New Jersey State Bar Association - New Jersey State Bar Association resolution calls for Chief Justice Rabner’s renomination

New Jersey State Bar Association - New Jersey State Bar Association resolution calls for Chief Justice Rabner’s renomination:
NEW BRUNSWICK: The New Jersey State Bar Association supports the renomination of Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. 
     
In a resolution released today, the state’s largest group of legal professionals said Rabner has unquestionably demonstrated the knowledge and decorum to continue to serve as head of the state’s highest court. His scholarship, fair administration of the courts, establishment of programs to help residents resolve conflicts, and outreach to the community has distinguished the judicial branch. 
 
Further, the resolution states it would be an “unprecedented intrusion of politics into the third co-equal branch, and continued evidence of attempts to undermine the independence of that branch, to decline the reappointment of the sitting Chief Justice, the person entrusted to lead the judicial branch of government, as no chief justice has been denied tenure under our current constitution.” 
 
The text of the resolution is below. Click here (PDF) to download the pdf.

NJSBA Resolution
 
A resolution expressing the position of the New Jersey State Bar Association in support of the renomination of Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner
 
WHEREAS, it is the mission of the New Jersey State Bar Association to serve as the voice of New Jersey attorneys to other organizations, governmental entities and the public, with regard to the law, the legal system and the legal profession, and
 
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner was nominated and earned confirmation to the position in June 2007 and was sworn-in as Chief Justice that month, and 
 
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner has unquestionably demonstrated the knowledge and decorum to serve, and has, in fact, served on the Supreme Court with distinction, as is obvious through his thoughtful opinions, his fair administration of the Courts, his establishment of programs aimed at resolving New Jerseyans’ conflicts before they reach the courts, and his outreach to the community to educate citizens about the courts and respond to the needs of users of the courts, and
 
WHEREAS, during his tenure on the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Rabner has authored dozens of opinions that exhibit intellectual rigor, clear reasoning and an unbiased commitment to improving New Jersey law, and 
 
WHEREAS, during his tenure, Chief Justice Rabner has implemented significant administrative and institutional reforms aimed at outreach to the public and the bar, including: commencing a foreclosure mediation program aimed at expeditiously resolving the many foreclosure actions filed in the wake of the recent economic recession; expanding the Judiciary’s website to enable the public easier access to “self-help” information about court filing requirements and procedures; launching the Benchmarks Civics Program that makes volunteer judges and lawyers available to address community organizations; implementing a “one-judge/one school” program that allows judges to talk to school children about the court system; appointing women and minority judges and lawyers to leadership positions within the Judiciary and its many Supreme Court-appointed committees; and being responsive to the concerns of members of the bar including frequent meetings with organized bar leaders and speaking at bar functions, and
 
WHEREAS, the independence and integrity of our judges and an independent judicial branch, to whom New Jersey residents can confidently turn to resolve their differences in a fair and equitable manner, is one of the crowning achievements of this state, and is the foundation upon which the well-deserved reputation of New Jersey’s court system is grounded, and
 
WHEREAS, it would be an unprecedented intrusion of politics into the third co-equal branch, and continued evidence of attempts to undermine the independence of that branch, to decline the reappointment of the sitting Chief Justice, the person entrusted to lead the judicial branch of government, as no chief justice has been denied tenure under our current constitution, and
 
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that New Jersey State Bar Association calls for the reappointment of Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, who throughout his tenure by his leadership, scholarship, sound judgment and demeanor has distinguished himself and the Supreme Court of New Jersey. 
 
I, John E. Keefe Jr., Secretary of the New Jersey State Bar Association, do hereby certify that the above is a full, true and correct copy of a resolution unanimously passed by the Board of Trustees at a regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 24, 2014. 

In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand as such Secretary and affix the corporate seal of the New Jersey State Bar Association on this fourteenth day of February, 2014.

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