Judge Elijah Smiley

Judge Elijah Smiley, MBA, CPA

CLEO 1981

“It is no doubt in mind that CLEO was instrumental to my success in law school.  I also developed lifelong friends at the CLEO summer institute.”


Judge Elijah Smiley currently serves as a Circuit Judge in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida presiding in Gulf and Bay Counties. He has been a member of the Florida Bar for 25 years, the last 19 of which as a judge. He is admitted to practice in the United States Court for the Northern District of Florida, The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

Judge Smiley is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science in Government, Masters of Business Administration degree and a Juris Doctorate degree. Judge Smiley is a cum laude graduate of the Florida State University accounting program.

Judge Smiley believes that education is the gateway to opportunity and economic success. He encourages all young people to take advantage of available education and training opportunities.

He is married to Kathy Lindsey, and they have one daughter, Danielle.