ABOUT the honorable JUDGE CHRISTOPHER a. BUCKLEY
A Lifetime of Service in Porter County
Judge Buckley is a lifelong Porter County resident. He was born in Valparaiso and raised in Portage, graduated from Chesterton High School and currently resides in Valparaiso. Starting from very humble beginnings in a blue-collar steelworker family in a mobile home park in Liberty Township, Judge Buckley developed his grit by climbing the social ladder, rung by rung. Judge Buckley lives in the very community he has known his whole life while raising his young family. Judge Buckley loves few things in life as much as being a dad.
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Wise, Knowledgeable, and Experienced Judge
Judge Buckley has more than a decade of judicial experience. He was elected on November 4, 2020 and was sworn into office on January 1, 2021. Prior to taking office as a Superior Court Judge, Judge Buckley served as the Lowell Town Judge from January 2016 until February 2020. Judge Buckley frequently pursues continuing education and professional development, having recently graduated from Indiana’s Judicial College, and regularly attends and teaches courses for other judges dedicated to the profession.
Decorated United States Marine Corps Veteran
Judge Buckley is a United States Marine Corps veteran. Read more HERE. Judge Buckley served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps after graduating high school, serving with distinction and honor. In addition to a variety of other ribbons, medals and awards, the President of the United States awarded him the Navy/Marine Corps Medal of Heroism for his actions in September 2001. Read More HERE.
Statewide Leadership and Commitment to Mental Health
Judge Buckley has become a leader among judges throughout the State of Indiana. Judge Buckley presides over Porter County’s only adult mental health problem solving court. In 2023, Judge Buckley was appointed by Indiana’s Chief Justice and currently leads Indiana’s statewide Problem-Solving Courts Committee as its Chair and currently serves in that role. In March 2025, Judge Buckley was also honored with the Executive Advocate for Mental Health Justice Award conferred by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.