Nj. Const. art. XI, § 0 — Article XI / Section 0
NJ Const., Article XI
Status: in_force

[ edit ] SECTION I [ edit ] 1. This Constitution shall supersede the Constitution of one thousand eight hundred and forty-four as amended. 2. The Legislature shall enact all laws necessary to make this Constitution fully effective. 3. All law, statutory and otherwise, all rules and regulations of administrative bodies and all rules of courts in force at the time this Constitution or any Article thereof takes effect shall remain in full force until they expire or are superseded, altered or repealed by this Constitution or otherwise. 4. Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, all writs, actions, judgments, decrees, causes of action, prosecutions, contracts, claims and rights of individuals and of bodies corporate, and of the State, and all charters and franchises shall continue unaffected notwithstanding the taking effect of any Article of this Constitution. 5. All indictments found before the taking effect of this Constitution or any Article may be proceeded upon. After the taking effect thereof, indictments for crime and complaints for offenses committed prior thereto may be found, made and proceeded upon in the courts having jurisdiction thereof. SECTION II [ edit ] 1. The first Legislature under this Constitution shall meet on the second Tuesday in January, in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight. 2. Each member of the General Assembly, elected at the election in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-seven, shall hold office for a term beginning at noon of the second Tuesday in January in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight and ending at noon of the second Tuesday in January in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifty. Each member of the General Assembly elected thereafter shall hold office for the term provided by this Constitution. 3. Each member of the Senate elected in the years one thousand nine hundred and forty-five and one thousand nine hundred and forty-six shall hold office for the term for which he was elected. Each member of the Senate elected in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-seven shall hold office for a term of four years beginning at noon of the second Tuesday in January following his election. The seats in the Senate which would have been filled in the years hereinafter designated had this Constitution not been adopted shall be filled by election as follows: of those seats which would have been filled by election in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, three seats, as chosen by the Senate in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, shall be filled by election in that year for terms of five years, and three, as so chosen, shall be filled by election in that year for terms of three years, and those seats which would have been filled by election in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine shall be filled by election in that year for terms of four years, so that eleven seats in the Senate shall be filled by election in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifty-one and every fourth year thereafter for terms of four years, and the members of the Senate so elected and their successors shall constitute one class to be elected as prescribed in paragraph 2 of Section II of Article IV of this Constitution, and ten seats shall be filled by election in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifty-three and every fourth year thereafter for terms of four years, and the members of the Senate so elected and their successors shall constitute the other class to be elected as prescribed in said paragraph of this Constitution. 4. The provisions of Paragraph 1 of Section V of Article IV of this Constitution shall not prohibit the nomination, election or appointment of any member of the Senate or General Assembly first organized under this Constitution, to any State civil office or position created by this Constitution or created during his first term as such member. SECTION III [ edit ] 1. A Governor shall be elected for a full term at the general election to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine and every fourth year thereafter. 2. The taking effect of this Constitution or any provision thereof shall not of itself affect the tenure, term, status or compensation of any person then holding any public office, position or employment in this State, except as provided in this Constitution. Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Constitution, all constitutional officers in office at the time of its adoption shall continue to exercise the authority of their respective offices during the term for which they shall have been elected or appointed and until the qualification of their successors respectively. Upon the taking effect of this Constitution all officers of the militia shall retain their commissions subject to the provisions of Article V, Section III. 3. The Legislature, in compliance with the provisions of this Constitution, shall prior to the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine, and may from time to time thereafter, allocate by law the executive and administrative offices, departments and instrumentalities of the State government among and within the principal departments. If such allocation shall not have been completed within the time limited, the Governor shall call a special session of the Legislature to which he shall submit a plan or plans for consideration to complete such allocation; and no other matters shall be considered at such session. SECTION IV [ edit ] 1. Subsequent to the adoption of this Constitution the Governor shall nominate and appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices of the new Supreme Court from among the persons then being the Chancellor, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the old Supreme Court, the Vice Chancellors and Circuit Court Judges. The remaining judicial officers enumerated and such Judges of the Court of Errors and Appeals as have been admitted to the practice of law in this State for at least ten years, and are in office on the adoption of the Constitution, shall constitute the Judges of the Superior Court. The Justices of the new Supreme Court and the Judges of the Superior Court so designated shall hold office each for the period of his term which remains unexpired at the time the Constitution is adopted; and if reappointed he shall hold office during good behavior. No Justice of the new Supreme Court or Judge of the Superior Court shall hold his office after attaining the age of seventy years, except, however, that such Justice or Judge may complete the period of his term which remains unexpired at the time the Constitution is adopted. 