United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
(D.N.J.)
LocationMartin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse
(Newark)
More locations
Appeals toThird Circuit
EstablishedSeptember 24, 1789
Judges17
Chief JudgeRenée Marie Bumb
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyPhilip R. Sellinger
U.S. MarshalJuan 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).

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 The Judiciary Act of 1801 was repealed on March 8, 1802 and New Jersey was re-established as a single district court.[1]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 December 16, 2021 the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey is Philip R. Sellinger.[2]

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 in Newark, and Clarkson S. Fisher Building & U.S. Courthouse in Trenton.[3]

Current judges

As of December 1, 2023:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
77 Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb Camden 1960 2006–present 2023–present — G.W. Bush
80 District Judge Susan D. Wigenton Newark 1962 2006–present — — G.W. Bush
81 District Judge Claire C. Cecchi Newark 1964 2011–present — — Obama
82 District Judge Esther Salas Newark 1968 2011–present — — Obama
84 District Judge Michael A. Shipp Trenton 1965 2012–present — — Obama
85 District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo Newark 1963 2014–present — — Obama
87 District Judge Brian R. Martinotti Trenton 1961 2016–present — — Obama
88 District Judge Julien Neals Newark 1965 2021–present — — Biden
89 District Judge Zahid Quraishi Trenton 1975 2021–present — — Biden
90 District Judge Christine O'Hearn Camden 1969 2021–present — — Biden
91 District Judge Karen M. Williams Camden 1963 2021–present — — Biden
92 District Judge Georgette Castner Trenton 1979 2022–present — — Biden
93 District Judge Evelyn Padin Newark 1960 2022–present — — Biden
94 District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz Newark 1973 2023–present — — Biden
95 District Judge Robert Kirsch Trenton 1966 2023–present — — Biden
96 District Judge Jamel K. Semper Newark 1981 2023–present — — Biden
97 District Judge vacant — — — — — —
51 Senior Judge Anne Elise Thompson inactive 1934 1979–2001 1994–2001 2001–present Carter
54 Senior Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez Camden 1930 1985–1998 — 1998–present Reagan
62 Senior Judge Mary Little Cooper inactive 1946 1992–2011 — 2011–present G.H.W. Bush
68 Senior Judge Katharine Sweeney Hayden Newark 1942 1997–2010 — 2010–present Clinton
72 Senior Judge Bill Martini Newark 1947 2002–2015 — 2015–present G.W. Bush
74 Senior Judge Stanley R. Chesler Newark 1947 2002–2015 — 2015–present G.W. Bush
75 Senior Judge Robert B. Kugler Camden 1950 2002–2018 — 2018–present G.W. Bush
78 Senior Judge Noel Lawrence Hillman Camden 1956 2006–2022 — 2022–present G.W. Bush
79 Senior Judge Peter G. Sheridan Trenton 1950 2006–2018 — 2018–present G.W. Bush
83 Senior Judge Kevin McNulty Newark 1954 2012–2023 — 2023–present Obama


Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat Prior judge's duty station Seat last held by Vacancy reason Date of vacancy Nominee Date of nomination
15 Newark Kevin McNulty Senior status October 31, 2023 Edward S. Kiel October 4, 2023

