Joyce L. Noche '99 Appointed as Immigration Judge

United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed Joyce L. Noche ’99 as an immigration judge for the Santa Ana Immigration Court, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review announced.

Noche began hearing cases in March. The Justice Department's March 25 announcement of her appointment included this bio:

Judge Noche earned a bachelor of arts in 1996 from the University of Southern California and a J.D. in 1999 from UC Davis. From 2018 to 2022, she was the Legal Services Director at Immigrant Defenders Law Center. From 2016 to 2018, she was a senior attorney with Stone Grzegorek and Gonzalez LLP. From 2013 to 2016, she was a directing attorney with Public Law Center. From 2011 to 2013, she was a supervising attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice. From 2006 to 2011, she served as an asylum officer, quality assurance trainer, and supervisory asylum officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). From 2003 to 2005, she was a staff attorney with Legal Momentum. From 1999 to 2003, she was an Equal Justice Fellow and staff attorney with Legal Aid Society of New York. She is a Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration from the State Bar of California. Judge Noche is a member of the California and New York state bars.