James M. Blaney
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James M. Blaney is a judge on the Vicinage 14 Superior Court in New Jersey.[1] Blaney was appointed to the court in 2004 and obtained tenured status in 2011. He will now serve on the court until he reaches 70 years of age in 2018.[2][3]
Education
Blaney received his undergraduate degree from Loyola College in 1970 and his J.D. from Catholic University Law School in 1973.[4]
Career
- 2004-2018: Judge, New Jersey Vicinage 14
- 1976-2004: Attorney in private practice
- 1974-1976: Assistant Deputy Public Defender[4]
Noteworthy cases
Judge sentences abusive dog owners
Judge Blaney, on March 18, 2014, reduced the sentences of Keith Morgan and Shauna Kennedy-Morgan from six months in jail to community service and probation. The Morgans had been convicted of abusing "Sammy", a cocker spaniel they used to own.
In March of 2013, Keith Morgan claimed that he found the dog in a garbage bag on the side of the road. However, after an investigation by the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it was discovered that the Morgans themselves had abandoned the dog. Brick Municipal Judge Robert LePore initially sentenced the couple to jail-time. Blaney, however reduced the sentences to 90 days of house arrest with five days of community service for Mr. Morgan and one year of probation with 30 days of community service for Mrs. Kennedy-Morgan. The judge's ruling was met with vocal disapproval by about 35 people in the courtroom. Blaney pointed to Keith Morgan's health issues as a factor in his decision.[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Jersey • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Jersey
State courts:
New Jersey Supreme Court • New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division • New Jersey Superior Courts • New Jersey Municipal Courts • New Jersey Tax Court
State resources:
Courts in New Jersey • New Jersey judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Jersey
