Smith County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Jon Johnson has announced his retirement following a 35-year career in criminal justice. Johnson, first elected to the position in November 2018, was sworn into office on January 1, 2019. Prior to his role as justice of the peace, he spent 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. District Court in Tyler, where he served as a federal prison case manager, federal probation officer, and chief federal probation officer. He retired from federal service in 2014.
In addition to his federal career, Johnson has taught criminal justice courses at Tyler Junior College and Lindale Independent School District. In his retirement letter submitted on Friday, August 23, Johnson expressed his enjoyment of serving the community in his role as justice of the peace and announced his plan to retire on September 30, 2024. He intends to spend more time with his wife and family.
The Smith County Commissioners Court will appoint an interim justice of the peace to complete Johnson's unexpired term. The Justice of the Peace Precinct 5 area includes the northwest portion of Smith County, covering Lindale and Hideaway.
