United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (D.N.J.)
Map
Appeals to	Third Circuit
Established	September 24, 1789
Judges assigned	17
Chief judge	Jerome B. Simandle
Official site

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of New Jersey.

Cases brought in the District are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

History

The District of New Jersey was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. The District was subdivided into the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the Western District of New Jersey on February 13, 1801, by the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, with the judicial districts being headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Burlington, New Jersey, respectively. The repeal of the 1801 Act restored New Jersey as a single judicial district on March 8, 1802, 2 Stat. 132. New Jersey is the largest state by population to only have one district court, and is larger in population than several states that have multiple districts.

In recent years, Congress has considered several bills, introduced by South Jersey representatives, to divide New Jersey into two districts, a Northern District and a Southern District. For example, such bills were introduced in the 106th Congress in 2000 and the 109th Congress in 2005. None of these bills have ever passed either house of Congress. Proponents of the change have cited the caseload of the New Jersey District Court as well as the distance between the seats of the two proposed districts, Newark and Camden (85 miles) as justification for splitting the current district. It has also been observed that such a split would guarantee South Jersey a greater share of judgeships as well as new positions to which residents of the area would be appointed, such as court clerks, U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal and Federal Public Defender for the new Southern District.

"Old" federal courthouse in Newark

Jurisdiction

The District of New Jersey is divided into three vicinages: Newark, Trenton and Camden.

• In Newark, the Court operates from two courthouses: The "old" courthouse is the United States Post Office and Court House at One Federal Square. Across Walnut Street is the "new" courthouse—Martin Luther King, Jr. U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building (50 Walnut Street). The Newark vicinage's clerk's office is located in the Martin Luther King building.
• In Trenton, the Court operates from the Clarkson S. Fisher Building and U.S. Courthouse (402 East State Street).
• In Camden, the Court is located at the Mitchell H. Cohen Building and U.S. Courthouse (4th and Cooper Streets).

The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The U.S. Attorney has offices in Newark, Trenton, and Camden. Paul J. Fishman was sworn into office as U.S. Attorney on October 14, 2009.

Current judges

Jerome B. Simandle is the Chief Judge of the Court. The Clerk of the Court is William T. Walsh.

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
64	Chief Judge	Jerome B. Simandle	Camden	1949	1992–present	2012-present	—	G.H.W. Bush
69	District Judge	Faith S. Hochberg	Newark	1950	1999–present	—	—	Clinton
70	District Judge	Joel A. Pisano	Trenton	1949	2000–present	—	—	Clinton
71	District Judge	Dennis M. Cavanaugh	Newark	1947	2000–present	—	—	Clinton
72	District Judge	William J. Martini	Newark	1947	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
73	District Judge	Jose L. Linares	Newark	1953	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
74	District Judge	Stanley R. Chesler	Newark	1947	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
75	District Judge	Robert B. Kugler	Camden	1950	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
76	District Judge	Freda L. Wolfson	Trenton	1954	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
77	District Judge	Renee Marie Bumb	Camden	1960	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
78	District Judge	Noel Lawrence Hillman	Camden	1956	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
79	District Judge	Peter G. Sheridan	Trenton	1950	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
80	District Judge	Susan Davis Wigenton	Newark	1962	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
81	District Judge	Claire C. Cecchi	Newark	1964	2011–present	—	—	Obama
82	District Judge	Esther Salas	Newark	1968	2011–present	—	—	Obama
83	District Judge	Kevin McNulty	Newark	1954	2012–present	—	—	Obama
84	District Judge	Michael A. Shipp	Newark	1965	2012–present	—	—	Obama
47	Senior District Judge	Stanley Seymour Brotman	Camden	1924	1975–1990	—	1990–present	Ford
49	Senior District Judge	Dickinson Richards Debevoise	Newark	1924	1979–1994	—	1994–present	Carter
51	Senior District Judge	Anne Elise Thompson	Trenton	1934	1979–2001	1994–2001	2001–present	Carter
54	Senior District Judge	Joseph H. Rodriguez	Camden	1930	1985–1998	—	1998–present	Reagan
62	Senior District Judge	Mary Little Cooper	Trenton	1946	1992–2011	—	2011-present	G.H.W. Bush
63	Senior District Judge	Joseph Eron Irenas	Camden	1940	1992–2002	—	2002–present	G.H.W. Bush
65	Senior District Judge	William H. Walls	Newark	1932	1994–2005	—	2005–present	Clinton
68	Senior District Judge	Katharine Sweeney Hayden	Newark	1942	1997–2010	—	2010–present	Clinton

