Judge Edward G. Smith was elected in November 2001, for a ten-year term commencing January 6, 2002, and he was retained for an additional ten-year term in November 2011. Judge Smith presides over criminal and civil trials and is the Presiding Judge of the Asbestos Division. He resides in Plainfield Township with his three sons, Michael, Benjamin and David.

Judge Smith is also a 27-year veteran of the United States Navy, holding the rank of Captain. He is currently serving his second term as an appellate military judge on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA). Among his prior assignments include Commanding Officer, NR Navy-Marine Corps Appellate Review Activity; military trial judge with the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary; and reserve instructor in international and operational law at the Naval War College. In 2007, Judge Smith deployed on a seven-month combat tour to Iraq for which he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious service during combat operations.

Judge Smith graduated from Easton Area High School in 1979, Franklin and Marshall College in 1983 and the Dickinson School of Law with honors in 1986. He has also received advanced training at the National Judicial College (General Jurisdiction, Advanced Evidence, and Handling Capital Cases); Naval Justice School; Naval War College; and the Army JAG School (Military Judge's Course). From 1987 to 1990, he served on Active duty with the Navy, serving as Assistant Force Judge Advocate for the Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia and as Senior Defense Counsel and Senior Trial Counsel at Naval Legal Service Office, Philadelphia.

From 1990 until his election to the bench, Judge Smith was a partner with the law firm of DeRaymond & Smith. During this time, he served as Solicitor to the Northampton County Industrial Development Authority; Solicitor to Upper Nazareth Township; Assistant Solicitor for Northampton County, where he served as Solicitor to the Sheriff, Prison, Registrar of Elections, Prothonotary, Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds and Clerk of Criminal Court; and Special Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Judge Smith's community activities, past and present, include Northampton Community College Paralegal Advisory Committee; President of the Boys and Girls Club of Easton; Chairman of the Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Commission; Chairman of the Easton Fire Civil Service Commission; President of the Kiwanis Club of Palmer Township; Director of the YMCA of Easton, Phillipsburg and Vicinity; Chairman of the Northampton County Bar Association's American Citizenship Committee; and Judge Advocate for the Brown & Lynch American Legion Post.

Other Judges of the Court