Is New Jersey's judicial vacancy crisis under control?
Appointments increase, but challenges still exist
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... The acting administrative director of the New Jersey courts told members of the state Assembly Budget Committee that a robust judiciary is essential.
.....
After less than a month on the job, Michael Blee spoke about the importance of an impartial court system, noting that the "judiciary must uphold the law and protect the rights of all individuals so that justice can deserved."
..... State Senator Paul Sarlo, the committee's chair and a Bergen County Democrat, called the state's system the "best in the country."
..... "We should be very proud of it," Sarlo said. "the process we go through to select our judges - and then the interaction we have with them afterward, the work we do together."
.....
When asked by state Senator Mike Testa, R-Vineland, about vacancies stemming form a lack of nominations from the governor's office, Blee said he didn't "know what the impetus is" but that "it is a very stringent vetting process," Calling that a good thing.
..... Blee said that as of May 1 [2025] there will be 51 vacancies, which is "not at the crisis level" from several years ago, when the New Jersey courts had as many as 76 judicial vacancies.
..... He said he would like to see that number in the rang of 25 to 30 vacancies.
.....
There is a possibility of shutting down matrimonial or civil trials in Vicinage 13, which covers Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties, if there are five or six vacancies, though. They will stand at three next week.
..... Civil and matrimonial trials in Passaic County, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties have been suspended in recent years due to vacancies.
.....
A slew of judges were confirmed at the end of 2023 and in early 2024 to bring the number of vacancy on the bench to 38 the lowest since before the pandemic.
..... In New Jersey, judges serve for an initial seven-year team and can be renominated for tenure, which allows them to sit on the bench until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 70.
..... Blee also highlighted the efforts made to lower the backlog of cases to something closer to what it was before the pandemic.
..... Blee said that in the past fiscal year, [2024] the backlog of cases was down to 31%, an increase of nearly 12%.
..... The backlog stood at 31, 433 in February, [2025] said the courts website, a substantial decrease from the 75,777 cases waiting to be heard in February 2023.
..... "This is an improvement, but it falls short of our present goal,: Blee said. "We look forward to continuing to work with the Legislature to fill judicial vacancies, which will help us reduct that backlog and provide timely justice for all."
..... Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com