Former judges

#	Judge	State	Born/Died	Active service	Term as Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Brearley, DavidDavid Brearley	NJ	1745–1790	1789–1790	—	—	Washington, Washington	death
2	Morris, RobertRobert Morris	NJ	1745–1815	1790–1801 1802–1815	—	—	Washington, Washington	reassignment to E.D.N.J / W.D.N.J. death
3	Pennington, William SanfordWilliam Sanford Pennington	NJ	1757–1826	1815–1826	—	—	Madison, Madison	death
4	Rossell, WilliamWilliam Rossell	NJ	1760–1840	1826–1840	—	—	Adams, J.Q.J.Q. Adams	death
5	Dickerson, MahlonMahlon Dickerson	NJ	1770–1853	1840–1841	—	—	Van Buren, Van Buren	resignation
6	Dickerson, PhilemonPhilemon Dickerson	NJ	1788–1862	1841–1862	—	—	Van Buren, Van Buren	death
7	Field, Richard StocktonRichard Stockton Field	NJ	1803–1870	1863–1870	—	—	Lincoln, Lincoln	resignation
8	Nixon, John T.John T. Nixon	NJ	1820–1889	1870–1889	—	—	Grant, Grant	death
9	Green, Edward T.Edward T. Green	NJ	1837–1896	1889–1896	—	—	Harrison, Harrison	death
10	Kirkpatrick, AndrewAndrew Kirkpatrick	NJ	1844–1904	1896–1904	—	—	Cleveland, Cleveland	death
11	Lanning, William M.William M. Lanning	NJ	1849–1912	1904–1909	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	appointment to 3d Cir.
12	Cross, JosephJoseph Cross	NJ	1843–1913	1905–1913	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	death
13	Rellstab, JohnJohn Rellstab	NJ	1858–1930	1909–1928	—	1928–1930	Taft, Taft	death
14	Haight, Thomas GriffithThomas Griffith Haight	NJ	1879–1942	1914–1919	—	—	Wilson, Wilson	appointment to 3d Cir.
15	Davis, John WarrenJohn Warren Davis	NJ	1867–1945	1916–1920	—	—	Wilson, Wilson	appointment to 3d Cir.
16	Lynch, Charles FrancisCharles Francis Lynch	NJ	1884–1942	1919–1925	—	—	Wilson, Wilson	resignation
17	Bodine, Joseph LambJoseph Lamb Bodine	NJ	1883–1950	1920–1929	—	—	Wilson, Wilson	resignation
18	Runyon, William NelsonWilliam Nelson Runyon	NJ	1871–1931	1923–1931	—	—	Harding, Harding	death
19	Clark, WilliamWilliam Clark	NJ	1891–1957	1925–1938	—	—	Coolidge, Coolidge	appointment to 3d Cir.
20	McCarthy, James WilliamJames William McCarthy	NJ	1872–1939	1928–1929	—	—	Coolidge, Coolidge	resignation
21	Fake, Guy LeverneGuy Leverne Fake	NJ	1879–1957	1929–1951	1948–1951	1951–1957	Coolidge, Coolidge	death
22	Avis, John BoydJohn Boyd Avis	NJ	1875–1944	1929–1944	—	—	Hoover, Hoover	death
23	Forman, PhillipPhillip Forman	NJ	1895–1978	1932–1959	1951–1959	—	Hoover, Hoover	appointment to 3d Cir.
24	Walker, Thomas GlynnThomas Glynn Walker	NJ	1899–1993	1939–1941	—	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	resignation
25	Smith, William FrancisWilliam Francis Smith	NJ	1904–1968	1941–1961	1959–1961	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	appointment to 3d Cir.
26	Meaney, Thomas FrancisThomas Francis Meaney	NJ	1888–1968	1942–1966	—	1966–1968	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
27	Madden, Thomas M.Thomas M. Madden	NJ	1907–1976	1945–1968	1961–1968	1968–1976	Truman, Truman	death
28	Modarelli, Alfred EgidioAlfred Egidio Modarelli	NJ	1898–1957	1951–1957	—	—	Truman, Truman	death
29	Hartshorne, RichardRichard Hartshorne	NJ	1888–1975	1951–1961	—	1961–1975	Truman, Truman	death
30	Wortendyke, Jr., Reynier JacobReynier Jacob Wortendyke, Jr.	NJ	1895–1975	1955–1970	—	1970–1975	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
31	Morrill, MendonMendon Morrill	NJ	1902–1961	1958–1961	—	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
