The Honorable Thomas B. Smith became a United States Magistrate Judge on July 25, 2011 and is presently resident in the Ocala Division.

Judge Smith attended the University of Florida College of Law, graduating in 1977. His past employment includes three years as an Assistant State Attorney in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida before joining Maguire, Voorhis & Wells, PA where he began as an associate before becoming a shareholder. In 1998, the Maguire firm sold its practice to Holland & Knight at which time Judge Smith became a partner in the amalgamated firm. In December, 2001 Governor Jeb Bush appointed Judge Smith to the Circuit Court bench which job he assumed in January, 2002. As a Circuit Court Judge he served four years in a felony division, three years in domestic relations and was sitting in the complex business litigation court when he was selected as a Magistrate Judge.

Judge Smith is the immediate past Chairman of the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions-Contract and Business Cases. He serves on the Executive Council of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar and prior to becoming a federal judge he was a director and member of the Executive Committee of the American College of Business Court Judges, a director of the George C. Young First Central Florida American Inn of Court and a director of the Central Florida Family Law Inn of Court. he also served on the Orange County Bar Association Professionalism Committee and the Orange County Bar Judicial Relations Committee.