John Casey

HON. JOHN D. CASEY (ret.) is the Director of the newly created Online Dispute Resolution Innovation Clinic, a partnership between Suffolk University Law School and the American Arbitration Association. Casey recently retired as the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department, serving from July of 2018 until July of 2025. Previously, he was an Associate Justice and then First Justice of the Norfolk Probate and Family Court and was also an Associate Justice of the Essex Probate and Family Court. He served as a member of the Commission on Judicial Conduct, 2025 Transition Leadership Team, mentored new judges and served as a panelist on numerous events for the MBA, BBA, MCLE and local bar associations. In 2014, He received the Bar Association of Norfolk County Person of the Year Award. In 2021 Chief Casey accepted the National Child Support Enforcement Association Innovative Partnership/Collaboration Award on behalf of the Probate and Family Court. In 2022, Chief Casey was bestowed the Oracle Award from the Massachusetts Family & Probate American Inn of Court. This past December, he received the Haskell Freedman Award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers. In the Spring of 2025, Casey was the recipient of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation Great Friend of Justice Award. Also in April of 2025, the Massachusetts Bar Association recognized Casey for his commitment to education at the Western Mass Family Law Conference. In March of 2026, Casey will be the featured honoree at the MBA Probate Conference. For 23 years, he was a partner in the Attleboro Law Firm of Casey and Thompson, P.C. where he specialized in family law and criminal defense. Hon. Casey previously co-taught the MCLE Family Law Trial Advocacy program. He received his undergraduate degree from Bates College and his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1982.

Education

• Suffolk University Law School, JD 1982
• Bates College, BA Political Science 1979

Bar Admittance:

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1982
• United States District Court 1983