United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

Last updated
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
(D.N.J.)
Seal for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.png
Location Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse
(Newark)
More locations
Appeals to Third Circuit
EstablishedSeptember 24, 1789
Judges17
Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb
Officers of the court
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.
www.njd.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

Contents

The Judiciary Act of 1789 established New Jersey as a single District on September 24, 1789. On February 13, 1801 the Judiciary Act of 1801 reorganized the federal court system, resulting in the state being divided into Eastern and Western districts. The Judiciary Act of 1801 was repealed on March 8, 1802 and New Jersey was re-established as a single district court. [1]

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of March 24,2025 the acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey is Alina Habba.

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey holds court at Mitchell H. Cohen Building & U.S. Courthouse in Camden, at Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse and Frank R. Lautenberg Post Office and Courthouse in Newark, and Clarkson S. Fisher Building & U.S. Courthouse in Trenton. [2] [3]

Current judges

As of May 31,2024:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
Active Chief Senior
77Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb Camden 19602006–present2023–present— G.W. Bush
80District Judge Susan D. Wigenton Newark 19622006–present—— G.W. Bush
81District Judge Claire C. Cecchi Newark 19642011–present—— Obama
82District Judge Esther Salas Newark 19682011–present—— Obama
84District Judge Michael A. Shipp Trenton 19652012–present—— Obama
85District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo Newark 19632014–present—— Obama
87District Judge Brian R. Martinotti Trenton 19612016–present—— Obama
88District Judge Julien Neals Newark 19652021–present—— Biden
89District Judge Zahid Quraishi Trenton 19752021–present—— Biden
90District Judge Christine O'Hearn Camden 19692021–present—— Biden
91District Judge Karen M. Williams Camden 19632021–present—— Biden
92District Judge Georgette Castner Trenton 19792022–present—— Biden
93District Judge Evelyn Padin Newark 19602022–present—— Biden
94District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz Newark 19732023–present—— Biden
95District Judge Robert Kirsch Trenton 19662023–present—— Biden
96District Judge Jamel K. Semper Newark 19812023–present—— Biden
97District Judge Edward S. Kiel Camden 19652024–present—— Biden
51Senior Judge Anne Elise Thompson inactive19341979–20011994–20012001–present Carter
54Senior Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez Camden 19301985–1998—1998–present Reagan
62Senior Judge Mary Little Cooper inactive19461992–2011—2011–present G.H.W. Bush
68Senior Judge Katharine Sweeney Hayden Newark 19421997–2010—2010–present Clinton
72Senior Judge Bill Martini Newark 19472002–2015—2015–present G.W. Bush
74Senior Judge Stanley R. Chesler Newark 19472002–2015—2015–present G.W. Bush
79Senior Judge Peter G. Sheridan inactive19502006–2018—2018–present G.W. Bush
83Senior Judge Kevin McNulty inactive19542012–2023—2023–present Obama