2. The Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas shall constitute the Judges of the County Courts, each for the period of his term which remains unexpired at the time the Judicial Article of this Constitution takes effect. 3. The Court of Errors and Appeals, the present Supreme Court, the Court of Chancery, the Prerogative Court and the Circuit Courts shall be abolished when the Judicial Article of this Constitution takes effect; and all their jurisdiction, functions, powers and duties shall be transferred to and divided between the new Supreme Court and the Superior Court according as jurisdiction is vested in each of them under this Constitution. 4. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution and until otherwise provided by law, all courts now existing in this State, other than those abolished in paragraph 3 hereof, shall continue as if this Constitution had not been adopted, provided, however, that when the Judicial Article of this Constitution takes effect, the jurisdiction, powers and functions of the Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court, Court of Oyer and Terminer, Court of Quarter Sessions and Court of Special Sessions of each county, the judicial officers, clerks and employees thereof, and the causes pending therein and their files, shall be transferred to the County Court of the county. All statutory provisions relating to the county courts aforementioned of each county and to the Judge or Judges thereof shall apply to the new County Court of the county and the Judge or Judges thereof, unless otherwise provided by law. Until otherwise provided by law and except as aforestated, the judicial officers, surrogates and clerks of all courts now existing, other than those abolished in paragraph 3 hereof, and the employees of said officers, clerks, surrogates and courts shall continue in the exercise of their duties, as if this Constitution had not been adopted. 5. The Supreme Court shall make rules governing the administration and practice and procedure of the County Courts; and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall be the administrative head of these courts with power to assign any Judge thereof of any county to sit temporarily in the Superior Court or to sit temporarily without the county in a County Court. 6. The Advisory Masters appointed to hear matrimonial proceedings and in office on the adoption of this Constitution shall, each for the period of his term which remains unexpired at the time the Constitution is adopted, continue so to do as Advisory Masters to the Chancery Division of the Superior Court, unless otherwise provided by law. 7. All Special Masters in Chancery, Masters in Chancery, Supreme Court Commissioners and Supreme Court Examiners shall, until otherwise provided by rules of the Supreme Court, continue respectively as Special Masters, Masters, Commissioners and Examiners of the Superior Court, with appropriate similar functions and powers as if this Constitution had not been adopted. 8. When the Judicial Article of this Constitution takes effect: (a) All causes and proceedings of whatever character pending in the Court of Errors and Appeals shall be transferred to the new Supreme Court; (b) All causes and proceedings of whatever character pending on appeal or writ of error in the present Supreme Court and in the Prerogative Court and all pending causes involving the prerogative writs shall be transferred to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court; (c) All causes and proceedings of whatever character pending in the Supreme Court other than those stated shall be transferred to the Superior Court; (d) All causes and proceedings of whatever character pending in the Prerogative Court other than those stated shall be transferred to the Chancery Division of the Superior Court; (e) All causes and proceedings of whatever character pending in all other courts which are abolished shall be transferred to the Superior Court. For the purposes of this paragraph, paragraph 4 and paragraph 9, a cause shall be deemed to be pending notwithstanding that an adjudication has been entered therein, provided the time limited for review has not expired or the adjudication reserves to any party the right to apply for further relief. 9. The files of all causes pending in the Court of Errors and Appeals shall be delivered to the Clerk of the new Supreme Court; and the files of all causes pending in the present Supreme Court, the Court of Chancery and the Prerogative Court shall be delivered to the Clerk of the Superior Court. All other files, books, papers, records and documents and all property of the Court of Errors and Appeals, the present Supreme Court, the Prerogative Court, the Chancellor and the Court of Chancery, or in their custody, shall be disposed of as shall be provided by law. 10. Upon the taking effect of the Judicial Article of this Constitution, all the functions, powers and duties conferred by statute, rules or otherwise upon the Chancellor, the Ordinary, and the Justices and Judges of the courts abolished by this Constitution, to the extent that such functions, powers and duties are not inconsistent with this Constitution, shall be transferred to and may be exercised by Judges of the Superior Court until otherwise provided by law or rules of the new Supreme Court; excepting that such statutory powers not related to the Administration of justice as are then vested in any such judicial officers shall, after the Judicial Article of this Constitution takes effect and until otherwise provided by law, be transferred to and exercised by the Chief Justice of the new Supreme Court. 