Constantine Joseph Smyth

Constantine Joseph Smyth
Chief Justice of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
In office July 12, 1917 – April 14, 1924
Appointed by	Woodrow Wilson
Preceded by	Seth Shepard
Succeeded by	George Ewing Martin
11th Attorney General of Nebraska
In office January 7, 1887 – January 3, 1901
Governor	Silas A. Holcomb William A. Poynter
Preceded by	Arthur S. Churchill
Succeeded by	Frank N. Prout
Personal details
Born	(1859-12-04)December 4, 1859 County Cavan, Ireland
Died	April 14, 1924(1924-04-14) (aged 64) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic

Constantine Joseph Smyth (December 4, 1859 – April 14, 1924) was an American lawyer and politician.

Smyth was born in County Cavan, Ireland. He read law in 1885 and commenced private practice in Omaha, Nebraska. He was a member of the Nebraska House of Representatives in 1887, a member of the Omaha School Board from 1889 to 1894, and chairman of the Nebraska State Democratic Committee from 1894 to 1896. He was an Nebraska Attorney General from 1897 to 1900.

He was an associate dean and professor at Creighton University College of Law from 1905 to 1910, and received his Master of Arts from Creighton University in 1907.

In 1913, Smyth moved to Washington, D.C. to become special assistant to the United States Attorney General, then James Clark McReynolds. On June 29, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson nominated Smyth to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to the seat vacated by Seth Shepard. Confirmed by the United States Senate on July 12, 1917, he received his commission the same day.

Smyth served as chief judge on the court. He remained on the court until his death on April 14, 1924.

Sources

• Constantine Joseph Smyth at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Constantine Joseph Smyth at Find a Grave