Judge Chris Brown was elected to the Collier County Court bench in August 2022. In early 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Judge Brown to the Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which serves Southwest Florida.

Judge Brown is currently assigned to the Unified Family Court/Domestic Relations Division in Collier County. In this role, he presides over approximately half of the county’s family law and domestic relations matters, as well as half of the petitions involving domestic violence and related injunctions. He is also responsible for approximately 25 percent of Collier County’s probate caseload.

Prior to taking the bench, Judge Brown practiced criminal, civil, and appellate litigation for more than 16 years as a partner at the same firm. Over the course of his 23-year legal career, he spent the majority of his practice—21 years—focused on criminal law, following an initial two years in corporate law. Judge Brown tried more than 150 cases to verdict in both state and federal courts and argued dozens of appeals throughout Florida.

Judge Brown has received numerous professional honors recognizing both his legal ability and ethical standards. In 2007, he was awarded the “Extra Mile” Award for service to the voluntary bar. Since 2012, he has maintained an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the organization’s highest distinction for competence and ethics. He has also held a 10/10 Avvo rating since 2010. In 2018, the Florida Bar certified Judge Brown as a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Trial Law. During the final four consecutive years of his private practice, he was named to Super Lawyers magazine as one of Florida’s top criminal defense attorneys. Since 2023, Judge Brown has served as an adjunct professor of constitutional law at Ave Maria University School of Law.

A lifelong Naples resident, Judge Brown attended Shadowlawn Elementary School, Gulfview Middle School, and Naples High School before earning both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida, making him a proud “Double Gator” (J.D., 1999).

Judge Brown remains deeply committed to his community. He serves as a Little League coach and is active as a Knight of Columbus, Rotarian, and a 2025 graduate of Leadership Collier. He also participates in Teen Court and mentors local students through judicial internship opportunities.

Judge Brown and his wife, Lynn Brown, a Naples native and Naples High School graduate, were married in 2011. Lynn earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University (1999). Together, they have three school-aged children in Naples, and Judge Brown enjoys spending his time outside of work supporting his family at their many activities and events.