Longtime Monroe County deputy prosecutor Jeff Kehr is seeking the Democratic primary nomination for Monroe Circuit Court 3. He hopes to replace Judge Francie Hill, who is retiring at the end of this year.

Kehr has been a deputy prosecutor for more than 20 years, and has held several positions in the prosecutor’s office. He has extensive jury trial experience and has handled some of the most serious cases in the past 10 years, including murder and vehicular homicide.

Kehr has the title of first deputy prosecutor, which makes him third in command in the local office. He oversees charging defendants, supervises other deputy prosecutors in the office, and serves as an around-the-clock contact for law enforcement officers and judges.

He has provided legal-update training to local law enforcement agencies over the years, including teaching criminal law and procedure to Indiana University Police Department cadets every spring. He serves periodically as a trainer for other prosecutors across the state in evidence, trial procedure and search-and-seizure law.

Kehr was a founding member of the Monroe County Drug Treatment Court, and has been appointed by judges to serve as a special prosecutor in other counties.

“I have dedicated my life to public service," he said in a news release announcing his candidacy. "I firmly believe that prosecutors are not just advocates, but ‘ministers of justice,’ charged with ensuring that the process is fair for the accused. My knowledge of the law, extensive courtroom experience and integrity translate well into being an effective, honorable and fair judge that the public will have confidence in.”

Kehr graduated from Indiana University in 1994 and from IU's law school in 1997.