Governor Fallin today announced she is appointing long-time prosecutor Paul Smith as district attorney for Seminole, Hughes and Pontotoc counties. He will replace Chris Ross, who retired Jan. 1.
Smith, of Seminole, will serve as district attorney for the remainder of Ross’s term, which expires in January 2019.
“Paul Smith has 30 years of prosecution experience and has served as first assistant district attorney in District 22 the past five years,” said Fallin. “He has dedicated his career to serving the people of Oklahoma as a prosecutor. I know he will continue to serve the people in District 22 well.”
Smith has broad trial experience and has won guilty verdicts in numerous homicide cases. He is a co-founder of one of the state’s first rural drug courts
He served as first assistant district attorney and chief prosecutor in District 22 since July 2011. Before that, he served 11 years as an assistant district attorney in District 22. From July 1989 until November 1990 he served as an assistant district attorney for Choctaw, Pushmataha and McCurtain counties and from October 1986 until June 1989 he served as an assistant district attorney in Tulsa County.
Smith earned a bachelor of science degree from Oklahoma State University and his juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa’s college of law.
[…] NEW D.A.: Gov. Fallin has appointed Paul Smith as the District Attorney for Seminole, Hughes and Pontotoc Counties. He replaces Chris Ross, who retired on January 1. […]