New Jersey
Current Methods of Judicial Selection
SELECTION OF JUDGES
|
Supreme Court |
Appellate Division of Superior
Court |
Superior Court
Law and Chancery Division |
Number of judgeships |
7 |
34 |
395 |
Number of vicinages* |
--- |
--- |
15 |
Geographic basis for selection |
statewide |
** |
county |
Method of selection (full term) |
gubernatorial appointment with senate
confirmation |
** |
gubernatorial appointment with senate
confirmation |
Length of Initial term |
7 yrs |
** |
7 yrs |
Method of retention |
gubernatorial reappointment with
senate
confirmation |
** |
gubernatorial reappointment with
senate
confirmation |
Length of subsequent terms |
until age 70 |
** |
until age 70 |
Method of filling interim vacancies |
gubernatorial reappointment with
senate
confirmation |
** |
gubernatorial reappointment with
senate
confirmation |
When interim judges stand for
appointment/election |
7 yrs |
** |
7 yrs |
Selection of chief judge/justice |
gubernatorial appointment with senate
confirmation |
designated by chief justice |
designated by chief justice |
Term of office for chief judge/justice |
duration of service |
indefinite |
indefinite |
Qualifications |
admitted to state practice for 10 yrs |
** |
admitted to state practice for 10 yrs |
*Vicinage is from the Latin vicinus and
means vicinity or neighborhood. In New Jersey, there are 15
vicinages and 21 counties. A vicinage consists of one county in
more populous areas and two or three counties in less populous
areas.
**The chief justice of the supreme court
assigns superior court judges to the appellate division. Such
assignments are for fixed terms.
MORRIS COUNTY SELECTION COMMITTEE
In 1994, two state senators began a program known as the Morris
County Compact. Under the compact, a selection committee was
formed to advise senators of the qualifications of candidates
seeking judicial appointments. The eleven-member committee is
composed of both lawyers and non-lawyers. Five lawyers are
chosen by the Morris County Bar Association, and five non-lawyers are
chosen by participating senators. These ten members select an
eleventh member to serve as committee chair. The committee
interviews candidates, reviews their qualifications, and recommends
for appointment only those it considers "highly qualified."
Such a rating requires the approval of at least eight committee
members. The participating senators agree not to support a
judicial candidate who does not have committee approval, and not to
subject committee-approved candidates to senatorial courtesy. The program has begun to generate interest among senators in other
counties.
REMOVAL OF JUDGES
New Jersey judges may be removed in one of three ways:
-
Removal
proceedings against judges may be instigated by a majority of either house, by the
governor
filing a complaint with the supreme court, or by
the supreme court on its own motion. The supreme court maintains an
advisory
committee on judicial conduct composed of private
citizens appointed by the court. The committee reviews all allegations of misconduct
and either dismisses the charges or recommends a formal hearing.
Based upon the hearing, judges may be reprimanded, censured and suspended without pay, or
removed from office.
-
When the supreme court
certifies to the governor that a judge is so incapacitated that s/he
cannot substantially perform his/her judicial duties, a
three-person commission is appointed to look into the matter.
Upon the commission's recommendation, the governor may retire the
judge from office.
JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT
Deborah T. Poritz
Chief justice. Republican. First woman to serve as chief
justice. Appointed 1996 by
Governor Whitman; reappointed 2003. Reaches mandatory
retirement age in 2006.
Virginia Long
Democrat. Appointed 1999 by Governor Whitman. Term expires
2006. May be reappointed for a term ending at age 70.
Peter G. Verniero
Republican. Appointed 1999 by Governor Whitman. Term expires
2006. May be reappointed for a term ending at age 70.
Jaynee LaVecchia
Independent. Appointed 2000 by Governor Whitman. Term expires
2007. May be reappointed for a term ending at age 70.
James R. Zazzali
Democrat. Appointed 2000 by Governor Whitman. Reaches mandatory
retirement age in 2007.
Barry T. Albin
Democrat. Appointed 2002 by Governor McGreevey. Term expires
2009. May be reappointed for a term ending at age 70.
John E. Wallace, Jr.
Democrat. Appointed 2003 by Governor McGreevey. Term expires
2010. May be reappointed for a term ending at age 70.
LIMITED JURISDICTION COURTS
|
Jurisdiction |
Selection of
judges |
Retention of
judges |
Qualifications |
Municipal Court |
motor vehicle and traffic violations;
quasi-criminal offenses; municipal ordinance violations; fish
and game violations; criminal offenses when jury trial waived by defendant; probable cause hearings; actions in
eviction |
mayoral appointment with city council consent or
appointment by municipal governing body*
|
same as method of selection;
judges serve 3 yr terms without tenure |
state resident; practicing attorney > 5 yrs |
Tax Court |
appeals from county boards of taxation; appeals
of tax decisions of state, county or municipal officials |
gubernatorial appointment with
senate approval for 7 yr term |
gubernatorial reappointment with
senate approval
until age 70 |
state practice > 10 yrs; special knowledge and
experience with taxation matters |
*In joint municipal courts, which are courts serving
more than one municipality, the appointment is made by the governor
with senate approval.
|