Judge Kristyna C. Ryan: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Kristyna C. Ryan is a judge for the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2008 and was retained in subsequent elections.

While on the bench, Ryan has held assignments in the First and Fourth Municipal Districts of the Municipal Department. She has also presided over the Restorative Justice Community Court, the second of its kind in Chicago. The restorative justice court seeks to rehabilitate defendants involved in nonviolent felony or misdemeanor crimes by using restorative justice conferences and peace circles to resolve disputes. It also encourages defendants to take responsibility for their actions and thereby work towards providing restitution to those who may have been harmed or impacted by the crime.

Ryan attended Ohio State University, where she received a B.S. in natural resources management and policy in 1995. She went on to complete a J.D. at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2000.

Prior to joining the bench, Ryan was an associate at Childress Duffy.