Fourth District Judge Brings Variety of Legal Experience to Oral Arguments

Ohio Fourth District Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Jason Smith was excited to bring his experience to the bench during his second Ohio Supreme Court assignment.

Judge Smith grew up in rural Ironton, where he and his family still reside.

He briefly left home to pursue an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and later his juris doctorate from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. After graduation, Judge Smith returned to Ironton to begin his legal career at his family firm, the Waldo Law Office, which has been open for 50 years and is still active today. He also served as a part-time assistant prosecutor in Lawrence County.

Judge Smith later made a move to criminal defense and started a practice with his longtime friend, Chris Delawder.

“Ironton is a small town, so it's basically general practice,” he said. “You do a little bit of everything; some divorce work, some custody, and anything else. You never know who's going to walk through the door.”

Judge Smith emphasized the importance of rural practice and providing proper legal defense to all Ohioans, whether remote or urban.

“I think especially in a small town like this, people don't always get an opportunity to have quality defense, so I wanted to try and ensure that everybody's rights were defended.” Smith said. “And we certainly have a lack of defense attorneys here locally and throughout my district.”

Path To the Bench

After many years of working in criminal defense, and a four-year stint working a corporate job at a barge and towboat company, he made the decision to consider judgeship. Judge Smith didn’t officially choose to campaign for the fourth seat until the night before the filing deadline.

He faced a tough path during his campaign, running against a primary opponent and an incumbent general opponent. He overcame the odds and began his judicial journey.

Judge Smith believed his appeal to voters stemmed from unwavering dedication to his duty to the Constitution.

“I have a strong love for the constitution,” he said. “What I told everyone that would listen to me during that campaign was that I was going to uphold the Constitution no matter what.”

Since serving on the bench, he has enjoyed the variety of cases and extensive research that goes into ruling. It allows him to continue learning and growing as a legal scholar.

“Being on the appeals court, you're dealing with all different aspects of the law, so there’s always something different and you're constantly learning something.”

Since the Fourth District is one of Ohio’s two remaining traveling courts, which convene at various courthouses throughout the district, the judges all have offices in their hometowns. He appreciates the opportunity during oral arguments to learn from the unique and experienced legal backgrounds of his fellow judges.

Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy selected him to sit for Justice Megan E. Shanahan, who recused herself from Huntington National Bank v. Schneider, Case. No. 2024-0208. The Ohio Constitution gives the chief justice authority to assign an appellate judge to hear a Supreme Court case when a justice recuses.

At home, he and his wife stay busy with breeding and caring for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs in addition to their 14-year-old daughter’s packed sports schedule.