32	Lane, Arthur StephenArthur Stephen Lane	NJ	1910–1997	1960–1967	—	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	resignation
33	Augelli, Anthony ThomasAnthony Thomas Augelli	NJ	1902–1985	1961–1972	1968–1972	1972–1974	Kennedy, Kennedy	resignation
34	Coolahan, James AloysiusJames Aloysius Coolahan	NJ	1903–1986	1962–1974	1972–1973	1974–1986	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
35	Shaw, RobertRobert Shaw	NJ	1907–1972	1962–1972	—	—	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
36	Cohen, Mitchell HarryMitchell Harry Cohen	NJ	1904–1991	1962–1974	1973–1974	1974–1991	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
37	Whipple, Lawrence AloysiusLawrence Aloysius Whipple	NJ	1910–1983	1967–1978	1974–1978	1978–1983	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
38	Barlow, George HerbertGeorge Herbert Barlow	NJ	1921–1979	1969–1979	1978–1979	—	Nixon, Nixon	death
39	Garth, Leonard I.Leonard I. Garth	NJ	1921–present	1969–1973	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	appointment to 3d Cir.
40	Fisher, Clarkson ShermanClarkson Sherman Fisher	NJ	1921–1997	1970–1987	1979–1987	1987–1997	Nixon, Nixon	death
41	Kitchen, John JosephJohn Joseph Kitchen	NJ	1911–1973	1970–1973	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	death
42	Lacey, Frederick BernardFrederick Bernard Lacey	NJ	1920–present	1971–1986	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
43	Biunno, Vincent PasqualeVincent Pasquale Biunno	NJ	1916–1991	1973–1982	—	1982–1991	Nixon, Nixon	death
44	Stern, Herbert JayHerbert Jay Stern	NJ	1936–present	1973–1987	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	resignation
45	Meanor, Henry CurtisHenry Curtis Meanor	NJ	1929–present	1974–1983	—	—	Nixon, Nixon	resignation
46	Gerry, John F.John F. Gerry	NJ	1926–1995	1974–1994	1987–1994	1994–1995	Ford, Ford	death
48	Ackerman, Harold ArnoldHarold Arnold Ackerman	NJ	1928–2009	1979–1994	—	1994–2009	Carter, Carter	death
50	Sarokin, H. LeeH. Lee Sarokin	NJ	1928–present	1979–1994	—	—	Carter, Carter	appointment to 3d Cir.
52	Bissell, John WinslowJohn Winslow Bissell	NJ	1940–present	1982–2005	2001–2005	—	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
53	Barry, Maryanne TrumpMaryanne Trump Barry	NJ	1937–present	1983–1999	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	appointment to 3d Cir.
55	Cowen, RobertRobert Cowen	NJ	1930–present	1985–1987	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	appointment to 3d Cir.
56	Brown Jr., Garrett E.Garrett E. Brown Jr.	NJ	1943-present	1985–2012	2005–2012	2012	Reagan	retirement
57	Lechner, Jr., Alfred JamesAlfred James Lechner, Jr.	NJ	1948–present	1986–2001	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	resignation
58	Politan, Nicholas H.Nicholas H. Politan	NJ	1935–present	1987–2002	—	—	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
59	Wolin, Alfred M.Alfred M. Wolin	NJ	1932–present	1987–2000	—	2000–2004	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
60	Lifland, John C.John C. Lifland	NJ	1933–present	1988–2001	—	2001–2007	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
61	Bassler, William G.William G. Bassler	NJ	1938–present	1991–2005	—	2005–2006	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	retirement
66	Orlofsky, StephenStephen Orlofsky	NJ	1944–present	1995–2003	—	—	Clinton, Clinton	resignation
67	Greenaway, Jr., Joseph A.Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr.	NJ	1957–present	1996–2010	—	—	Clinton, Clinton	appointment to 3d Cir.

