Kelly A. Jurs, Senior Trial Attorney with the Chester County Public Defender’s Office, announced her candidacy for Judge of the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.
Kelly Jurs currently represents indigent clients from all over Chester County. She has nearly two decades of experience in public defense and private defense and family law.
Ms. Jurs tries cases ranging from Driving Under the Influence to drug possession to theft to first-degree murder. She is certified to try death penalty cases, under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure.
“It’s important to note that of the thirteen Judges currently sitting on the Bench, only one came directly from a position as a career Public Defender. It is imperative that we have more Judges with this type of background to bring balance to the Bench.”
Jurs, a resident of Chester County for 29 years and a long-time Democrat, began her legal career as a Public Defender upon her graduation from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in 2005; she worked for that Office for 15 years. She went into private practice in 2020, where she concentrated on Family Law and Criminal Defense. Ms. Jurs returned to the Public Defender’s Office in 2023 as a Senior Trial Attorney, where she continues to skillfully defend all manner of criminal cases with compassion and empathy, as well as mentor younger attorneys in the areas of evidence, criminal procedure, and trial advocacy.
Recognizing the importance of service to and participation in the community, Kelly Jurs has served on the Boards of the Marshallton Conservation Trust, The Charles A. Melton Center, and the Chester County Bar Association, where she is currently co-chair of the Criminal Justice Section.
Ms. Jurs is recognized in the legal community for her expertise in the areas of Criminal and Family Law, having several articles published in New Matter, the Chester County Bar Association (CCBA) publication, and taught Continuing Legal Education Seminars for the CCBA. She also published articles in The Legal Intelligencer, which serves the Philadelphia area legal community and is the oldest daily law journal published in the United States.
“As your Judge, I vow to protect the Constitution and the rights of all the citizens of Chester County who come before me; to promote and endeavor to expand our treatment courts for the betterment of our community; and to continue the progress the Democratic Party has made in bringing balance and compassion to the Bench.”
The Courts of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania are the trial courts in Pennsylvania, hearing major criminal and civil cases.
The 2025 Pennsylvania primary election is scheduled for May 20th and the general election is on November 4th .
To learn more about Kelly Jurs and her campaign, visit her website: www.jursforjudge.com.
