Meet Judge Kelley
Suffolk County Roots
Judge Chris Ann Kelley grew up in Riverhead—a fourth generation east
ender—attending St. John the Evangelist grammar school and Bishop
McGann-Mercy Diocesan High School. She graduated cum laude from SUNY
Stony Brook in 1981 with a B.A. in English and received her law degree
at Western New England University School of Law. She also attended an
Institute on International and Comparative Law in Dublin, Ireland,
studying International Human Rights. Upon graduating from law school,
Judge Kelley returned to Suffolk County. She has resided in the Town
of Brookhaven for 25 years.
Suffolk County DA’s Office
In 1985, Chris began a career in public service as an Assistant
District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.
Working in the District Court Bureau, she prosecuted misdemeanor
criminal and vehicle and traffic law cases. Additionally, she worked
in the Grand Jury Bureau, presenting felony cases to the Grand Jury
for indictment. In the Family Crime Bureau, Chris prosecuted felony
crimes between family members and intimate partners and many cases of
child sexual abuse.
Also, while in the East End Bureau, she assisted the Bureau
Chief in prosecuting criminal and vehicle and traffic law cases on the
East End of Long Island in the Town and Village Justice Courts.
Private Practice
In 1988, Judge Kelley entered private practice as a partner in the
firm Civiletti & Kelley, which was a general practice handling
criminal law, family law, real estate, zoning and land use, municipal
law, commercial law, business law and trusts and estates matters.
In 1990, she began her own practice, focusing primarily on
handling criminal defense, family law and matrimonial cases.
Attorney & Advocate For Vulnerable Adults & Children
While in private practice, Chris agreed to serve as an Assigned Counsel Defender for poor adults in the Family Court and Criminal Court system. Additionally, she held a treasured position for 14 years as an attorney for children, advocating for this most vulnerable population, who frequently do not have their voices heard. Those cases included child abuse and neglect proceedings, child custody cases and juvenile delinquency proceedings as well as termination of parental rights matters. Judge Kelley was recognized for outstanding service in this position.
A Return to Public Service
In 2002, Judge Kelley accepted an assignment as a Court
Attorney-Referee in New York State Supreme Court. She worked in the
newly formed Integrated Domestic Violence Part, which heard
matrimonial, family and criminal cases involving one family where the
underlying allegations all involved domestic violence. Chris acted in
a quasi-judicial role, hearing and determining contested matrimonial
issues, conducted case conferences, assisted the Presiding Justice in
drafting pretrial motion and trial decisions, researched complex civil
and criminal legal issues and monitored discovery schedules.
Between 2004-2007, Judge Kelley continued her work as a Court
Attorney-Referee in Suffolk County Family Court, where she decided
child custody cases, paternity and family offense cases. During her
tenure as a Court Attorney-Referee, she had decisions published in the
New York Law Journal.
Improving the Judicial System Through Education
During her career, Judge Kelley has lectured to members of law
enforcement at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department on the role and
function of the Grand Jury. She also lectured to judges on the proper
techniques to use while interviewing child victims of sexual abuse.
In 2003, she lectured at the Suffolk County Academy of Law on
the Integrated Domestic Violence Part and lectured domestic violence
advocates on matrimonial law.
In 2012, Judge Kelley returned to the Suffolk County Academy of
Law, lecturing on the Criminal Court Specialized Domestic Violence Part.
Judge Kelley donates her time and experience to High School
students by serving as a Moot Court Judge and to Touro Law School
students by participating in the Collaborative Courts Program and
Court Observation Program.
Professional Associations
Judge Kelley is a current member of the Suffolk County Bar
Association, Suffolk County Criminal Bar Association, Alexander
Hamilton American Inn of Court and the Suffolk County Women's Bar
Association. She was recently nominated to serve as a Director for
that organization. She is a past member of the New York State Bar
Association and Suffolk County Matrimonial Bar Association. She is
also a member of Families with Children from China.
Special Service
Chris has served as Special Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk
County. She also acted as a liaison between the Suffolk County Town
and Village Justice Courts and the District Administrative Judges Office.
Since 2002, Judge Kelley has been a member of the District
Administrative Judges' Women in the Courts Committee, serving as
Co-Chair for the past two years. Under her leadership, the Committee
has continued its advocacy on behalf of women and other vulnerable
populations by working to enhance access to Justice initiatives,
sponsoring Heart Health and Breast Cancer Awareness events; Educating
the Legal Community on Domestic Violence issues; Supporting the
Children’s Center at Court; Recognizing Women in the Law at an annual
Women’s History Month event and by forming a new subcommittee on Human
Trafficking to educate and effect change in this area.
Additionally, she has served as a member of the Office of Court
Administrations Anti-Discrimination Panel since 2003.
Service on the Bench
Chris was elected as a District Court Judge in 2007. She was assigned to a criminal part where she handled a calendar of misdemeanor, vehicle, traffic and environmental crime cases. In January 2012, she was appointed as an Acting County Court Judge, assigned to a specialized Domestic Violence part, hearing both felony and misdemeanor crimes of violence between family members and intimate partners. A number of her decisions are published in the New York Law Journal.
She has earned the respect of law enforcement, prosecutors, members of the defense bar and the public. She received the highest qualification ratings to serve on the bench from the Independent Judicial Election Commission ("Highly Qualified") and the Suffolk County Bar Association ("Qualified"), a distinction she had when she first ran for judicial office in 2007.
Endorsements
Judge Kelley is endorsed by the Suffolk County Probation Officers Association, Suffolk County Court Officers Association, Suffolk County Court Employees Association, CSEA and a coalition of Police unions consisting of the Suffolk County PBA, Suffolk Country Detective Investigators PBA, Suffolk County Detectives Association, the Suffolk County Police Conference and the Suffolk County Superior Officers Association. Writing for the police unions, Suffolk Detectives Association President William J. Plant stated: “After carefully reviewing your credentials, the Coalition members unanimously decided that you were the best candidate to hold this office.”
Family Life
She lives in Port Jefferson with her two daughters, Calla, 15 and Marina, 9 and their mixed breed terrier, Lily, whom they rescued two years ago.
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