We Must #StopJustinSmith!

On February 18, 2026, President Trump nominated Justin Smith to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. This nomination should alarm anyone who cares about civil rights and the rule of law.  

Justin Smith is a Trump loyalist and would not be an independent judge. Previously serving as Trump’s attorney in the E. Jean Carroll and presidential immunity cases, Smith has shown that he believes Trump should be able to abuse his power without accountability. Now, Trump is trying to reward  him with a federal judgeship. 

Federal judges must be independent and impartial, with a constitutional mandate to check abuses of executive power. Smith’s record shows extreme partisanship and loyalty to one politician — not to the Constitution. We can’t allow another Trump loyalist to hold a lifetime judicial seat. It’s time to take action and #StopJustinSmith.

Justin Smith received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2007. In 2010, he graduated with a J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia. 

Justin Smith currently serves as an attorney at a Missouri law firm, James Otis Law Group. Immediately after law school, he worked as an associate at Shook, Hardy, & Bacon, before assuming multiple leadership roles in the Missouri Governor’s Office and Missouri Attorney General’s Office. In those roles, he built a record of consistently protecting the rich and powerful, including Big Oil and Agribusiness, over the health and safety of everyday workers and families. Smith then worked as senior advisor in the United States Senate for three months before joining James Otis Law Group in his current position. 

Lend your name to the fight for fair courts. Sign on to urge your Senators to vote NO on confirming Justin Smith to the Eighth Circuit. 

Sign the Petition

Call your Senators today at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to vote NO on confirming Justin Smith! 

My name is [name], and I’m a constituent from [city] calling to ask Senator [X]  to vote against Justin Smith because he is unfit and unqualified to serve on the federal bench. 

Justin Smith is a Trump loyalist with a record of shielding him from accountability. He is a conservative extremist who has dedicated his career to undermining LGBTQ+ rights, access to reproductive care, and other civil rights and protections. Our courts deserve better. We need judges who will protect the rights of all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful. I believe that Justin Smith is unfit and unqualified to serve on the federal bench. I urge Senator [X] to vote against confirming Justin Smith to the Eighth Circuit. Thank you. 

After you’ve called, ask 5 friends to call! 

Take Action on Social Media 

Social media can help you use your network to build the movement for fair courts. Adding your voice to the conversation and using it to amplify the other actions you’re taking can help hold your senators accountable and keep Trump loyalists off our courts.

Quick tips: 

Tag your senators: Look up your senators’ social media handles. Tag them in relevant posts and tweet directly at them. Encourage your friends and followers to do the same.  

Utilize Hashtags: Use the hashtags #StopJustinSmith and #UnfitAndUnqualified. Check AFJ Action’s social media and share and help amplify our messages. 

Repost, Share, Like: Engage with other users talking about your issue by reposting, liking, and sharing their content. Ask your followers to share your posts if they agree. 

Build and engage an audience: Ask questions, make polls, and post other content that encourages your followers to engage with you and the issue. Send out new resources that will help people learn more about the courts.

Sample Posts: 

• As Trump’s attorney, Justin Smith showcased his belief that Trump should be able to abuse his power without accountability. He is a Trump loyalist who does not belong on the federal bench. Our courts deserve better. #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified
• Justin Smith does not deserve a seat on the federal bench. He is another example of Trump trying to rig the courts with judges who will rubber-stamp his authoritarian agenda. We must #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified
• Justin Smith is a conservative extremist who has dedicated his career to undermining LGBTQ+ rights, access to reproductive care, and other civil rights and protections. He has no business holding a lifetime seat on the federal bench. #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified
• Justin Smith’s public statements, including celebrating Trump’s return to power, show clear political bias. Confirming him to the bench undermines the neutrality required of a lifetime federal judge. #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified
• Federal judges must be independent and impartial, but Justin Smith’s record shows extreme partisanship and loyalty to one politician — not to the Constitution. We must #StopJustinSmith. #UnfitAndUnqualified
• The courts are a critical check on abuses of power, but Justin Smith’s record makes clear he cannot serve as that check. Our courts need fair-minded judges, not Trump loyalists. #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified
• Placing Justin Smith, an opponent of voting rights, on the Eighth Circuit will shore up Trump’s efforts in states like Minnesota to extort voter rolls through violent ICE raids and health care cuts. Democracy is on the line, we must #StopJustinSmith!
• Justin Smith has attacked: Voting Rights, Workers Rights, Health Care for Transgender Youth, LGBTQ+ Rights, and Reproductive Freedom. We cannot allow conservative extremism to have a lifetime seat on the federal bench. #StopJustinSmith #UnfitAndUnqualified