Noriega has the votes to win Senate confirmation to Supreme Court

Gov. Phil Murphy’s nominee for associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, Michael Noriega, has the votes to win confirmation by the State Senate, a New Jersey Globe tally shows.

Nineteen senators have publicly stated their intent to vote in favor of Noriega’s nomination, including four Republicans, with at least another eight senators from both parties prepared to back the former public defender for a seat on the state’s top court.   Noriega needs 21 votes to be confirmed.

Noriega cleared an essential hurdle on Friday by obtaining signoff from State Sen. Joseph Cryan (D-Union).   Under the unwritten rules of senatorial courtesy, a gubernatorial nomination may only move forward if the home county senators approve.  The two other Union County senators, Nicholas Scutari, the Senate President, and Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Noriega’s law partner, have already signed off.

If Scutari agrees, the Senate could schedule a confirmation vote this month before their summer recess at the end of the month.  The Judiciary Committee is already planning to meet on June 15, with a voting session scheduled for June 20.

The New Jersey Globe tally shows Noriega with enough votes to clear the eleven-member Judiciary Committee.   The committee chairman, Brian P. Stack (D-Union City), was among the first senators to support the nomination; Noriega grew up in Union City.

After a confirmation vote, Noriega is expected to join the court quickly.  He will take the seat of Barry Albin, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in July 2022.

Noriega, 45, would become the first Hispanic to serve on the state’s highest court since Faustino Fernandez-Vina turned 70 and retired in February 2022.  The Senate unanimously confirmed Murphy’s choice to replace him, Douglas Fasciale.

The Supreme Court has stopped hearing cases for the current session and will resume on September 1.

Murphy nominated Noriega on May 15.