Kris F. Reitz is seeking his fourth term as Monroe County State’s Attorney.

Kris is a lifelong resident of Monroe County.  After graduating from SS. Peter and Paul Grade School and Gibault High School, Kris earned degrees in Finance and Law from the University of Illinois.  He then returned directly to Monroe County with his wife, Wendy, and they have lived in rural Columbia since 1986.

Their son, Nicholas, begins his junior year at the University of Illinois in the fall, and their daughter Allison, having recently graduated from the University of Illinois as a Composer, will soon begin work on a Master’s of Sound Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Kris performed Monroe County Public Defender duties from 1986 through 2001 with his law partner, Columbia Attorney Arlie E. Traughber.  Arthur W. Morris was also a longtime partner in the firm.  In addition to his Public Defender duties, Kris handled hundreds of private criminal cases and practiced in most areas of civil law including Family, Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, Bankruptcy and Estates.

Since being sworn in as State’s Attorney on July 18, 2001, Kris has been responsible for all prosecutions in Monroe County, and all civil matters in which the County was a party.  As a prosecutor or defense attorney, he has handled the vast majority of all criminal jury trials held in Monroe County since 1986.

Kris’ family has a long history of service to the community.  His mother, the late Janet Reitz, was an exemplary teacher in the Waterloo School District, where his sister, Kara Lavoie, and his sister-in-law, Conni Reitz, now teach.  Kris’s brother, Kurt, is a civil defense attorney at Thompson Coburn.

The Reitz family officially arrived in Monroe County in 1848 when Nicholas Reitz, namesake of Kris’ son, became a naturalized citizen.  Their tradition of service includes Kris’ grandfather, Fred Reitz (the “F” in Kris F. Reitz) who was a longtime Justice of the Peace and Storekeeper in Waterloo, Uncle Leroy M. Reitz, who served over 30 years as Monroe County Police Magistrate, County Treasurer and Circuit Clerk, cousin Dan Reitz, recently retired State Representative for the 116th District, and Kris’ father, recently retired Monroe County Circuit Clerk, Aaron L. Reitz.