MEET JUDGE J.J. KOCH
J.J. spent his childhood in New Jersey, but, as the saying goes, he made his way to Texas as fast as he could get here. His mother, who devoted her career to crime victims as an Investigator for the NJ Attorney General’s office, and his father, a high school teacher and coach—both worn down by the incredibly high tax policies and ever-present corruption of local government in the northeast—always encouraged J.J. and his siblings to build their lives in parts of the country that remained committed to the American Dream. Each of them did just that.
THE ROAD TO TEXAS.
J.J.’s first stop was Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. From a young age, J.J. embraced hard work and responsibility so as to earn a spot on Duke’s Division I wrestling team and pursue a degree in economics, all while working two jobs to support himself through college. His determination to succeed led him to pursue a law degree and, keeping with his parents’ guidance, he explored schools in places committed to innovation, investment and economic growth.
Upon his first visit to Dallas to explore Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, J.J. was hooked. At a time when the world was upended by the September 11th attacks, and much of the rest of the country’s economy struggled to recover, J.J. immediately recognized Dallas for its unique vibrance, as its economy continued to thrive, and he knew he could make his American Dream happen here.
That decision was immediately solidified during his first week at SMU when J.J. met his wife Amanda in a legal writing seminar. As fate would have it, the then long-haired Jersey boy won over the proper Texas girl, but the jury is still out as to whether J.J. learned the art of argument from the school…or from his wife.
PRACTICAL LAW EXPERIENCE. REAL-WORLD APPLICATION.
Throughout law school, J.J. clerked for the law firm retained by the Dallas Police Association and also completed a clerkship for the New York Police Department in the prestigious Mayor’s Internship Program. After law school, he began his legal career in the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, where he served as a Prosecutor. Upon entering private practice, J.J. represented Dallas Police officers as an attorney for the Dallas Fraternal Order of Police.
J.J. holds a particular interest in—and has focused a great part of his career on—the application of technological advancements to streamline and increase efficiencies in law and business. He helmed a tech start up that was incubated locally in the Tech Wildcatters program and subsequently worked with Thompson Reuters, a company specializing in cutting-edge technologies for corporate and government entities, gaining certifications as an expert in the field of legal technology. Prior to his election as Dallas County Commissioner, J.J. worked with William M. Woodall, P.C., working on internal process improvement and selling commercial title insurance.
PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
J.J. believes there is no better place to call home than Dallas County, which provides the cultural and community benefits of an urban environment balanced with the common sense values required for its citizens to be safe and prosperous. He and Amanda are proud parents to Sawyer (age 10) and Scarlett (age 8) and the four of them can often be found enjoying the community’s many outdoor recreational spaces, including, especially, walks and bike rides along the Northaven Trail led (in every sense) by their 7-lb morkie, Birdie Belle.
J.J. and his family are active members of the Dallas County community and attend Highland Park United Methodist Church. In the past J.J. has been a “Big” with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, has served as Treasurer and Board Member for the HPUMC Child Development Program and has worked with Habitat for Humanity. He was a volunteer assistant wrestling coach at Bishop Lynch High School and coached his son and other kids at the Scots Wrestling Club.