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed byReason for
termination
1 David Brearley NJ 1745–17901789–1790—— Washington death
2 Robert Morris NJ 1745–18151790–1801 [Note 1]
1802–1815 [Note 2] 		—— Washington
Operation of law 		reassignment to E.D.N.J. / W.D.N.J.
death
3 William Sanford Pennington NJ 1757–18261815–1826 [Note 3] —— Madison death
4 William Rossell NJ 1760–18401826–1840 [Note 4] —— J.Q. Adams death
5 Mahlon Dickerson NJ 1770–18531840–1841—— Van Buren resignation
6 Philemon Dickerson NJ 1788–18621841–1862—— Van Buren death
7 Richard Stockton Field NJ 1803–18701863–1870—— Lincoln resignation
8 John T. Nixon NJ 1820–18891870–1889—— Grant death
9 Edward T. Green NJ 1837–18961889–1896 [Note 5] —— B. Harrison death
10 Andrew Kirkpatrick NJ 1844–19041896–1904 [Note 6] —— Cleveland death
11 William M. Lanning NJ 1849–19121904–1909 [Note 7] —— T. Roosevelt elevation to 3d Cir.
12 Joseph Cross NJ 1843–19131905–1913—— T. Roosevelt death
13 John Rellstab NJ 1858–19301909–1928—1928–1930 Taft death
14 Thomas Griffith Haight NJ 1879–19421914–1919—— Wilson elevation to 3d Cir.
15 John Warren Davis NJ 1867–19451916–1920—— Wilson elevation to 3d Cir.
16 Charles Francis Lynch NJ 1884–19421919–1925—— Wilson resignation
17 Joseph Lamb Bodine NJ 1883–19501920–1929—— Wilson resignation
18 William Nelson Runyon NJ 1871–19311923–1931—— Harding death
19 William Clark NJ 1891–19571925–1938 [Note 8] —— Coolidge elevation to 3d Cir.
20 James William McCarthy NJ 1872–19391928–1929 [Note 9] —— Coolidge resignation
21 Guy Leverne Fake NJ 1879–19571929–19511948–19511951–1957 Coolidge death
22 John Boyd Avis NJ 1875–19441929–1944—— Hoover death
23 Phillip Forman NJ 1895–19781932–19591951–1959— Hoover elevation to 3d Cir.
24 Thomas Glynn Walker NJ 1899–19931939–1941 [Note 10] —— F. Roosevelt resignation
25 William Francis Smith NJ 1903–19681941–19611959–1961— F. Roosevelt elevation to 3d Cir.
26 Thomas Francis Meaney NJ 1888–19681942–1966—1966–1968 F. Roosevelt death
27 Thomas M. Madden NJ 1907–19761945–19681961–19681968–1976 Truman death
28 Alfred Egidio Modarelli NJ 1898–19571951–1957—— Truman death
29 Richard Hartshorne NJ 1888–19751951–1961—1961–1975 Truman death
30 Reynier Jacob Wortendyke Jr. NJ 1895–19751955–1970—1970–1975 Eisenhower death
31 Mendon Morrill NJ 1902–19611958–1961—— Eisenhower death
32 Arthur Stephen Lane NJ 1910–19971960–1967—— Eisenhower resignation
33 Anthony Thomas Augelli NJ 1902–19851961–19721968–19721972–1974 Kennedy resignation
34 James Aloysius Coolahan NJ 1903–19861962–19741972–19731974–1986 Kennedy death
35 Robert Shaw NJ 1907–19721962–1972—— Kennedy death
36 Mitchell Harry Cohen NJ 1904–19911962–19741973–19741974–1991 Kennedy death
37 Lawrence Aloysius Whipple NJ 1910–19831967–19781974–19781978–1983 L. Johnson death
38 George Herbert Barlow NJ 1921–19791969–19791978–1979— Nixon death
39 Leonard I. Garth NJ 1921–20161969–1973—— Nixon elevation to 3d Cir.
40 Clarkson Sherman Fisher NJ 1921–19971970–19871979–19871987–1997 Nixon death
41 John Joseph Kitchen NJ 1911–19731970–1973—— Nixon death
42 Frederick Bernard Lacey NJ 1920–20171971–1986—— Nixon retirement
43 Vincent P. Biunno NJ 1916–19911973–1982—1982–1991 Nixon death
44 Herbert Jay Stern NJ 1936–present1973–1987—— Nixon resignation
45 Henry Curtis Meanor NJ 1929–20081974–1983—— Nixon resignation
46 John F. Gerry NJ 1925–19951974–19941987–19941994–1995 Ford death
47 Stanley Brotman NJ 1924–20141975–1990—1990–2014 Ford death
48 Harold Arnold Ackerman NJ 1928–20091979–1994—1994–2009 Carter death
49 Dickinson Richards Debevoise NJ 1924–20151979–1994—1994–2015 Carter death
50 H. Lee Sarokin NJ 1928–20231979–1994—— Carter elevation to 3d Cir.
52 John Winslow Bissell NJ 1940–present1982–20052001–2005— Reagan retirement
53 Maryanne Trump Barry NJ 1937–20231983–1999—— Reagan elevation to 3d Cir.
55 Robert Cowen NJ 1930–present1985–1987—— Reagan elevation to 3d Cir.
56 Garrett Brown Jr. NJ 1943–present1985–20122005–20122012 Reagan retirement
57 Alfred James Lechner Jr. NJ 1948–present1986–2001—— Reagan resignation
58 Nicholas H. Politan NJ 1935–20121987–2002—— Reagan retirement
59 Alfred M. Wolin NJ 1932–present1987–2000—2000–2004 Reagan retirement
60 John C. Lifland NJ 1933–present1988–2001—2001–2007 Reagan retirement
61 William G. Bassler NJ 1938–present1991–2005—2005–2006 G.H.W. Bush retirement
63 Joseph Eron Irenas NJ 1940–20151992–2002—2002–2015 G.H.W. Bush death
64 Jerome B. Simandle NJ 1949–20191992–20172012–20172017–2019 G.H.W. Bush death
65 William H. Walls NJ 1932–20191994–2005—2005–2019 Clinton death
66 Stephen Orlofsky NJ 1944–present1995–2003—— Clinton resignation
67 Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. NJ 1957–present1996–2010—— Clinton elevation to 3d Cir.
69 Faith S. Hochberg NJ 1950–present1999–2015—— Clinton retirement
70 Joel A. Pisano NJ 1949–20212000–2015—— Clinton retirement
71 Dennis M. Cavanaugh NJ 1947–present2000–2014—— Clinton retirement
73 Jose L. Linares NJ 1953–present2002–20192017–2019— G.W. Bush retirement
75 Robert B. Kugler NJ 1950–present2002–2018—2018–2024 G.W. Bush retirement
76 Freda L. Wolfson NJ 1954–present2002–20232019–2023— G.W. Bush retirement
78 Noel Lawrence Hillman NJ 1956–present2006–2022—2022–2024 G.W. Bush retirement
86 John Michael Vazquez NJ 1970–present2016–2023—— Obama resignation
  1. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 17, 1790, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 1790, and received commission the same day
  2. ↑ Reassigned from the E.D.N.J. / W.D.N.J.
  3. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1816, confirmed by the Senate on January 9, 1816, and received commission on January 16, 1816
  4. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 13, 1826, confirmed by the Senate on December 19, 1826, and received commission the same day
  5. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1889, confirmed by the Senate on January 27, 1890, and received commission the same day
  6. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1896, confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 1896, and received commission the same day
  7. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1904, confirmed by the Senate on December 13, 1904, and received commission the same day
  8. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1925, confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1925, and received commission the same day
  9. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1928, confirmed by the Senate on January 8, 1929, and received commission the same day
  10. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 16, 1940, confirmed by the Senate on March 5, 1940, and received commission on March 13, 1940

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

List of U.S. attorneys

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_nj.html U.S. District Courts New Jersey, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center
  2. ↑ "28 U.S.C. § 110 - U.S. Code Title 28. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 110". Findlaw.
  3. ↑ "District of New Jersey - Courthouse Locations". U.S. Marshals Service. 8 October 2020.
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