Joseph E. Irenas

Joseph Eron Irenas (July 13, 1940 – October 16, 2015) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Irenas received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Princeton University in 1962 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1965, where he graduated cum laude. He was in private practice of law at McCarter & English in Newark from 1966 to 1992. He was also an adjunct professor at Rutgers University from 1985 to 1986, and again from 1988 to 2015.

On November 14, 1991, Irenas was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 8, 1992, and received his commission on April 13, 1992. He assumed senior status on July 1, 2002 due to a certified disability.

In 1962, Irenas married Nancy Jacknow; they had two children. In or around 2000, Irenas was diagnosed with kidney failure, but continued to hear cases up until his death.

On October 14, 2015, Irenas fell and hit his head during work at the Mitchell H. Cohen United States Courthouse in Camden, New Jersey. He was taken to Camden's Cooper University Hospital, where he died on October 16, at the age of 75.