New Jersey Supreme Court

If the next Governor is Jon Corzine, Christopher Christie or Richard Codey, the embattled Roberto Rivera-Soto could be a one-term Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin might be his replacement. There is nothing to indicate that Steve Lonegan would pick Valentin if he’s elected, but it’s a near certainty that Lonegan wouldn’t reappoint Rivera-Soto – or any other non-tenured member of the current top court.

Click on this image to enlargeOnly in New Jersey can a lawyer tout his marriage to a Supreme Court Justice on his law firm's website as way of drumming up legal work. Jonathan Weiner, a partner at Fox Rothschild, a large and politically active law firm with a government affairs and gaming law practice, notes in his official biography that his wife, Virginia Long, is an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court with lifetime tenure. Weiner is also the general counsel of the Health Care Association of New Jersey, and rather amazingly, notes that “he was recently re-appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to a second two-year term on its Civil Practice Committee.”

New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Photos
Stuart Rabner will be the next Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and Anne Milgram will replace him as Attorney General, according to several sources close to Gov. Jon Corzine.

Insiders predict an easy confirmation for both, especially Rabner, who has won high praise from leaders of both parties.

Chief Justice James Zazzali must step down in October, when he reaches the mandatory age of seventy. If nominated and confirmed, the 47-year-old Rabner would become the youngest Chief Justice since Pierre Garven in 1973. He could potentially run the state judiciary system for the next 23 years.

Robert Schwaneberg is one of the Star-Ledger's most respected reporters -- a true professional with the highest possible ethics. But his coverage of Governor Jon Corzine's recovery from a serious automobile accident two weeks ago offers a potential appearance of a conflict: last year, Corzine appointed Schwaneberg's wife, Helen Hoens, to the New Jersey Supreme Court.

If Corzine's ability to serve is ever challenged by the Legislature, it would be up to the Supreme Court to decide whether he could continue as Governor. The Star-Ledger has an exceptionally able team in Trenton, and it could be helpful to the people's long-term interests -- which could include a constitutional crisis -- if they helped avoid a situation where one of the seven Justices is forced to recuse herself.

GOVERNOR CORZINE NAMES REMAINING MEMBERS OF
JUDICIAL ADVISORY PANEL

TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today named the remaining members of the Judicial Advisory Panel charged with assisting the governor evaluate candidates for the New Jersey Superior Court.

GREGG ASKS CORZINE TO RE-CONSIDER DECISION
NOT TO ALLOW BEAR HUNT
Cites public safety as the primary concern

In response to a report that Governor Jon Corzine will seek to block this year's black bear hunt, Assemblyman Guy Gregg said today he would like to know why the governor isn't concerned with the protection and safety of residents living in the northwestern part of the state.

"Clearly this is a public safety issue," said Gregg, R-Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon, who noted that this past summer state wildlife authorities reported an increase in the number of black bears that act aggressively, destroy property and kill domestic animals. Advocates of the hunt, say it is necessary to curb the black bear population.

DOHERTY SAYS SUPREME COURT ONCE AGAIN STEPS OVER THE LINE IN LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH

McHOSE TO PURSUE LEGISLATION THAT
PROTECTS THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE

GREGG: CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE VOTE OF LEGISLATURE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN GAY MARRIAGE

Assemblyman Guy Gregg, who is the sponsor of a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being only between a man and a woman, issued the following statement today in response to the New Jersey Supreme Court's ruling regarding gay marriage in New Jersey:

DeCROCE STATEMENT ON TODAY'S NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT GAY MARRIAGE RULING