Rebecca Beach Smith (born 1949) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and a civic leader. Among her many decisions is the 2011 ruling that decided the title to and restrictions upon artifacts salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Titanic.
Rebecca Beach Smith
Virginia Eastern District Court
Chief Judge — U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Born 1949 in Hopewell, VA
FJC ID: 2225
- Gender
- Female
- Race
- White
Prior employment
- Private practice, Norfolk, Virginia1980–1985
Law clerk , Hon. J. Calvitt Clarke · 1979–1980- Norfolk, VirginiaLaw clerk in private practice · 1978
- National Academy of Science, Institute of Medicine, Washington, D.C.Research associate · 1974–1977
- Enviro-Med, Inc., Washington, D.C., and La Jolla, California, 1973-74Planning analyst
Appointments
- 1989–2019 · Appointed by George H.W. Bush (Republican)
Education
- William and Mary Law SchoolJ.D. · 1979
- University of VirginiaM.A. · 1973
- College of William and MaryB.A. · 1971