Judge Michelle L. Cocayne was appointed to Division 6 of the 16th Judicial Circuit of Missouri on February 13, 2026, by Governor Mike Kehoe.

Judge Cocayne earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Religious Studies from Bradley University. She then moved to Kansas City to pursue her Juris Doctor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Following law school, Judge Cocayne clerked for the Honorable Jalilah Otto in the 16th Judicial Circuit. She subsequently served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Clay County, Missouri, before transitioning to private practice. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Cocayne practiced in both civil litigation and criminal defense.