Michael Noriega, Gov. Phil Murphy’s nominee for associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.
Noriega has the votes to win approval by the eleven-member Judiciary Committee – the panel’s chairman, Brian P. Stack, was among the first senators to publicly support the Union City native’s nomination — and to win confirmation by the full Senate, according to a New Jersey Globe tally of senators.
Murphy nominated Noriega on May 15 to replace Barry Albin, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in July 2022. If confirmed, the 45-year-old former public defender would become the lone Hispanic on the state’s seven-member top court.
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.
The decision on a full Senate confirmation vote belongs to Senate President Nicholas Scutari
He had received signoff from his three home-county senators earlier this month: Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Joseph Cryan (D-Union), and Scuatri. Noriega is Bramnick’s law partner.
The state’s highest court has not had seven members Justice Jaynee LaVecchia retired on December 31, 2021. Instead, senior appellate court judges have been temporarily assigned to the Supreme Court.
If Noriega is confirmed, Judge Jack Sabatino, who has been sitting on the top court since September 2022, will return to the appellate division.
The Supreme Court has stopped hearing cases for the current session and will resume on September 1.
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June 5, 2020 -
