John Michael Vazquez

John Michael Vazquez (born May 11, 1970) is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Early life and education Vazquez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1970. His family moved to New Jersey when he was several months old. Vazquez received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 from Rutgers University. He received a Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, in 1996 from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Career Vazquez served as law clerk to Judge Herman D. Michels of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, from 1996 to 1997.

Federal judicial service

On March 26, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Vazquez to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, to the seat vacated by Judge Joel A. Pisano, who retired on February 16, 2015. Vasquez was unanimously rated as "well qualified" for the judgeship by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, the committee's highest rating. His nomination received the support of both of New Jersey's senators, Cory Booker and Robert Menendez. His nomination was reported from the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 17, 2015, by a voice vote. Vazquez was confirmed by the Senate on January 27, 2016, by a 84–2 vote. He received his judicial commission on January 29, 2016. After the bench, Vazquez joined the firm of Chiesa, Shahinian & Giantomasi as a partner. Vazquez later joined Cooper University Health Care, an academic medical center, as Chief Legal Officer. In 2025, New Jersey Governor Philip Murphy nominated Vazquez to the Rutgers Board of Governors. Vazquez took his seat on the Board in August 2025.