Judicial Administration
The New Jersey State Bar Association and its division, sections and committees review court directives, Supreme Court committee reports and proposed court rules for general comment through its judicial administration program.
The Judicial Administration Committee provides final recommendations to the Board of Trustees on proposed court rule amendments and judicial policy and is actively involved in developing proposed reforms to the judicial system.
Judicial Administration Efforts
Annual Meeting Bench/Bar Conference
Begun in 2003, the NJSBA has hosted a bench bar conference at the Annual Meeting featuring some of New Jersey’s top attorneys and judges in the civil, criminal and family law and municipal court practice areas.
Judicial Administration Forums
Since 1998, the New Jersey State Bar Association has sponsored periodic Judicial Administration Forums, bringing together judges, Judiciary managers, and lawyers (including bar leaders) for discussion on issues facing the bench and bar. Past forums have addressed access to justice and trial court practice/procedure reforms, judicial leadership, court technology and dispute resolution.
Judicial Vacancies
The NJSBA actively monitors judicial vacancies and advocates, as appropriate, for a full complement of judges on the state and federal courts.
Criticism of Judges
The independence of the judiciary is the cornerstone of our legal system. That system, however, may be shaken by unfair attacks on judges, or the judiciary in general, which seek to influence judges’ decisions and undermine public confidence in the administration of justice. In 1996, the NJSBA developed a procedure to respond to unjust criticism of judges. This protocol was commended by the American Judges Association for the development and utilization of this project. Recently, the Association objected to the “rankings” of judges by a legal periodical. Read the NJSBA procedure to respond to the unjust criticism of judges here.
To learn more about the NJSBA’s Judicial Administration efforts, such as report on Judiciary reports and proposed rule changes, click here.