Succession of seats

Seat 1
Seat established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73
Brearley	1789–1790
Morris	1790–1801
Seat abolished on February 13, 1801 by 2 Stat. 89
Seat reestablished on March 8, 1802 by 2 Stat. 132
Morris	1802–1815
Pennington	1815–1826
Rossell	1826–1840
M. Dickerson	1840–1841
P. Dickerson	1841–1862
Field	1863–1870
Nixon	1870–1889
Green	1889–1896
Kirkpatrick	1896–1904
Lanning	1904–1909
Rellstab	1909–1928
McCarthy	1928–1929
Fake	1929–1951
Hartshorne	1951–1961
Cohen	1962–1974
Brotman	1975–1990
Bassler	1991–2005
Hillman	2006–present

Seat 2
Seat established on March 3, 1905 by 33 Stat. 987
Cross	1905–1913
Haight	1914–1919
Lynch	1919–1925
Clark	1925–1938
Walker	1939–1941
Meaney	1942–1966
Whipple	1967–1978
Sarokin	1979–1994
Hayden	1997–2010
Salas	2011–present

Seat 3
Seat established on April 11, 1916 by 39 Stat. 48
Davis	1916–1920
Bodine	1920–1929
Avis	1929–1944
Madden	1945–1968
Garth	1969–1973
Stern	1973–1987
Politan	1987–2002
Wolfson	2002–present

Seat 4
Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary)
Runyon	1923–1931
Seat made permanent on May 10, 1932 by 47 Stat. 161
Forman	1932–1959
Lane	1960–1967
Barlow	1969–1979
Ackerman	1979–1994
Walls	1994–2005
Bumb	2006–present

Seat 5
Seat established on March 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 (temporary)
Seat made permanent on December 22, 1944 by 58 Stat. 887
Smith	1941–1961
Shaw	1962–1972
Biunno	1973–1982
Bissell	1982–2005
Wigenton	2006–present

Seat 6
Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493
Modarelli	1951–1957
Morrill	1958–1961
Coolahan	1962–1974
Gerry	1974–1994
Greenaway, Jr.	1996–2010
Cecchi	2011–present

Seat 7
Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8
Wortendyke, Jr.	1955–1970
Fisher	1970–1987
Lifland	1988–2001
Martini	2002–present

Seat 8
Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80
Augelli	1961–1972
Seat abolished on April 1, 1972 (Temporary judgeship expired)

Seat 9
Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294
Kitchen	1970–1973
Meanor	1974–1983
Barry	1983–1999
Pisano	2000–present

Seat 10
Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 (temporary)
Seat became permanent upon the abolishment of Seat 8 on April 1, 1972.
Lacey	1971–1986
Lechner, Jr.	1986–2001
Linares	2002–present

Seat 11
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629
Debevoise	1979–1994
Orlofsky	1995–2003
Sheridan	2006–present

Seat 12
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629
Thompson	1979–2001
Chesler	2002–present

Seat 13
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333
Rodriguez	1985–1998
Hochberg	1999–present

Seat 14
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333
Cowen	1985–1987
Wolin	1987–2000
Cavanaugh	2000–present

Seat 15
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333
Brown, Jr.	1985–2012
McNulty	2012–present

Seat 16
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
Cooper	1992–2011
Shipp	2012–present

Seat 17
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
Irenas	1992–2002
Kugler	2002–present

Seat 18
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
Simandle	1992–present

See also

• Courts of New Jersey
• List of United States federal courthouses in New Jersey

External links

• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Official Website
• United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Official Website
• Thomas Library of Congress