Joy-Michele Roche at a glance
- Current role
- Criminal Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New Jersey · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Joy-Michele Roche
Criminal Judge · New Jersey Superior Court, Passaic Vicinage
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey (since April 2024)
- Joy‐Michele Roche is an active Criminal Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Passaic Vicinage, appointed by the governor to a seven‐year term
- Joy‐Michele Roche is a seasoned New Jersey legal professional with a background in public service, municipal prosecution, and ethics oversight, now serving as a criminal judge in Passaic County
Education
Additional information
- In October 2025, Judge Roche sentenced Jimmy Mercedes to 50 years in state prison for a 2024 fatal shooting in Paterson.
- Appointed by gubernatorial selection, the current method for judges in this court, and serves a seven‐year term
- Joy‐Michele Roche serves as a Criminal Judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Passaic Vicinage, one of the state’s general‐jurisdiction trial courts handling most civil and criminal cases.
- She also has experience as a yoga instructor and has served in various community and leadership roles
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Media Access And Electronic Devices
Statewide
New Jersey statewide Supreme Court guidelines govern media access and electronic devices in courtrooms; recording, photography, broadcasting, and transmission require compliance with the published approval process and courtroom restrictions.
Transmission, broadcasting, recording and/or photographing is prohibited at any proceeding closed by court order, statute, or Rule of Court.New Jersey Courts ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
New Jersey Courts
New Jersey Superior Court, Passaic Vicinage
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
New Jersey Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New Jersey Courts official judicial roster ↗