Judge Craig Smith presides over the wedding of Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki

Performing weddings is one of the most enjoyable duties a Texas district court judge performs. Sometimes the blessed event occurs in a courtroom, sometimes it happens outside of the courthouse, and — if the judge is 192nd District Judge Craig Smith of Dallas — sometimes the event occurs at the home of NBA superstar Dirk Nowitzki.

Smith says Tom Melsheimer, managing partner of the Dallas office of Fish & Richardson who represents Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban, called him in June to ask whether he would preside over Nowitzki’s wedding to Jessica Olsson.

“And I said. ‘You bet. Now?’ ” recalls Smith, who's a huge fan of Nowitzki and the Mavericks. Nowitzki and Olsson wanted to get married in Dallas in the home they share because they had a destination wedding scheduled for Aug. 8 on a remote Caribbean Island.

“With these types of destination weddings, a Texas wedding license only authorizes certain people who can administer the ceremony. They include a district judge. And so that’s what we scheduled for July 20, at their home,” Smith says.

So Smith presided over the wedding in Nowitzki’s Preston Hollow home in a small ceremony attended by three other couples and Smith’s wife.

“Michelle and I had a wonderful time. It was special to be a part of it,” Smith says.

And Nowitzki even signed a Mavericks jersey for Smith. That jersey is now framed and hanging in Smith’s chambers. The signature reads “To Judge Smith. Thank you for being a part of our special day. Jessica and Dirk.”

“Is this a great gig or what?” Smith says.

-- John Council

Comments

[gary]

I think Mark Cuban could have found a more suitable judge for the task! Put me on the committee to NOT re-elect Craig Smith.However, congratulations to Dirk and Jessica. Wish you many years of happiness.

[Lily]

Thank you for another fantastic article. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such a perfect way of writing?hope you have more wonderful articles published。

[Alan Edmunds]

How can someone pass up that opportunity? ;P
Seriously though great to see a lawyer finally getting a chance to have some fun, our job can often be tedius and boring, with tons of paperwork.
I'm happy to see this.