Former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 David Brearley NJ 1745–1790 1789–1790 — — Washington death
2 Robert Morris NJ 1745–1815 1790–1801[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 1757–1826 1815–1826[Note 3] — — Madison death
4 William Rossell NJ 1760–1840 1826–1840[Note 4] — — J.Q. Adams death
5 Mahlon Dickerson NJ 1770–1853 1840–1841 — — Van Buren resignation
6 Philemon Dickerson NJ 1788–1862 1841–1862 — — Van Buren death
7 Richard Stockton Field NJ 1803–1870 1863–1870 — — Lincoln resignation
8 John T. Nixon NJ 1820–1889 1870–1889 — — Grant death
9 Edward T. Green NJ 1837–1896 1889–1896[Note 5] — — B. Harrison death
10 Andrew Kirkpatrick NJ 1844–1904 1896–1904[Note 6] — — Cleveland death
11 William M. Lanning NJ 1849–1912 1904–1909[Note 7] — — T. Roosevelt elevation to 3d Cir.
12 Joseph Cross NJ 1843–1913 1905–1913 — — T. Roosevelt death
13 John Rellstab NJ 1858–1930 1909–1928 — 1928–1930 Taft death
14 Thomas Griffith Haight NJ 1879–1942 1914–1919 — — Wilson elevation to 3d Cir.
15 John Warren Davis NJ 1867–1945 1916–1920 — — Wilson elevation to 3d Cir.
16 Charles Francis Lynch NJ 1884–1942 1919–1925 — — Wilson resignation
17 Joseph Lamb Bodine NJ 1883–1950 1920–1929 — — Wilson resignation
18 William Nelson Runyon NJ 1871–1931 1923–1931 — — Harding death
19 William Clark NJ 1891–1957 1925–1938[Note 8] — — Coolidge elevation to 3d Cir.
20 James William McCarthy NJ 1872–1939 1928–1929[Note 9] — — Coolidge resignation
21 Guy Leverne Fake NJ 1879–1957 1929–1951 1948–1951 1951–1957 Coolidge death
22 John Boyd Avis NJ 1875–1944 1929–1944 — — Hoover death
23 Phillip Forman NJ 1895–1978 1932–1959 1951–1959 — Hoover elevation to 3d Cir.
24 Thomas Glynn Walker NJ 1899–1993 1939–1941[Note 10] — — F. Roosevelt resignation
25 William Francis Smith NJ 1903–1968 1941–1961 1959–1961 — F. Roosevelt elevation to 3d Cir.
26 Thomas Francis Meaney NJ 1888–1968 1942–1966 — 1966–1968 F. Roosevelt death
27 Thomas M. Madden NJ 1907–1976 1945–1968 1961–1968 1968–1976 Truman death
28 Alfred Egidio Modarelli NJ 1898–1957 1951–1957 — — Truman death
29 Richard Hartshorne NJ 1888–1975 1951–1961 — 1961–1975 Truman death
30 Reynier Jacob Wortendyke Jr. NJ 1895–1975 1955–1970 — 1970–1975 Eisenhower death
31 Mendon Morrill NJ 1902–1961 1958–1961 — — Eisenhower death
32 Arthur Stephen Lane NJ 1910–1997 1960–1967 — — Eisenhower resignation
33 Anthony Thomas Augelli NJ 1902–1985 1961–1972 1968–1972 1972–1974 Kennedy resignation
34 James Aloysius Coolahan NJ 1903–1986 1962–1974 1972–1973 1974–1986 Kennedy death
35 Robert Shaw NJ 1907–1972 1962–1972 — — Kennedy death
36 Mitchell Harry Cohen NJ 1904–1991 1962–1974 1973–1974 1974–1991 Kennedy death
37 Lawrence Aloysius Whipple NJ 1910–1983 1967–1978 1974–1978 1978–1983 L. Johnson death
38 George Herbert Barlow NJ 1921–1979 1969–1979 1978–1979 — Nixon death
39 Leonard I. Garth NJ 1921–2016 1969–1973 — — Nixon elevation to 3d Cir.
40 Clarkson Sherman Fisher NJ 1921–1997 1970–1987 1979–1987 1987–1997 Nixon death
41 John Joseph Kitchen NJ 1911–1973 1970–1973 — — Nixon death
42 Frederick Bernard Lacey NJ 1920–2017 1971–1986 — — Nixon retirement
43 Vincent P. Biunno NJ 1916–1991 1973–1982 — 1982–1991 Nixon death
44 Herbert Jay Stern NJ 1936–present 1973–1987 — — Nixon resignation
45 Henry Curtis Meanor NJ 1929–2008 1974–1983 — — Nixon resignation
46 John F. Gerry NJ 1925–1995 1974–1994 1987–1994 1994–1995 Ford death
47 Stanley Brotman NJ 1924–2014 1975–1990 — 1990–2014 Ford death
48 Harold Arnold Ackerman NJ 1928–2009 1979–1994 — 1994–2009 Carter death
49 Dickinson Richards Debevoise NJ 1924–2015 1979–1994 — 1994–2015 Carter death
50 H. Lee Sarokin NJ 1928–2023 1979–1994 — — Carter elevation to 3d Cir.
52 John Winslow Bissell NJ 1940–present 1982–2005 2001–2005 — Reagan retirement
53 Maryanne Trump Barry NJ 1937–2023 1983–1999 — — Reagan elevation to 3d Cir.
55 Robert Cowen NJ 1930–present 1985–1987 — — Reagan elevation to 3d Cir.
56 Garrett Brown Jr. NJ 1943–present 1985–2012 2005–2012 2012 Reagan retirement
57 Alfred James Lechner Jr. NJ 1948–present 1986–2001 — — Reagan resignation
58 Nicholas H. Politan NJ 1935–2012 1987–2002 — — Reagan retirement
59 Alfred M. Wolin NJ 1932–present 1987–2000 — 2000–2004 Reagan retirement
60 John C. Lifland NJ 1933–present 1988–2001 — 2001–2007 Reagan retirement
61 William G. Bassler NJ 1938–present 1991–2005 — 2005–2006 G.H.W. Bush retirement
63 Joseph Eron Irenas NJ 1940–2015 1992–2002 — 2002–2015 G.H.W. Bush death
64 Jerome B. Simandle NJ 1949–2019 1992–2017 2012–2017 2017–2019 G.H.W. Bush death
65 William H. Walls NJ 1932–2019 1994–2005 — 2005–2019 Clinton death
66 Stephen Orlofsky NJ 1944–present 1995–2003 — — Clinton resignation
67 Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. NJ 1957–present 1996–2010 — — Clinton elevation to 3d Cir.
69 Faith S. Hochberg NJ 1950–present 1999–2015 — — Clinton retirement
70 Joel A. Pisano NJ 1949–2021 2000–2015 — — Clinton retirement
71 Dennis M. Cavanaugh NJ 1947–present 2000–2014 — — Clinton retirement
73 Jose L. Linares NJ 1953–present 2002–2019 2017–2019 — G.W. Bush retirement
76 Freda L. Wolfson NJ 1954–present 2002–2023 2019–2023 — G.W. Bush retirement
86 John Michael Vazquez NJ 1970–present 2016–2023 — — 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

Main article: United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey

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. ^ "Philip R. Sellinger Sworn in as 62nd U.S. Attorney for District of New Jersey" (Press release). U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "28 U.S.C. § 110 - U.S. Code Title 28. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 110". Findlaw.

External links

Active district judges of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Senior district judges of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
United States federal courts
Authority control databases
Categories