Hon. Mary W. Colón

The Honorable Mary Watts Colón was appointed as chief bankruptcy judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Florida, effective July 25, 2026.  Judge Colón earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) with honors from the Florida State University College of Law in 1999 and a Bachelor of Science from Auburn University in 1995.  

Prior to joining the bench, she was a partner with Smith, Thompson, Shaw, Colón & Power, P.A.  where she handled real estate transactions, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy matters.  She served as a Chapter 7 panel trustee for 16 years and was an active participant in the court’s Local Rules Committee (serving as secretary) and the Chapter 13 Ad Hoc Committee.

Judge Colón is a member of the Business Law Section and the Real Property/Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, and the Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association.  She has also served on the editorial board of the American Bankruptcy Trustee Journal.