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List of justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey

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Current justices

[edit]
Name Born Joined Term ends Mandatory retirement Party affiliation Appointed by Law school
Stuart Rabner, Chief Justice (1960-06-30) June 30, 1960 (age 64) June 29, 2007 [a] June 30, 2030 Democratic Jon Corzine (D) Harvard
Anne M. Patterson (1959-04-15) April 15, 1959 (age 65) September 1, 2011 [a] April 15, 2029 Republican Chris Christie (R) Cornell
Fabiana Pierre-Louis (1980-09-09) September 9, 1980 (age 44) September 1, 2020 September 1, 2027 September 9, 2050 Democratic Phil Murphy (D) Rutgers
Douglas M. Fasciale (1960-11-05) November 5, 1960 (age 63) October 21, 2022[b] October 21, 2029 November 5, 2030 Republican Phil Murphy (D) Seton Hall
Rachel Wainer Apter (1980-07-22) July 22, 1980 (age 44) October 21, 2022 October 21, 2029 July 22, 2050 Democratic Phil Murphy (D) Harvard
Michael Noriega (1978-03-27) March 27, 1978 (age 46) July 6, 2023 July 6, 2030 March 27, 2048 Democratic Phil Murphy (D) Seton Hall
John Jay Hoffman (1965-08-23) August 23, 1965 (age 59) October 2, 2024 October 2, 2031 August 23, 2035 Independent Phil Murphy (D) Duke

List of justices before 1947

[edit]

Before 1947 and particularly after 1844, the structure of the New Jersey state judiciary was incredibly complex. In some cases, it is not entirely clear whether the following justices served on the Supreme Court of New Jersey (1776–), the New Jersey Court of Common Pleas (1704–1947), or the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals (1844–1947).

1776 Constitution

[edit]
Justice Position Succeeded Tenure
Richard Stockton
(1730–1781)
1774

1776
(Elected to Continental Congress)
John De Hart
(1730–1781)
September 4, 1776

February 1777
(Replaced for failure to attend)
Isaac Smith
(1740–1807)
1777

1804
Robert Morris
(1742–1814)
Chief
Justice
February 5, 1777

May 25, 1779
(Resigned)
John Cleves Symmes
(1742–1814)
1777

1778
David Brearley[1]
(1745–1790)
Chief
Justice
R. Morris 1779

September 26, 1789
(Elevated to U.S. District Court)
James Kinsey[2]
(1731–1802)
Chief
Justice
D. Brearley 1789

January 4, 1802
(Died)
Andrew Kirkpatrick
(1756–1831)
Justice 1798

1808
(Continued as Chief Justice)
Andrew Kirkpatrick
(1756–1831)
Chief
Justice
J. Kinsey 1808

1825
William Rossell
(1760–1840)
Justice 1804

1826
(Elevated to U.S. District Court)
William Sanford Pennington
(1757–1826)
Justice 1805

1813
(Elected Governor of New Jersey)
Mahlon Dickerson
(1770–1853)
Justice 1813

1815
(Elected Governor of New Jersey)
Samuel L. Southard
(1787–1842)
1815

1820
(Elected to U.S. Senate)
Charles Ewing[3]
(1780–1832)
Chief
Justice
A. Kirkpatrick 1825

August 5, 1832
(Died)
Joseph Coerten Hornblower
(1777–1864)
Chief
Justice
C. Ewing 1838

1844
(Continued as Chief Justice)
William L. Dayton
(1807–1864)
Justice 1838

1842
(Appointed to U.S. Senate)

1844 Constitution

[edit]
Justice Position Succeeded Tenure Appointed by
Joseph Coerten Hornblower
(1777–1864)
Chief
Justice
1844

