For Immediate Release
05/21/2014
Kate Coscarelli
Sr. Director, Communications
732-937-7548
NEW BRUNSWICK – The New Jersey State Bar Association extends its unyielding support to Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and commends Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney for the bi-partisan effort that led to today’s reappointment announcement, said NJSBA President Paris P. Eliades.
Eliades further extolled today’s news: “This is a resounding victory for judicial independence. On behalf of the over 18,000 members of the New Jersey State Bar Association, as well as all the bar associations in our legal community that came together in an unprecedented fashion to support Chief Justice Rabner, we laud today’s renomination of the Chief Justice and the nomination to fill another vacant post on the Court.”
Added Immediate Past President Ralph J. Lamparello, who focused on the independence of the Judiciary during his tenure: “This is a watershed moment in the history of the Judiciary of our state. We applaud Governor Christie and Senate President Sweeney in putting aside ideological differences and politics to preserve the independence of the Judiciary.”
The NJSBA urges the Senate to expeditiously provide the necessary advice and consent for Chief Justice Rabner’s reappointment, which is a significant step toward preserving judicial independence – a crown jewel of democracy.
The state bar association has focused its energies on the importance of a fair and impartial judicial system, writing about the issue; adopting resolutions, including one that called for Rabner’s reappointment; and appointing an independent Task Force on Judicial Independence comprised of retired judges, lawyers, legal scholars and educators, that is examining the issue and aims to release a series of recommendations at a future date.
The association also had coordinated the legal community to champion Chief Justice Rabner’s reappointment, resulting in 20 county bar associations, the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, Garden State Bar Association, Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, Women Lawyers of Bergen, and New Jersey Women Lawyers Association adopting resolutions similar to the NJSBA’s or writing letters of support.
“Chief Justice Rabner’s service as head of the judicial branch, a co-equal branch of government, has been distinguished by a term of the highest level of civility, decorum and scholarship that is recognized nationally, and for the fair administration of the courts,” said Eliades. “His career of public service and his tenure on the Court has demonstrated the qualities every chief justice should possess. He has honorably and ably served as head of the judicial branch, rendering important, wide-ranging decisions based solely on the relevant law and facts of each case. He has been an excellent ambassador of the courts while implementing significant administrative and institutional reforms aimed at outreach to the public and the bar.”