John Casey

HON. JOHN D. CASEY retired as the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department on July 6, 2025. He served in that role for approximately 7 years. 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 is currently the Director of a new clinical program at Suffolk University Law School where he also taught a Family Law Course. 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 December he received the Haskell Freedman Award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers. This Spring, he was recognized by the Massachusetts Bar Foundation with the 2025 Great Friend of Justice Award. 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. Recently, Chief Casey has been accepted for inclusion on the newly created Massachusetts Family Law Panel for the American Arbitration Association.

Education

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

Bar Admittance:

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1982
• United States District Court 1983