Issues - The New Jersey Supreme Court

New Jersey has the most liberal, left wing court in the country. Over the past 30 years, our Supreme Court has made legislative and policy decisions that have detrimentally impacted our state, our state’s economy, and our way of living. The Abbott districts, School Construction Corporation, and COAH are some prime examples of its destructive decisions. Additionally, the Supreme Court overlooked the constitution by permitting borrowing to balance the state budget, and it disregarded the law by permitting the infamous Lautenberg for Torecelli switch in 2002.

Our next governor has the opportunity to fill four seats on our Supreme Court; two seats will be vacated by retirement, and two justices will be up for re-nomination. That is a majority of the court and the decisions of the justices appointed to fill those seats will have a significant impact upon our future.

As governor I will not re-nominate any justice currently sitting on the court.

As governor I will not re-nominate any justice currently sitting on the court. I will only nominate strict constructionists who understand the role of a judge, will refrain from judicial policy making, and will not legislate from the bench.

In the past, we have also seen litigators run to the courts to obtain decisions that impose their agendas upon the rest of the state. We have seen legislators hide behind court legislated policy decisions to further silence the voice of the people. The Court has become the most powerful branch of government, and, at times, New Jersey appears to be controlled by an oligarchy in black robes.

This is not the type of government created by our state Constitution, and we must put an end to that system. To further ensure our constitutional right that “all political power is inherent in the people,” and to curb the practice of judicial policy making, I propose placing the justices of the Supreme Court before the voters every six years so that the voters can decide whether they are worthy of retention. It is time to put a check in place to restore the balance of power to the people and the elected branches of government.