Judge Natasha Taylor-Smith

Appointment by the Chief Justice

Philadelphia County

Biography:

The Honorable Natasha Taylor-Smith serves on the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, where she presides in the Criminal Trials Division as a Team Leader in the Major Jury Trials Section. A proud native of North Philadelphia, Judge Taylor-Smith’s professional journey reflects her steadfast commitment to justice, equity, and public service.

Raised by a resilient teenage mother who left high school to support her family, Judge Taylor-Smith developed an enduring appreciation for perseverance, fairness, and community. A graduate of Central High School’s 248th class, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, summa cum laude, from Hampton University, where she also trained in leadership through the Army R.O.T.C. program. She later received her Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she was honored with the Barrister’s Award and recognized for Outstanding Oral Advocacy.

Judge Taylor-Smith began her legal career as an attorney with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, trying nearly one hundred jury trials and hundreds of non-jury matters over nine years. She subsequently established a private practice focusing on criminal, family, and personal injury law, earning consecutive recognition on the Pro Bono Honor Roll. Her public service continued as a county solicitor for Montgomery County and as a municipal solicitor for several townships and boroughs throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.

In 2017, Judge Taylor-Smith joined the Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she advanced initiatives addressing mass incarceration, was a founding member of the Relapse Prevention Court team and obtained a landmark opinion protecting the rights of medical marijuana users under federal supervision.

Appointed to the bench in 2023 by Governor Josh Shapiro and later elected to a full ten-year term, Judge Taylor-Smith continues to exemplify integrity, diligence, and compassion in service to the citizens of Philadelphia.