Biography

Judge James Reeves Kelley (D39) Westmoreland (Part) County 1974-1982 (D39) Indiana (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1983-1988

Early Life:

Judge James Reeves Kelley; son of Augustine B. and Ella Marie Kelley; Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, B.A.; Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, Washington, District of Columbia, LL.B.; elected, County Commissioner, Westmoreland County, 1968-1974; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1974-1988; appointed, judge, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1990, elected, 1991-2001; married, Patricia A. Phillips, six children.

Early Life:

Admitted to practice before, United States Supreme Court, courts, District of Columbia, all federal, Pennsylvania courts; member, of the American, Pennsylvania and Westmoreland Bar Associations,

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, County Commissioner, Westmoreland County, 1968-1974.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, Special Election, 39th district, Westmoreland (Part) County, John Scales resigned, February 4, 1974, seated, June 17, 1974-1982; Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 39th district, Indiana (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties, 1983-1988.

Appointed, judge, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1990, unexpired term of Judge Francis A. Barry.

Elected, judge, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1991, full term beginning January 1992; subsequently served a second 10-year term; upon reaching age 70, appointed, senior judge, Commonwealth Court.

Senior Judge, Westmoreland County, 2007.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members K". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.