Judge Peter A. McShane: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Peter A. McShane is a judge for the Fairfield Judicial District Superior Court in Connecticut. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Dannel Malloy in 2018.

Prior to joining the bench, McShane was State’s Attorney for the Middlesex Judicial District with the State of Connecticut’s Division of Criminal Justice, a position to which he was appointed in 2011. As such, he was tasked with serving as the chief law enforcement officer for criminal matters in the Middlesex Judicial District. McShane also supervised Juvenile, Geographical Area 9, and Part A Court, as well as other attorneys, investigators, support staff, and law enforcement in Middlesex County.

Before receiving that appointment, he was the supervisory assistant state’s attorney in Geographical Area 10 of New London (2007 to 2011), senior assistant state’s attorney in the New London Judicial District (1994 to 2007), and deputy assistant state’s attorney in Geographical Area 10 of New London (1988 to 1994).

During his tenure as an assistant state’s attorney in G.A. 10, McShane helped develop the SMART program along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in an effort to address issues related to distracted driving and underage drinking. The program was later adopted by other Geographical Area courts across Connecticut as well as in two dozen other states. As the State’s Attorney, McShane was credited with trying over fifteen murder trials to verdict and arguing more than thirty cases before Connecticut’s Supreme and Appellate Courts.

He received a B.A. in economics from St. Michael’s College in 1984. McShane went on to complete a J.D. at Boston University School of Law in 1987.

After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. John J. Daly with the Connecticut Appellate Court.

McShane received the Oliver Ellsworth Prosecutor of the Year Award from the Connecticut Criminal Justice Educational and Charitable Association in 2011.

At the time of his appointment, he resided in Madison, Connecticut.