1846
(Resigned)
Joseph Fitz Randolph
(1803–1873)
Justice 1845

1852
(Resigned)
Elias B. D. Ogden
(1800–1865)
Justice 1848

February 24, 1865
(Died)
Garret D. Wall
(1783–1850)
Justice 1848

November 22, 1850
(Died)
Daniel Haines
(1801–1877)
Justice 1852

1866
Lucius Elmer
(1793–1883)
Justice 1852

1859
Peter Vrendenburgh
(1805–1873)
Justice 1854

1868
Edward W. Whelpley
(1818–1864)
Justice 1858

1861
(Continued as Chief Justice)
John Van Dyke
(1807–1878)
Justice 1859

1866
Edward W. Whelpley
(1818–1864)
Chief
Justice
1861

1864
George Houston Brown
(1810–1865)
Justice 1861

August 1, 1865
(Died)
Lucius Elmer
(1793–1883)
Justice 1861

1869
Mercer Beasley
(1815–1897)
Chief
Justice
March 8, 1864

February 19, 1897
(Died)
Joseph D. Bedle
(1831–1894)
Justice 1865

January 19, 1875
(Elected Governor of New Jersey)
Edward W. Scudder
(1822–1893)
Justice 1869

February 3, 1893
(Died)
Theodore Fitz Randolph
Bennett Van Syckel
(1830–1921)
Justice 1869

1904
Jonathan Dixon
(1839–1906)
Justice 1875

May 21, 1906
(Died)
Joseph D. Bedle
Alfred Reed Justice 1875

1895
Joel Parker
(1816–1888)
Justice 1880

January 2, 1888
(Died)
William J. Magie
(1832–1917)
Justice 1880

1897
(Continued as Chief Justice)
Charles G. Garrison
(1849–1924)
Justice J. Parker 1888

1893
(Resigned)
David A. Depue
(1826–1902)
Justice 1889

1900
(Continued as Chief Justice)
Manning M. Knapp
(1825–1892)
Justice 1889

January 26, 1892
(Died)
George Theodore Werts
(1846–1910)
Justice M. Knapp 1892

January 17, 1893
(Elected Governor of New Jersey)
Leon Abbett
Job H. Lippincott
(1842–1900)
Justice G. T. Werts 1893

1900
(Died)
George Theodore Werts
Joseph H. Gaskill
(1851–1935)
Justice 1893

1896
Leon Abbett
(1836–1894)
Justice 1893

December 4, 1894
(Died)
William Stryker Gummere
(1852–1933)
Justice 1895

November 19, 1901
(Continued as Chief Justice)
George C. Ludlow
(1830–1900)
Justice 1895

December 18, 1900
(Died)
Charles G. Garrison
(1849–1924)
Justice 1895

1920
(Resigned)
William H. Vredenburgh Justice 1897

1916
John W. Griggs
Gilbert Collins
(1846–1920)
Justice March 2, 1897

1903
(Resigned)
William J. Magie
(1832–1917)
Chief
Justice
M. Beasley 1897

1900
(Elevated to Chancellor of
the Court of Errors and Appeals)
David A. Depue
(c. 1827–1902)
Chief
Justice
W. J. Magie 1900

1901
(Resigned)
Foster M. Voorhees
John Franklin Fort
(1852–1920)
Justice 1900

1907
(Elected Governor of New Jersey)
William Stryker Gummere
(1852–1933)
Chief
Justice
D. Depue November 19, 1901

1933
(Died)
Mahlon Pitney
(1858–1924)
Justice November 19, 1901

1908

Thomas Whitaker Trenchard
(1863–1942)
Justice January 15, 1907

1941
(Resigned)
Charles Wolcott Parker
(1862–1948)
Justice 1907

1942
James J. Bergen
(1847–1923)
Justice 1907

1915
Charles C. Black
(1858–1947)
Justice 1914

1939
James Fairman Fielder
Frank S. Katzenbach
(1868–1929)
Justice 1920

March 13, 1929
(Died)
Edward I. Edwards
Joseph Lamb Bodine
(1883–1950)
Justice 1929

1948
Clarence E. Case
(1877–1961)
Justice 1929

1946
(Continued as Chief Justice)

Ralph W. E. Donges
(1875–1974)
Justice 1930

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
Thomas J. Brogan
(1889–1965)
Justice 1932

1933
(Continued as Chief Justice)
Joseph B. Perskie
(1885–1957)
Justice 1933

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
Harry Heher
(1889–1972)
Justice 1933

