The head judges of the New Jersey state and federal courts gave attendees of the NJSBA’s Annual Meeting and Convention an inside look at what’s happening and what to expect in the year ahead. The state-of-the-judiciary speeches were a capstone to the three-day conference in Atlantic City.
STATE COURTS PROACTIVE
From drug courts to criminal justice reform to mentoring programs, the New Jersey Judiciary is vibrant, said Chief Justice Stuart Rabner.
“The state of the Judiciary is strong,” said Rabner. “This past year we witnessed a number of developments in the legal community and there are several more on the horizon.”
Among one of the biggest changes that happened was the launch of criminal justice reform, which was went into effect 17 months ago. Rabner said a new Administrative Office of the Courts report shows that the state is moving in the direction of the aim of the law. Upwards of 30 states are currently looking to New Jersey as a model they want to adopt, he said.
Rabner also announced, to applause from the hundreds of judges and lawyers in attendance, that Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign a bill that provides the first judicial pay raises in a decade.
In signing the measure, “the governor will affect the vitality … of the Judiciary for years to come,” said Rabner.
Rabner commended efforts by the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Commission on Professionalism in the Law to launch mentoring programs.
“It’s a way to give back, a way to pay forward, and a way to enhance the practice of law in our state,” said Rabner.
In addition, Rabner discussed the achievements of the drug courts program, which began over a decade ago as a pilot program and is now in every county around the state, offering an opportunity for certain drug-addicted offenders to get help and stay out of jail.
What Rabner described as a rigorous program with intensive supervision, has graduated 5,254 graduates. Upon graduation a great many got jobs, health insurance, got their driver’s licenses, improved their education and were reunited with their families, he said.
The next phase of the drug courts is an effort to work with employers, like the union of the Hard Rock Casino and corporations, to get training and full-time employment for graduates.
This will “help put people on the long-term path to recovery,” said Rabner.
FEDERAL COURTS FACING A CRISIS
The New Jersey Federal District Court is one of, if not the, busiest in the nation, with over 17,000 filings in the past year. That’s more filings than the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, combined.
The court has also has a vibrant re-entry program for former offenders to acclimate to society; holds educational programs with bar and public, including ones on sentencing, securities fraud litigation and patents, and will hold a summit this fall on the opioid crisis.
Yet, the court is facing a crisis, Chief Judge Jose L. Linares said at the NJSBA Annual Meeting and Convention on Friday. The court is supposed to have at least 17 judges, but really needs at least 20 to handle the workload and now it is confronting five vacancies, with the possibility of two more coming in the next year.
“Under all of that, our court continues to perform at a very high level. The court, on the whole, is doing a tremendous job keeping up with the workload,” said Linares.
The court is petitioning for additional help and instituted a pilot program to bring in retired out-of-state magistrate judges to hear some cases. Linares urged those in attendance to lobby the state’s U.S. Senators and White House to moved swiftly to review, nominate and approve qualified candidates. He also asked attorneys to be willing to work with the federal courts.
“We are trying to alleviate the pressure,” said Linares. “You need to understand that we’re going to have to start thinking outside the box. You’re going to have to be patient with us… We are going to need help. That help really is for you so that we can get your cases resolved.”