Criminal Law Experience

Columbia Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney
Columbia DUI Lawyer

Points of Distinction

• Over 30 Years of Courtroom Experience
• Former Prosecutor
• Author of Criminal Law Books for Lawyers
• Lectured and Trained Prosecutors
• Highest Rating for Legal Ability and Professional Ethics

Top-Rated Attorney

Jonathan Scott Smith is rated AV® Preeminent™* by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment and a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. Mr. Smith has always received the highest “AV” rating since he was first rated.

Private Law Practice

Jonathan Scott Smith has been in private law practice since 1984. Since that time, he has handled successfully a wide variety of criminal cases in Maryland district courts and circuit courts. He has tried hundreds of criminal cases to verdict, including numerous criminal jury trials, throughout the Baltimore and Washington Metropolitan areas. Mr. Smith has handled a full range of criminal cases, including an extensive number of drunk driving and other serious traffic cases; thefts; assaults; handgun charges; murder; rape and other sexual offenses; physical and sexual child abuse; burglaries; robberies; drugs and narcotics; and domestic violence. In addition, he has represented juveniles at intake conferences and in juvenile court.

Jonathan Scott Smith also has handled successfully hundreds of Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) hearings arising out of motor vehicle violations. These include hearings involving suspension, revocation, and reinstatement of driver’s licenses; drunk driving cases in which the motorists refused to take alcohol (breath or blood) tests; and drunk driving cases in which alcohol tests were taken with a result in excess of the legal limit.

Former Criminal Prosecutor

Jonathan Scott Smith was employed as a prosecutor (Assistant State’s Attorney for Baltimore County) from 1980 to 1984. He prepared and prosecuted thousands of felony and misdemeanor criminal cases. This included an extensive number of jury and non-jury trials in Maryland district courts and circuit courts.

As a prosecutor in the circuit court, Mr. Smith prepared and tried a wide range of criminal cases. He was responsible for handling all aspects of criminal cases. Mr. Smith personally handled an extensive number of criminal jury trials. The charges included murder (including death penalty), rapes and other sexual offenses, armed robberies, burglaries, kidnappings, extortion, embezzlement, thefts, assaults, and drug offenses. He tried numerous non-jury trials as well. Mr. Smith prosecuted cases involving mandatory sentences and death penalty proceedings, and handled felony charge screenings; grand jury proceedings; and preliminary hearings.

As a prosecutor in the district court, Mr. Smith handled all aspects of thousands of cases until their conclusion, including an extensive number of non-jury trials. The cases included drunk driving and other serious traffic cases, thefts, assaults, drug possession, handgun charges, violation of probation hearings, and bail hearings.

Education

• Career Prosecutor Course, National College of District Attorneys
  Graduate, 1983
• University of Baltimore School of Law
  J.D., With High Honors, 1979
• University of Baltimore
  B.A., With High Honors, 1977

Bar Admissions

• Court of Appeals of Maryland
• United States District Court for the District of Maryland
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Publications

• Author, Maryland Criminal Procedure: Forms and Analysis (Second Edition), West Group (published June, 1995; Library of Congress #95-76883).
• Author, Maryland Criminal Procedure Forms, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company (published April, 1988; Library of Congress #87-83520).
• “The Status of the Defense of Diminished Capacity in Maryland Criminal Cases,” M.T.L.A. Trial Rptr., Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 1982).
• Comment, State and Local Legislative Powers: An Analysis of the Conflict and Preemption Doctrines in Maryland, 8 U. Balt. L. Rev. 300 (1979).

Lectures / Presentations

• Presenter, “Case Preparation and Use of the Trial Notebook,” Hon. James Macgill American Inn of Court, Columbia, Maryland (1992).
• Lecturer, “Charging Documents,” University of Baltimore School of Law and Hoffberger Center for Professional Ethics Program: “Criminal Procedure: A ‘How To’ with an Emphasis on Ethics,” Baltimore, Maryland (1990).
• Lecturer, “Finding Weaknesses in the Prosecution’s Case,” Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association, Basic Trial Advocacy Course, Marriottsville, Maryland (1989).
• Faculty Advisor, Career Prosecutor Course, National College of District Attorneys, Houston, Texas (1983).
• Faculty Advisor, Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association, Trial Advocacy Training Program, Port Deposit, Maryland (1983).
• Lecturer, “Case Preparation, Interviewing Witnesses and Using a Trial Notebook,” Trial of Major Cases Seminar, Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association, Frederick, Maryland (1983).

Professional Organizations

• Hon. James Macgill American Inn of Court (President: 1996-97)
• Maryland Association for Justice
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Howard County Bar Association

Listings

• Who’s Who in American Law
• Who’s Who in Practicing Attorneys
• Who’s Who in the World
• Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America
• Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans
• 2,000 Notable American Men
• Men of Achievement