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
Thomas J. Brogan
(1889–1965)
Chief
Justice
W. S. Gummere 1933

1946
(Resigned)
Newton Hazelton Porter
(1815–1897)
Justice 1938

1945
Frederic R. Colie
(1895–1974)
Justice 1941

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
A. Dayton Oliphant
(1887–1963)
Justice N. H. Porter 1945

1946
Walter Evans Edge
Clarence E. Case
(1877–1961)
Chief
Justice
T. Brogan 1946

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
William A. Wachenfeld
(1889–1969)
Justice 1946

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
Howard Eastwood
(1884–1976)
Justice 1946

1948
(Constitution of 1947)
Albert E. Burling
(1891–1960)
Justice 1947

1948
(Constitution of 1947)

Supreme Court justices under 1947 Constitution

[edit]

List of justices

[edit]
Justice Position Succeeded Tenure Appointed by
1 Arthur T. Vanderbilt
(1888–1957)
Chief
Justice
Inaugural 1948

June 16, 1957
(Died)
Alfred E. Driscoll
2 Albert E. Burling
(1891–1960)
Justice Inaugural 1948

October 29, 1960
(Died)
3 Harry Heher
(1889–1972)
Justice Inaugural 1948

March 20, 1959
(Mandatory retirement)
4 William A. Wachenfeld
(1889–1969)
Justice Inaugural 1948

February 24, 1959

(Mandatory retirement)

5 A. Dayton Oliphant
(1887–1963)
Justice Inaugural 1948

October 28, 1957
(Mandatory retirement)
6 Clarence E. Case
(1877–1961)
Justice Inaugural 1948

1952
(Resigned)
7 Henry E. Ackerson Jr.
(1880–1970)
Justice Inaugural 1948

1952
(Resigned)
8 Nathan L. Jacobs
(1905–1989)
Justice C. Case 1952

1975
(Mandatory retirement)
9 William J. Brennan Jr.
(1906–1997)
Justice H. E. Ackerson 1951

1956
(Elevated to U.S. Supreme Court)
10 Joseph Weintraub
(1908–1977)
Justice W. J. Brennan 1956

1957
(Continued as Chief Justice)
Robert Meyner
10 Joseph Weintraub
(1908–1977)
Chief
Justice
A. Vanderbilt 1957

1973
11 Haydn Proctor
(1903–1996)
Justice A. Oliphant October 28, 1957

1973
(Mandatory retirement)
12 John J. Francis
(1903–1984)
Justice J. Weintraub 1957

1973
(Mandatory retirement)
13 Frederick Wilson Hall
(1908–1984)
Justice W. Wachenfeld 1959

February 1975[4]

(Resigned)

14 C. Thomas Schettino
(1907–1983)
Justice H. Heher October 1959

1972
15 Vincent S. Haneman
(1902–1978)
Justice A. Burling 1960

1971

16 Worrall Frederick Mountain
(1909–1992)
Justice V. Haneman 1971

1979
William Cahill
Pierre P. Garven
(1925–1973)
Justice C. T. Schettino[5] April 1973

September 1973
(Continued as Chief Justice)
17 Mark Sullivan
(1911–2001)
Justice J. Francis[5] March 23, 1973

August 11, 1981
(Mandatory retirement)
18 Robert L. Clifford
(1924–2014)
Justice P. Garven[6] 1973

1994
(Mandatory retirement)
19 Morris Pashman
(1912–1999)
Justice H. Proctor[6] April 1973

1982
(Mandatory retirement)
20 Pierre P. Garven
(1925–1973)
Chief
Justice
J. Weintraub[6] September 1, 1973

October 19, 1973
(Died)
21 Richard J. Hughes
(1909–1992)
Chief
Justice
P. Garven December 18, 1973

August 10, 1979
(Mandatory retirement)
22 Sidney Schreiber
(1915–2009)
Justice N. Jacobs 1975

1984
(Resigned)
Brendan Byrne
23 Alan B. Handler
(1931–2024)
Justice F. W. Hall[4] 1977

