsel and left the Department of Justice in January 2025.
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Early Life and School
Smith was born on June 5, 1969. He grew up in a town called Clay, New York. His father designed air-conditioning systems, and his mother was a homemaker.
Smith went to Liverpool High School and finished in 1987. He played football and baseball there. After high school, he studied political science at the State University of New York at Oneonta. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1991 with high honors. Then, he went to Harvard Law School and earned his law degree in 1994.
Smith's Career as a Lawyer
After law school, Smith started working for the District Attorney's office in Manhattan. He helped with cases involving serious crimes. In 1999, he joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York. There, he worked on important cases, including one involving police officers and another about a person who committed murder.
From 2008 to 2010, Smith worked in the Netherlands for the International Criminal Court. This court deals with very serious international crimes. He helped oversee cases against government officials and others accused of terrible acts.
In 2010, Smith came back to the U.S. to lead a special section of the United States Department of Justice called the Public Integrity Section (PIN). This section investigates and prosecutes government corruption. He spent five years leading PIN. During this time, he worked on cases against several important people, including a governor and members of Congress.
In 2015, Smith moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work as a U.S. attorney. He became the acting U.S. attorney in March 2017 and left that role in September 2017. Later in 2017, he became a vice president at a large healthcare company.
In May 2018, Smith was chosen to be the chief prosecutor for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Netherlands. This group investigates serious crimes that happened during a conflict in Kosovo. He started this job in September 2018 and was reappointed for a second term in May 2022. He left this position in November 2022.
Special Counsel Role
On November 18, 2022, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel. His job was to oversee two ongoing investigations related to former President Donald Trump. These investigations looked into Trump's actions around the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack and how he handled government documents, including secret ones, at his home in Florida.
In June 2023, a grand jury brought charges against Trump related to the handling of classified documents. This was a historic event, as it was the first time a former U.S. president faced federal charges. However, a judge later dismissed this case in July 2024, saying that Smith's appointment as special counsel was not lawful. Smith's office tried to appeal this decision, but they stopped the appeal after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
In August 2023, a grand jury also brought charges against Trump related to his efforts to change the results of the 2020 United States presidential election and his actions during the January 6 Capitol attack. A year later, the Supreme Court made a decision about whether a president has special protection from being charged for certain actions. This meant a judge had to decide which parts of the charges could continue.
Jack Smith finished his work as special counsel and resigned in January 2025, before Donald Trump took office. A report about the election investigation was made public.
Awards and Recognition
Smith has received several awards for his work as a lawyer:
- U.S. Department of Justice Director's Award
- U.S. Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service
- Federal Bar Association's Younger Federal Attorney Award
- Eastern District Association's Charles Rose Award
- Henry L. Stimson Medal of the New York County Bar Association
- Harvard Law School Wasserstein Fellowship
Personal Life
Jack Smith is a very active person and a competitive triathlete. A triathlete competes in swimming, cycling, and running events. He started swimming in his mid-thirties. He has completed over 100 triathlons and at least nine Ironman competitions around the world.
In July 2011, he married Katy Chevigny, who makes documentary films. She is known for a 2020 film called Becoming, which is about Michelle Obama. They have one daughter. The family lived in the Netherlands starting in 2018. They moved to Washington, D.C., in December 2022, after Smith was appointed special counsel.
