Candidate Profiles

Mary Elizabeth Chicchelly (nonpartisan)

Incumbent, Court of Appeals

Judge Chicchelly, Cedar Rapids, was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in December 2021. She was born and raised in Cedar Rapids and earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa in 1989 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1992. Her past work experience includes serving as a judicial clerk for Iowa Judicial District 2A from 1992-1993 and practicing law in Fort Dodge from 1993-1995 and in Waterloo from 1995-1997. She was a partner in the law firm of Seidl & Chicchelly in Cedar Rapids from 1997 until her appointment to the Iowa District Court for Judicial District 6 in March 2013. Judge Chicchelly served in that role until her appointment to the Iowa Court of Appeals. She is a member of the American Bar Association, The Iowa State Bar Association, Linn County Bar Association, and the Judge David R. Hansen American Inn of Court (Emeritus). She previously served as a member and past delegate to the ABA National Conference of State Trial Judges, is a past president of the Iowa Judges Association, and current member of the Iowa Judges Association Board. Judge Chicchelly is married and has two daughters.