1999
(Resigned)
24 Stewart G. Pollock
(1932–)
Justice W. F. Mountain June 28, 1979

1999
(Resigned)

25 Robert Wilentz
(1927–1996)
Chief
Justice
R. Hughes 1979

July 23, 1996
(Died)

26 Daniel Joseph O'Hern
(1930–2009)
Justice M. Sullivan August 6, 1981

2000
(Mandatory retirement)

27 Marie L. Garibaldi
(1934–2016)
Justice M. Pashman November 17, 1982

2000


(Resigned)

Thomas Kean
28 Gary S. Stein
(1933–)
Justice S. Schreiber January 11, 1985

2002
(Resigned)
29 James H. Coleman
(1933–2024)
Justice R. Clifford 1994

2003
Christine Todd Whitman
30 Deborah Poritz
(1936–)
Chief
Justice
R. Wilentz July 10, 1996

October 25, 2006
(Mandatory retirement)
31 Peter Verniero
(1959–)
Justice S. Pollock 1999

2004
(Resigned)
32 Virginia Long
(1942–)
Justice A. Handler September 1, 1999

March 1, 2012
(Mandatory retirement)
33 James R. Zazzali
(1937–)
Justice D. J. O'Hern May 25, 2000

October 26, 2006
(Continued as Chief Justice)
34 Jaynee LaVecchia
(1954–)
Justice M. Garibaldi February 1, 2000

December 31, 2021
(Retired)
35 Barry T. Albin
(born 1952)
Justice G. Stein September 18, 2002

July 6, 2022

(Retired)

James McGreevey
36 John E. Wallace Jr.
(1953–)
Justice J. Coleman May 20, 2003

May 20, 2010
(Not re-nominated)
37 Roberto A. Rivera-Soto
(1953–)
Justice P. Verniero September 1, 2004

August 31, 2011
(Not re-nominated)
33 James R. Zazzali
(1937–)
Chief
Justice
D. Poritz October 26, 2006

June 17, 2007
(Mandatory retirement)
Jon Corzine
38 Helen E. Hoens
(1937–)
Justice J. Zazzalli October 26, 2006

October 26, 2013
(Not re-nominated)
39 Stuart Rabner
(born 1960)
Chief
Justice
J. Zazzali June 29, 2007

Incumbent
40 Anne Patterson
(born 1959)
Justice R. Rivera-Soto September 1, 2011

Incumbent
Chris Christie
41 Faustino J. Fernandez-Vina
(1952–)
Justice H. Hoens November 19, 2013

February 15, 2022
(Mandatory retirement)
42 Lee Solomon
(born 1954)
Justice V. Long June 19, 2014

August 17, 2024
(Mandatory retirement)
43 Walter F. Timpone
(1950–)
Justice J. Wallace
(2011)
May 2, 2016

August 31, 2020
44 Fabiana Pierre-Louis
(1980–)
Justice W. Timpone September 1, 2020

Incumbent
Phil Murphy
45 Douglas M. Fasciale
(1960–)
Justice F. Fernandez-Vina September 1, 2022

Incumbent
46 Rachel Wainer Apter
(1980/1981–)
Justice J. LaVecchia October 21, 2022

Incumbent
47 Michael Noriega
(1977/1978–)
Justice B. Albin July 6, 2023

Incumbent
48 John Jay Hoffman
(1965–)
Justice L. Solomon Designate

Acting justices

[edit]

Wallace vacancy

[edit]

On May 3, 2010, Governor Chris Christie declined to re-nominate John E. Wallace Jr., whose seven-year term expired on May 20, 2010. He was the first Justice of the Supreme Court to be denied tenure in more than a half-century since the adoption of the Constitution of New Jersey in 1947.[7] To fill the vacancy Chief Justice Stuart Rabner appointed a number of acting judges (known as Judge of the Appellate Division, Temporarily Assigned to the Supreme Court[8]) during an extended period of controversy and conflict with the New Jersey Senate about the court's political composition.[9][10]

