At a press conference that just concluded, Governor Christie announced that he will renominate Chief Justice Rabner to the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice’s initial term expires next month. Senate President Stephen Sweeney was present at the press conference as well. It seems apparent that the Chief Justice will be approved by the Senate.
There was much talk of a deal under which Chief Justice Rabner would be renominated in tandem with Senate Democrats’ agreement to confirm a Republican to one of the two Supreme Court seats currently occupied by temporarily appointed Appellate Division judges. That appears to have been exactly what has happened, as Governor Christie also announced his intention to nominate Camden County Assignment Judge Lee Solomon to fill the seat now occupied by Judge Rodriguez, another Republican. Judge Solomon’s name had been mentioned in connection with Supreme Court seats previously, but this time he is the choice. A former Assemblyman and head of New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities, and a judge who has sat in the Civil, Criminal, and Family Divisions in Camden County, Judge Solomon seems to have an impressive resume.
If Chief Justice Rabner and Judge Solomon each get Senate approval, the Court’s lineup would then consist of three Democrats (Chief Justice Rabner, Justice Albin, and Judge Cuff, whose status is unaffected by today’s announcement), three Republicans (Justices Patterson and Fernandez-Vina, and Judge Solomon), and Justice LaVecchia, who is not registered with either party. Two of the seven members of the Court would be judges who ascended directly from the Camden County Superior Court bench, an unusual circumstance.