---
title: "Susan J. Steele | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/susan-j-steele-nj-bergen"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Susan J. Steele

New Jersey Superior Court, Bergen Vicinage · Criminal Judge

## Profile

- Court: New Jersey Superior Court, Bergen Vicinage
- State: New Jersey
- Role: Criminal Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-26

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### media access and electronic devices

Scope: 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.

Evidence excerpt: Transmission, broadcasting, recording and/or photographing is prohibited at any proceeding closed by court order, statute, or Rule of Court.

[New Jersey Courts](https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2024/07/n240723a.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.njcourts.gov/public/directories/judges/all)
- [Official roster](https://www.njcourts.gov/public/directories/judges/all)
- [New Jersey Courts official judicial roster](https://www.njcourts.gov/public/directories/judges/all)
- [New Jersey Courts](https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2024/07/n240723a.pdf)

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## Biography

### Professional career

- Retired New Jersey Superior Court judge who, as of 2026, is serving on judicial recall in Bergen County’s Criminal Division and other special assignments
- Before her judicial role, Steele served as Chief of the Civil Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark from 2004 to 2011.
- Judge Susan J. Steele’s career spans federal prosecutorial work, state court judicial service, and now a recall role allowing her to continue serving in specialized criminal and parole-related duties despite retirement

### Education

- Pace University — J.D.

### Additional information

- Served until 2017, when she reached the state’s mandatory retirement age of 70
- Appointed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in June 2011 to the Vicinage 2 Superior Court in the Civil Division.
- One documented case from her tenure was a $150,000 default judgment against attorney Matthew Jeon for failing to respond to a bail bond company’s claim after a client skipped court.
- Steele denied multiple motions to vacate the judgment, though later judges found error in her refusal
- She is also a registered nurse



## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [New Jersey Courts](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c9ef48d54ca091cafd206659) — 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](https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2024/07/n240723a.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.