▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Federal ▁jud icial ▁service ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁President ▁George ▁H . ▁W . ▁Bush ▁nominated ▁Smith ▁for ▁appointment ▁as ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Judge ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁vac ated ▁by ▁Judge ▁D . ▁Dort ch ▁W arr iner . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁confirmed ▁Smith ' s ▁appointment ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁and ▁she ▁received ▁her ▁commission ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁federal ▁judge ▁in ▁Virginia . ▁Smith ▁served ▁as ▁Chief ▁Judge ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁and ▁from ▁December ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁until ▁December ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Smith ▁assumed ▁senior ▁status ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁T itan ic ▁artifact s ▁decision ▁ ▁Premier ▁Ex hib itions ▁Inc ., ▁the ▁parent ▁company ▁of ▁R MS ▁T itan ic ▁Inc ., ▁the ▁company ▁that ▁salv aged ▁the ▁artifact s ▁from ▁the ▁w reck ed ▁ship ▁R MS ▁T itan ic ▁on ▁the ▁ocean ▁floor , ▁asked ▁Judge ▁Smith ▁to ▁award ▁it ▁sole ▁title ▁to ▁the ▁artifact s ▁with ▁c oven ants ▁to ▁preserve ▁them ▁forever . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0