His Story
Meet Leon T. Roché II
From the Westbank to Tulane & Broad, a life built in service to New Orleans.
His Story
From the Westbank to Tulane & Broad, a life built in service to New Orleans.
New Orleans Born and Raised
Leon T. Roché II is a native of the Westbank of New Orleans, a community that shaped his values, his work ethic, and his commitment to the people of this city. He graduated from St. Augustine High School in 2000, where he was part of the 1999 indoor track state championship team.
Leon comes from a family of small business owners. His father and uncle ran the Westbank Paper and Janitorial Supply Company for over 30 years, and he learned early what it means to work hard and show up for your community every single day.
Baptized by the late Reverend Noily Paul Jr., Leon remains an active and devoted member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. He was inducted into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. at Louisiana State University in 2002, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from LSU in 2004.
13 Years at Tulane & Broad
In 2007, Leon litigated his first case as a student attorney in the Criminal Defense Clinic at Loyola College of Law, and won. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University College of Law in 2008.
From 2009 to 2022, Leon practiced as a staff attorney at the Orleans Public Defenders Office, representing over a thousand citizens across the full range of criminal matters, from misdemeanors to second-degree murder, and conducting over one hundred jury trials. He walked into Tulane and Broad every day knowing the person at the defense table depended on him fully and completely.
"He fights like a lion for every client, giving a voice to those who often feel their voice is not heard."
Service Beyond the Courtroom
Leon's commitment to New Orleans has never been confined to the courthouse. In 2018, he coached the St. Augustine High School team to a first-place win in the Allen Ray Bolin Trial Advocacy Workshop, founded by former Judge Arthur Hunter to teach high school students how to practice law.
He has served as a guest speaker at public and private schools and colleges, and mentored countless law students and young lawyers throughout his career. In 2022 he founded the Leon T. Roché II Law Firm, maintaining an active practice across Orleans Parish before taking the bench.
He is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, AmeriCorps, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and the Association of Saint Augustine Alumni – New Orleans.
On the Bench
On October 14, 2023, Judge Roché won election outright in the primary to Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, defeating his opponent without a runoff. Ten days later, he took the oath of office.
As judge, he defends constitutional rights, honors victims and their families, and seeks alternatives to incarceration for those struggling with mental illness, addiction, or veteran status, all while holding accountable those who commit acts of violence.
Now he's asking New Orleans for a second term, to keep doing the work that this community elected him to do.
Help re-elect a judge who knows New Orleans and fights for every corner of it.