LaVecchia/Albin/Fernandez-Vina vacancies

[edit]

On March 8, 2021, Justice Jaynee LaVecchia announced that she would retire on August 31, 2021, more than three years before her mandatory retirement date.[11] A week later, Governor Phil Murphy announced his intention to nominate Rachel Wainer Apter, the director of the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, to replace LaVecchia.[12] Apter was blocked for 14 months by Republican Senator Holly Schepisi by a process called senatorial consent (similar to the blue slip process for federal judgeships),[13] and was only allowed to move forward after two more justices, Barry T. Albin and Faustino J. Fernandez-Vina, had reached retirement age in the interim and Gov. Murphy nominated Republican Douglas M. Fasciale to succeed Fernandez-Vina.[14] Both Apter and Fasciale were confirmed on October 17, 2022.[15] Additionally, Michael Noriega was nominated and confirmed in 2023 to succeed Albin.

LaVecchia vacancy:

Albin vacancy:

Fernandez-Vina vacancy:

Timeline of justices

[edit]
John Jay HoffmanFabiana Pierre-LouisWalter F. TimponeLee SolomonFaustino J. Fernandez-VinaAnne M. PattersonStuart RabnerHelen HoensJames R. ZazzaliRobert A. Rivera-SotoJohn E. Wallace Jr.Barry T. AlbinJaynee LaVecchiaJames R. ZazzaliVirginia LongPeter VernieroDeborah PoritzGary S. SteinMarie L. GaribaldiDaniel Joseph O'HernRobert WilentzStewart G. PollockAlan B. HandlerSidney SchreiberRichard J. HughesRobert L. CliffordMorris PashmanPierre P. GarvenMark Sullivan (judge)Pierre P. GarvenWorrall Frederick MountainVincent S. HanemanC. Thomas SchettinoFrederick Wilson HallJohn J. FrancisHaydn ProctorJoseph WeintraubJoseph WeintraubNathan L. JacobsWilliam J. Brennan Jr.Henry E. AckersonClarence E. CaseA. Dayton OliphantWilliam A. WachenfeldHarry HeherAlbert E. BurlingArthur T. Vanderbilt

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b At the end of their initial seven-year term, the justice was renominated for tenure and was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70.
  2. ^ Fasciale served in a temporary appointment from September 1–October 21, 2022

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Founding Fathers: New Jersey - David Brearly Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine, National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed November 27, 2007.
  2. ^ James Kinsey Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 15, 2007.
  3. ^ Manuscript Group 283, Ewing Family (Trenton, NJ) Archived 2007-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, accessed January 9, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "Metropolitan Area News in Brief". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 22 Mar 1977. p. 12.
  5. ^ a b New Jersey Register. Vol. 5. New Jersey State Library: State of New Jersey. 1973. p. 129.
  6. ^ a b c Sullivan, Ronald (19 Apr 1973). "Cahill Names Two Justices And Supreme Court Chief: Nominees Praised 2 Meyner Nominees". The New York Times. p. 90.
  7. ^ "The Politicization of a Respected Court" Archived 2020-08-31 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, December 16, 2010; accessed May 19, 2014.
  8. ^ "A new title for temporary Supreme Court members: The Auditor". June 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Appellate judge appointed temporary N.J. Supreme Court justice". 11 June 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  10. ^ "A political fight provides N.J. Supreme Court with apolitical legal mind". 24 October 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  11. ^ Wildstein, David (March 8, 2021). "LaVecchia will retire, opening Supreme Court nomination for Murphy". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "Governor Murphy Announces Intention to Nominate Rachel Wainer Apter to Serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court" (Press release). Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  13. ^ Fox, Joey (October 6, 2021). "Murphy optimistic on Wainer Apter nomination despite long delay". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  14. ^ Sobko, Katie (September 14, 2022). "Murphy to name Republican to Supreme Court in deal with Bergen County's Schepisi". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  15. ^ Biryukov, Nikita (October 17, 2022). "Lawmakers confirm two for New Jersey Supreme Court seats". New Jersey Monitor. Retrieved October 31, 2022.