Patricia E. Campbell-Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Campbell-Smith
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Campbell-Smith in 2022
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| Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims | |
| In office October 21, 2013 – March 13, 2017 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Emily C. Hewitt |
| Succeeded by | Susan G. Braden |
| Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims | |
| In office September 19, 2013 – September 30, 2023 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Lawrence Baskir |
| Succeeded by | Robin M. Meriweather |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patricia Elaine Campbell
1966 (age 58–59) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Education | Duke University (BSEE) Tulane University (JD) |
Patricia Elaine Campbell-Smith (born 1966) is an American lawyer who used to be a judge. She served on the United States Court of Federal Claims, which is a special court in the U.S. She was also the main "special master" for this court. From 2013 to 2017, she held the top job as the Chief Judge of the court.
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About Patricia Campbell-Smith
Patricia Campbell-Smith was born in 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland. She studied Electrical Engineering at Duke University, finishing with high honors in 1987. Later, she earned her law degree from Tulane Law School in 1992, also with high honors.
After law school, she worked for two different judges as a "law clerk." A law clerk helps a judge with research and writing legal documents. She worked for Judge Martin Leach-Cross Feldman and Judge Sarah S. Vance. Both judges were part of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Campbell-Smith then worked at a law firm called Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans. From 1998 to 2005, she was a law clerk for Judge Emily C. Hewitt at the United States Court of Federal Claims.
Becoming a Special Master
In 2005, Patricia Campbell-Smith became a "special master" for the United States Court of Federal Claims. A special master is like a referee in a court case. They help the judge by looking into specific parts of a case. They also help solve problems or gather information.
In 2011, she became the Chief Special Master. This meant she was in charge of all the special masters at the court. She held this important role until 2013.
Serving as a Judge
On March 19, 2013, President Barack Obama chose Patricia Campbell-Smith to become a judge. She was nominated to serve on the United States Court of Federal Claims. This court handles cases where people or businesses sue the U.S. government.
Confirmation Process
For her to become a judge, the United States Senate had to approve her. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a meeting about her nomination in May 2013. They then voted to send her nomination to the full Senate.
On September 17, 2013, the Senate officially approved her nomination. Two days later, she received her "commission." This is an official document that gives her the power to be a judge. She also took an "oath of office," promising to do her job fairly.
Chief Judge Role
Soon after becoming a judge, President Obama chose her for an even bigger role. On October 21, 2013, she became the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims. As Chief Judge, she was responsible for leading the court.
She served as Chief Judge until March 13, 2017. After that, Judge Susan G. Braden took over the role. Patricia Campbell-Smith continued to serve as a judge until she retired on September 30, 2023.
Important Court Decisions
During her time as a judge, Patricia Campbell-Smith made several important decisions. One notable case happened after the U.S. federal government shut down in 2013.
She ruled that the government had broken labor laws. This ruling meant that federal employees who were affected by the shutdown might be owed money. If many employees asked for damages, it could have made the shutdown much more expensive for the government.
