[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16939]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING CHESTERFIELD SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 2002,

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend and 
distinguished citizen of Florida, Mr. Chesterfield Smith. Chesterfield 
Smith's inspiring dedication to our judicial system, social commitment 
to the legal profession, and remarkable personal and professional 
accomplishments serve as a model of American achievement. I rise today 
to congratulate him on his most recent accolade, the 2002 Justice Award 
from the Judicature Society.
  Founded in 1913, the American Judicature Society (AJS) is a 
prestigious national, non-partisan organization of judges, lawyers, and 
non-lawyers dedicated to promoting the effective administration of 
justice. This award serves as AJS's highest distinction, recognizing a 
lifetime of dedication to the improvement of the administration of 
justice at a national level.
  Chesterfield Smith's dedication to the legal profession embodies the 
underlying principles upon which this country was founded with his 
dedication to justice and his desire to help others, bringing us closer 
to the ideals outlined in the U.S. Constitution--justice, equality and 
true brotherhood. His distinguished career includes service as 
President of the American Bar Association and the Florida Bar 
Association. He demonstrated his faithfulness to the legal profession 
as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and as a member of 
the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
  After graduating with honors from the University of Florida College 
of Law, he went on to become a principal architect of Holland and 
Knight, LLP, one of the nation's largest and most respected law firms. 
As chair of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, he accepted 
the challenge of revising and redrafting Florida's Constitution for the 
first time in fifty years.
  Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to pay tribute to 
Chesterfield Smith and his many lifetime achievements. I congratulate 
him on receiving the distinguished 2002 Justice Award. His remarkable 
life's work as an accomplished public servant is deserving of such 
notoriety, and I consider him to be a true leader of the 21st Century.

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