​JUDGE KEVIN P. KELLY

Judge Kevin P. Kelly was appointed to the Kitsap County District Court Bench by the Board of County Commissioners on July 1, 2017.  He  is a native of Washington but spent most of his youth in Ohio.  Judge Kelly graduated from Kent State University in 1984 and from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1988, after which time he returned to his Washington roots.

Judge Kelly worked as a Deputy Prosecutor with the Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for 27 years.  Throughout that time he practiced in various divisions of the prosecutor's office including Family Support, Civil, and Juvenile.   The majority of his career was devoted to the Criminal Division where he prosecuted all level and manner of cases ranging from DUI to Aggravated Murder.  During the course of his career he was promoted to supervisor of the Felony Drug Unit and later the Administration Unit.  He volunteered and became a Certified Dog Handler with Canine Companions for Independence and brought the first Courthouse Dog, Kerris, to Kitsap County. During his last two years as a prosecutor he was the Chief of the District and Municipal Court Division.

Judge Kelly served as the Drug Court Prosecutor for many years and was instrumental in the planning and development of both the first ever Veterans Treatment Court and the newly created Behavioral Health Court.

Judge Kelly believes in the importance of community service.   He is a 20-year active member and Past-President of the Rotary Club of South Kitsap, a former Executive Board member of the Kitsap Humane Society, a graduate of Leadership Kitsap and a past Kitsap County Youth Court mentor.

Judge Kelly is the proud father of three daughters and resides in South Kitsap with his wife, Wendy.