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| More information on New Jersey's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In New Jersey, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, a state superior court, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
- Federal courts
- State supreme court
- State superior court
- Trial courts
The image below depicts the flow of cases through New Jersey's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
The structure of New Jersey's state court system.
Judicial selection process
The seven justices of the New Jersey Supreme Court and the approximately 360 judges of the New Jersey Superior Court are appointed by the governor with senate confirmation. Meanwhile, the chief justice of the supreme court assigns 32 judges from among the superior court judges to serve in the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.[1] [2] [3]
When a vacancy occurs on the supreme court or superior court, the governor appoints a successor to be confirmed by the state senate. Newly appointed judges serve for seven years, after which they may be reappointed to serve until age 70.[1]
Federal courts
The federal district court in New Jersey is the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Appeals from these courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
Active judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freda Wolfson | George W. Bush (R) | December 4, 2002 - | Rutgers University, 1976 | Rutgers University Law, 1979 |
| Noel Hillman | George W. Bush (R) | June 12, 2006 - | Monmouth University, 1981 | Seton Hall University Law, 1985 |
| Renee Bumb | George W. Bush (R) | June 12, 2006 - | The Ohio State University, 1981 | Rutgers University Law, 1987 |
| Susan Wigenton | George W. Bush (R) | June 12, 2006 - | Norfolk State University, 1984 | College of William and Mary, 1987 |
| Claire Cecchi | Barack Obama (D) | June 14, 2011 - | Columbia University, 1982 | Fordham University Law, 1989 |
| Esther Salas | Barack Obama (D) | June 14, 2011 - | Rutgers University, 1991 | Rutgers University Law, 1994 |
| Kevin McNulty | Barack Obama (D) | July 18, 2012 - | Yale University, 1976 | New York University Law, 1983 |
| Michael Shipp | Barack Obama (D) | July 26, 2012 - | Rutgers University, 1987 | Seton Hall University Law, 1994 |
| Madeline Arleo | Barack Obama (D) | November 21, 2014 - | Rutgers College, 1985 | Seton Hall Law, 1989 |
| John Michael Vazquez | Barack Obama (D) | January 29, 2016 - | Rutgers University, 1992 | Seton Hall University School of Law, 1996 |
| Brian R. Martinotti | Barack Obama (D) | July 11, 2016 - | Fordham University, 1983 | Seton Hall University School of Law, 1986 |
| Julien Xavier Neals | Joe Biden (D) | June 22, 2021 - | Morehouse College, 1982 | Emory University of Law, 1991 |
| Zahid Quraishi | Joe Biden (D) | June 22, 2021 - | John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 1997 | Rutgers Law School, Newark, 2000 |
| Christine O'Hearn | Joe Biden (D) | October 22, 2021 - | University of Delaware, 1990 | Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law, 1993 |
| Karen Williams | Joe Biden (D) | November 1, 2021 - | Pennsylvania State University, 1985 | Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law, 1992 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 11
- Republican appointed: 4
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There is one federal bankruptcy court in New Jersey. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy court in New Jersey is:
- United States bankruptcy court, District of New Jersey
State supreme court
-
- See also: New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state. It is an appellate court with no original jurisdiction. The court may hear appeals if the case involves a constitutional question, if a judge in the appellate division dissented, if capital punishment is sought, or if the court granted certification. The court also has administrative power over the state's courts and attorneys.[4] [5]
The following judges currently sit on the court:
| Judge | Appointed By |
|---|---|
| Stuart Rabner | Jon Corzine (D) |
| Fabiana Pierre-Louis | Phil Murphy (D) |
| Jaynee LaVecchia | Christine Todd Whitman (R) |
| Barry T. Albin | Jon Corzine (D) |
| Anne Patterson | Chris Christie (R) |
| Faustino J. Fernandez-Vina | Chris Christie (R) |
| Lee A. Solomon | Chris Christie (R) |
State court of appeals
-
- See also: Appellate Division of Superior Court
The New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New Jersey. Its rulings may be appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court. According to the New Jersey Courts website, the court "is generally composed of 32 judges who sit in two and three judge panels chosen from parts consisting of four judges. Appellate Division judges hear appeals from decisions of the trial courts, the Tax Court, and State administrative agencies. The Appellate Division decides approximately 6,500 appeals and 10,000 motions each year."[2]
The following judges currently sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
| Greta Gooden Brown | August 1, 2016 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Lisa Rose | January 2, 2018 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Ronald Susswein | August 1, 2019 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Francis J. Vernoia | December 28, 2015 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Jack M. Sabatino | March 1, 2006 - Present | Deborah Poritz |
| Carmen Messano | November 20, 2006 - Present | James Zazzali |
| Mary Gibbons Whipple | November 24, 2014 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Jose L. Fuentes | August 1, 2002 - Present | Deborah Poritz |
| Richard Geiger | August 1, 2017 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Clarkson S. Fisher | August 1, 2003 - Present | Deborah Poritz |
| Carmen H. Alvarez | August 1, 2007 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Thomas W. Sumners | 2014 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Allison E. Accurso | August 1, 2012 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Richard S. Hoffman | August 1, 2012 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Karen L. Suter | December 28, 2015 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Mitchell E. Ostrer | August 1, 2011 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Garry S. Rothstadt | December 26, 2013 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Katie A. Gummer | September 1, 2020 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Morris Smith | September 1, 2020 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Michael J. Haas | August 1, 2012 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Heidi W. Currier | August 1, 2015 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Jessica R. Mayer | August 1, 2017 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Catherine I. Enright | September 1, 2020 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Arnold L. Natali Jr. | August 1, 2018 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Robert J. Gilson | August 1, 2015 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Hany Mawla | August 1, 2017 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Douglas M. Fasciale | August 1, 2010 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Patrick DeAlmeida | January 16, 2018 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Lisa A. Firko | August 1, 2018 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
| Stephanie Ann Mitterhoff | August 1, 2018 - Present | Stuart Rabner |
Trial courts
New Jersey Superior Courts
-
- See also: New Jersey Superior Courts
The New Jersey superior courts are the main trial courts in New Jersey. They hear all criminal, civil and family cases. Each of New Jersey's 21 counties contains a superior court.[2]
Courts of limited jurisdiction
-
- See also: New Jersey Municipal Courts
- See also: New Jersey Tax Court
New Jersey Municipal Courts
The New Jersey municipal courts have jurisdiction over municipal ordinance violations, minor criminal offenses, as well as traffic and motor vehicle violations. There are 539 municipal courts in the state.[2] [6]
New Jersey Tax Court
The Tax Court hears appeals of decisions made by county boards of taxation and the State Division of Taxation.[2] [7]
In other states
Click the map below to explore the court structure in other states.
http://ballotpedia.org/Courts_in_STATE
See also
- Judicial selection in New Jersey
- New Jersey judicial elections
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- New Jersey Courts
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: New Jersey," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 New Jersey Courts, "Welcome to the New Jersey Court System," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Courts, "Superior Court, Appellate Division," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ Wikisource, "New Jersey Constitution of 1947," accessed May 4, 2015
- ↑ New Jersey Courts, "Supreme Court of New Jersey," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Courts, "The Municipal Courts of New Jersey," accessed March 3, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Courts, "Tax Court of New Jersey," accessed March 3, 2021
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Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Courts_in_New_Jersey
