Chief Justice Rabner has issued the general Assignment Order for 2019-2020. It is available here.
As occurs every year, the eight Appellate Division Parts have been reshuffled. But some things remain the same. Judge Messano continues as Presiding Judge for Administration, and Judge Sabatino as Deputy Presiding Judge for Administration. Those two judges, as well as Judges Koblitz, Alvarez, Fisher, Yannotti, and Fuentes remain as Presiding Judges of their respective Parts. Judge Fasciale has become the Presiding Judge of Part B, a position previously held by Judge Simonelli.
There are two temporarily assigned judges. Judge Ronald Susswein is on Part E, Judge Messano’s Part, while Judge Catherine Enright will serve on Part H, under the leadership of Judge Fuentes.
In addition to Judge Simonelli, names no longer appearing on the roster of Appellate Division judges are Judges Reisner and O’Connor. All will be missed.
A special note, however, about Judge Reisner, before whom I have appeared many times, including in some very complex matters (I recall only one appeal that I argued before Judge Simonelli and none before Judge O’Connor, so no disrespect is meant to them). It was always a pleasure to be in front of Judge Reisner, whose intelligence, good humor, and thorough familiarity with all aspects of the record have been a model for all judges. Judge Reisner had been a Presiding Judge of her Part for many years, and this past year she served as a “side judge” on Judge Alvarez’s Part D. Judge Reisner’s departure from the Appellate Division is a significant loss for parties, counsel, and the judicial system that she served so ably for so long.