CHIEF JUSTICE STUART RABNER
“Justice Coleman’s life story – the self-described son of a ‘southern dirt farmer’ and grandson of a slave, who grew up in the racial segregation era of Jim Crow – will continue to serve as an inspiration for generations to come. He was without question a pioneer in New Jersey’s court system: the first African American to serve as a workers’ compensation judge, the first to serve as an appellate judge, and the first African American to serve on the state Supreme Court.
“His legacy lives on through his work. Over the course of a remarkable 39-year career in the Judiciary, Justice Coleman authored more than 2,000 opinions. They included landmark decisions about the jury selection process and cross-racial identification evidence, which helped remove discrimination from our courtrooms.
“As Justice Coleman eloquently described in an essay after his retirement, he ‘looked for the opportunity in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.’ In doing so, he marked a path that has helped create a fairer system of justice.”
ATTORNEY GENERAL MATT PLATKIN
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of the Honorable James H. Coleman, Jr., a towering figure in our state’s history and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Justice Coleman was not just a legal giant but a beacon of fairness, integrity, and perseverance.
“Born the son of a sharecropper during the Great Depression, Justice Coleman overcame the harsh realities of segregation and systemic racism to rise to the highest echelons of the legal profession. His journey from a segregated school in Lawrenceville, Virginia, to the New Jersey Supreme Court is a testament to his indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to justice.
“Appointed in 1994, Justice Coleman served with distinction until his retirement in 2003. Throughout his career, he authored groundbreaking opinions that dismantled barriers of racial discrimination and championed the rights of all individuals under the law. His legacy includes landmark rulings on jury selection and cross-racial identification, which continue to shape our legal landscape today. Our thoughts are with his family and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. Rest in peace, Justice Coleman. Your legacy will forever inspire us.”
GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY AND LT. GOVERNOR TAHESHA WAY
“We are saddened by the passing of Associate Justice James H. Coleman, Jr., a lifelong trailblazer who served for nearly a decade as the first Black Justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court.
“Born as the son of a sharecropper in racially segregated Virginia, Justice Coleman’s life embodies the history of inequality and the quest for progress that have always been intertwined in America’s story. Despite growing up in a society pervaded by white supremacy, Justice Coleman served his nation as a U.S. Army Reservist and received his undergraduate and law degrees from two historically Black universities, Virginia State University and Howard University School of Law. After law school, he moved to New Jersey and built a legal career in private practice and at the New Jersey Department of Labor. He became a workers’ compensation judge and then went on to serve in virtually every part of our State’s judiciary, often making history as the first African American to hold those judgeships.
“His career of excellence and unparalleled experience led to his nomination by Governor Christie Whitman to the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1994. When confirmed by the Senate, Justice Coleman became an inspiration to millions of New Jerseyans who finally saw that communities of color could be reflected on our State’s highest court. During his nine years on the Court, he changed the trajectory of our state’s history and left a permanent impact on our State’s jurisprudence.
“Our prayers are with his wife Sophia Coleman, children Kairon and James, and his beloved grandchildren, as well as everyone who knew and loved him. New Jersey will be forever grateful for Justice Coleman’s extraordinary life.”