New Jersey Supreme Court justice vacancy (August 2020)
| New Jersey Supreme Court |
|---|
 |
| Timpone vacancy |
| Date: August 2020 |
| Status: Seat filled |
| Nomination |
| Nominee: Fabiana Pierre-Louis |
| Date: June 5, 2020 (Nominated) August 27, 2020 (Confirmed) |
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) nominated Fabiana Pierre-Louis to the New Jersey Supreme Court on June 5, 2020. The New Jersey State Senate confirmed Pierre-Louis on August 27. Pierre-Louis was the governor's first nominee to the seven-member court.[1][2]
Pierre-Louis was nominated to succeed Justice Walter F. Timpone, who retired on August 31, 2020. Timpone retired 10 weeks before his mandatory retirement date of November 10, to allow his Pierre-Louis to join the bench for the September court session.[3]
At the time of the appointment, state court judges were appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate.
The appointee
- See also: Fabiana Pierre-Louis
At the time of her nomination, Pierre-Louis was a partner at the law firm of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads. Before joining the firm in 2019 as a partner, Pierre-Louis worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. During that time, she was an assistant U.S. attorney, the attorney-in-charge of the Camden Office, and the attorney-in-charge of the Trenton Office. Immediately following law school, Pierre-Louis served as a law clerk for the Honorable John E. Wallace, Jr. of the New Jersey Supreme Court.[4]
Pierre-Louis obtained a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Rutgers Law School-Camden.[5]
Confirmation process
The New Jersey State Senate unanimously confirmed Pierre-Louis on August 27, 2020.[2] The New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee had voted 11-0 on August 24 to advance her nomination to the full Senate.[6]
Pierre-Louis was the first black woman to be confirmed as a New Jersey Supreme Court justice.[2]
The selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in New Jersey
At the time of the appointment, the seven justices of the New Jersey Supreme Court were selected via gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation. Pierre-Louis' nomination had to be approved by the New Jersey Bar Association’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee before advancing to the state Senate.[1]
Newly appointed judges would serve for seven years, after which they may be reappointed to serve until age 70.[7]
New Jersey practiced senatorial courtesy in judicial appointments. New Jersey senators traditionally had the final say on judicial nominees from their respective districts. If the senators from the nominee's home district did not approve of the nominee, other senators were expected to not confirm that candidate.[8]
Makeup of the court
- See also: New Jersey Supreme Court
Following Timpone's retirement, the New Jersey Supreme Court included the following members:
| ■ Jaynee LaVecchia | Appointed by Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R) in 2000 | |
| ■ Barry Albin | Appointed by Gov. James McGreevey (D) in 2002 | |
| ■ Stuart Rabner | Appointed by Gov. Jon Corzine (D) in 2007 | |
| ■ Anne Patterson | Appointed by Gov. Chris Christie (R) in 2010 | |
| ■ Faustino J. Fernandez-Vina | Appointed by Gov. Christie in 2013 | |
| ■ Lee A. Solomon | Appointed by Gov. Christie in 2014 |
About Justice Timpone
- See also: Walter F. Timpone
Timpone was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to the New Jersey Supreme Court in April 2016. He was confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate on April 25, 2016. Before joining the state supreme court, Timpone was an attorney in private practice and the chief of special prosecutions in the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Timpone received his bachelor's degree from St. Francis College in New York in 1972, his master's degree from New York University in 1974, and his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1979.
Other state supreme court appointments in 2020
- See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2020
The following table lists vacancies to state supreme courts that opened in 2020. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.
Click here for vacancies that opened in 2021.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 NJ.com, "Murphy to nominate attorney to become first black woman to N.J. Supreme Court," June 5, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 ABC 6 Actions News, "Daughter of immigrants, Fabiana Pierre-Louis becomes 1st Black woman on New Jersey Supreme Court," August 27, 2020
- ↑ New Jersey Globe, "Timpone resigning today; Pierre-Louis will take oath tomorrow," August 31, 2020
- ↑ State of New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy, "Governor Murphy Announces Intention to Nominate Fabiana Pierre-Louis to Serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court," June 5, 2020
- ↑ Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, "Fabiana Pierre-Louis," accessed June 8, 2020
- ↑ NJ.com, "N.J. Senate committee unanimously approves first Black woman to state Supreme Court," August 24, 2020
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: New Jersey," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Judicial Selection in the States: New Jersey; Overview," accessed August 13, 2014
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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
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