The Hon. James R. Paganelli is a judge for the Essex County Superior Court (Vicinage 5) in New Jersey. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Chris Christie on August 13, 2015.
Prior to his appointment, Paganelli was the Executive Director of the Essex County Improvement Authority. He also spent time as a partner at Hetchka, Bachmann & Paganelli in Clifton, and he served as the designated counsel for the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate’s Office of the Public Defender (Appellate Section) and the Public Defender for the Township of Verona.
Paganelli earned a J.D. from New York Law School.
His memberships have included the Board of Trustees of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. He also sat on the Essex County Board of Freeholders, where he represented District IV. During his tenure there, he chaired the Economic Development Committee and served as a member of the Health Care/Health Benefits Committee, and the Essex County Improvement Authority Oversight Committee, the Administrative Code Oversight Committee.
He is registered as a Republican.