Committed to Justice
Committed to Families

With nearly two decades of experience as a dedicated public servant with the New York State courts, Judge Exias is committed to delivering fair and compassionate justice for all.

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Spring Valley's Compassionate and Dedicated Voice for Justice

From Village Justice to Accessible Magistrate, Judge Exias Brings Decades of Experience to Serve Rockland County

Spring Valley’s First Latino & Asian
Village Justice

As the first Latino and Asian Village Justice of Spring Valley, Judge Exias plays an active role in ensuring that equal representation on the bench results in equal justice before the courts.

Judge Exias presides over misdemeanor criminal, landlord-tenant, vehicle and traffic, and small claims proceedings in Spring Valley Village Justice Court.

Rockland County Accessible Magistrate

Judge Exias is designated an Accessible Magistrate to preside over juvenile offender and adolescent offender proceedings when the Rockland County Youth Part is not available.

Dedicated Public Servant

Judge Exias has dedicated nearly two decades to the New York State courts and currently serves as a Court Attorney-Referee for the Ninth Judicial District.

About Chris

Judge Chris Exias attended Fairfield College Preparatory School and then Trinity College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law, where he was a member and Executive Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal.

Chris has worked for the New York State Courts for almost 20 years. He began his career in 2004 as a Management Analyst, where he oversaw alternative dispute resolution programs. Upon graduating from law school, he began his legal career as an Assistant Law Clerk to two NYS Supreme Court Justices and later gained criminal law experience as Senior Court Attorney to a Westchester County Court Judge. He served as Principal Law Clerk in Rockland Supreme Court from 2015-2022, where he conferenced and helped resolve Family Court proceedings which were regularly removed and determined with matrimonial actions. Chris currently works as a Court Attorney-Referee for the Ninth Judicial District, which includes Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties.

In November 2021, Chris was elected Village Justice for the Village of Spring Valley where he presides over misdemeanor criminal actions, including those arising from domestic violence incidents and crimes between members of the same household. Chris is the first Latino and Asian justice to serve on the bench in one of the most diverse villages in Rockland County and is an active member of the Latino Judges Association and Asian American Judges Association of New York. Earlier this year, Chris was designated an Accessible Magistrate to preside over proceedings involving Juvenile and Adolescent Offenders under New York’s “Raise the Age” law when the Rockland County Youth Part is not in session.

Family Court plays a pivotal role in our court system with jurisdiction over a wide range of matters, including custody proceedings, abuse and neglect proceedings, adoptions, and youth Court proceedings. It is essential that a Family Court Judge possess the necessary skills and disposition to approach each case with knowledge and compassion.

Chris and his wife Alejandra Silva-Exias live in Suffern, New York with their two children, Gabriela, age 7, and Mateo, age 4. As a parent, Chris understands the profound responsibility and challenges of raising two young children, especially during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Chris and Alejandra have faced medical crises affecting their children that left them navigating overwhelming situations in the wake of unforeseen challenges. Chris is running for Rockland Family Court because he is passionate about helping families who are in crisis, and he hopes to bring his personal and professional experience to the Family Court bench.