Judge Kate Lynch
Kate Lynch was appointed District Attorney of Yamhill County in October 2024 after running unopposed in the May primary election. She joined the Yamhill County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor in 2007, beginning with misdemeanor cases before moving into juvenile dependency and delinquency prosecutions. In 2010, she transitioned back to adult prosecution, specializing in child abuse cases.
In 2018, Kate was promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney. In that role, she handled multiple homicide cases, maintained a full child abuse caseload, mentored and supervised prosecutors, led the prosecution of major crimes, and chaired both the Yamhill County Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team and the Sexual Assault Response Team.
Kate holds a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in Sociology from the University of Oregon and an M.S.W. from Portland State University. She began her career in the criminal justice system as a Victim’s Advocate with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, later working as a Probation Officer. Inspired by these experiences, she earned her law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School while working full-time, driven by a commitment to protecting the community, securing justice for victims, and ensuring overall fairness in the criminal justice system.
Locally, Kate serves on the Yamhill County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council, Bar Association, Deflection Planning Committee, Local Alcohol and Drug Planning Committee, and Overdose Fatality Review Board. At the state level, she is a member of the Oregon DOJ Attorney General’s Task Force on Victims’ Rights, the Oregon Board on Public Safety Standards and Training, as well as the Executive Board of the Oregon District Attorney’s Association.
Kate lives in McMinnville with her husband, John, and their pandemic puppy, Walter.