11. Upon the taking effect of the Judicial Article of this Constitution, the Clerk of the Supreme Court shall become the Clerk of the new Supreme Court and shall serve as such Clerk until the expiration of the term for which he was appointed as Clerk of the Supreme Court, and all employees of the Supreme Court as previously constituted, of the Clerk thereof and of the Chief Justice and the Justices thereof, of the Circuit Courts and the Judges thereof and of the Court of Errors and Appeals shall be transferred to appropriate similar positions with similar compensation and civil service status under the Clerk of the new Supreme Court or the new Supreme Court, or the Clerk of the Superior Court or the Superior Court, which shall be provided by law. 12. Upon the taking effect of the Judicial Article of this Constitution, the Clerk in Chancery shall become the Clerk of the Superior Court and shall serve as such Clerk until the expiration of the term for which he was appointed as Clerk in Chancery, and all employees of the Clerk in Chancery, the Court of Chancery, the Chancellor and the several Vice Chancellors shall be transferred to appropriate similar positions with similar compensation and civil service status under the Clerk of the Superior Court or the Superior Court, which shall be provided by law. 13. Appropriations made by law for judicial expenditures during the fiscal year one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine may be transferred to similar objects and purposes required by the Judicial Article. 14. The Judicial Article of this Constitution shall take effect on the fifteenth day of September, one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, except that the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall have the power to fill vacancies arising prior thereto in the new Supreme Court and the Superior Court; and except further that any provision of this Constitution which may require any act to be done prior thereto or in preparation therefor shall take effect immediately upon the adoption of this Constitution. SECTION V [ edit ] 1. For the purpose of electing senators in 1967 and until the 1970 decennial census of the United States for New Jersey shall have been received by the Governor, the forty senators are hereby allocated among fifteen Senate districts, as follows: First District - the counties of Gloucester, Atlantic and Cape May, two Senators; Second District - the counties of Salem and Cumberland, one senator; Third District - the county of Camden, three senators; Fourth District - the counties of Burlington and Ocean, two senators; Fifth District - the county of Monmouth, two senators; Sixth District - the county of Mercer, two senators; Seventh District - the county of Middlesex, three senators; Eighth District - the county of Somerset, one senator; Ninth District - the county of Union, three senators; Tenth District - the county of Morris, two senators; Eleventh District - the county of Essex, six senators; Twelfth District - the county of Hudson, four senators; Thirteenth District - the county of Bergen, five senators; Fourteenth District - the county of Passaic, three senators; and Fifteenth District - the counties of Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon, one senator. 2. For the purpose of electing members of the General Assembly and the senators from Assembly districts where so required in 1967 and until the 1970 census of the United States for New Jersey shall have been received by the Governor, the Assembly districts shall be established by an Apportionment Commission consisting of ten members, five to be appointed by the chairman of the State committee of each of the two political parties whose candidates for Governor receive the largest number of votes at the most recent gubernatorial election. Each State chairman, in making such appointments, shall give due consideration to the representation of the various geographical areas of the State. Such Apportionment Commission shall be appointed no earlier than November 10 nor later than November 15, 1966, and their appointments shall be certified by the Secretary of State on or before December 1, 1966. The Commission, by a majority of the whole number of its members, shall certify the establishment of Assembly districts to the Secretary of State on or before February 1, 1967. 3. If such Apportionment Commission fails so to certify the establishment of Assembly districts to the Secretary of State on or before the date fixed or if prior thereto it determines that it will be unable so to do, it shall so certify to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and he shall appoint an eleventh member of the Commission. Such Commission, by a majority of the whole number of its members, shall within one month after the appointment of such eleventh member certify to the Secretary of State the establishment of Assembly districts. 4. The Assembly districts so established shall be used thereafter for the election of members of the General Assembly and shall remain unaltered until the following decennial census of the United States for New Jersey shall have been received by the Governor. Article XI, Section V, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 added effective December 8, 1966. SECTION VI [ edit ] When this amendment to the Constitution providing for the abolition of the County Courts takes effect: (a) All the jurisdiction, functions, powers and duties of the County Court of each county, the judicial officers, clerks, employees thereof, and the causes pending therein, and their files, shall be transferred to the Superior Court. Until otherwise provided by law, the judicial officers, surrogates and clerks of the County Courts and the employees of said officers, clerks, surrogates and courts, shall continue in the exercise of their duties as if this amendment had not been adopted. For the purposes of this paragraph, a cause shall be deemed to be pending notwithstanding that an adjudication has been entered therein, provided the time limited for appeal has not expired or the adjudication reserves any party the right to apply for further relief. (b) All the functions, powers and duties conferred by the statute, rules or otherwise, upon the judges of the County Courts, shall be transferred to and may be exercised by judges of the Superior Court until otherwise provided by law or rules of the Supreme Court. (c) Until otherwise provided by law, all county clerks shall become clerks of the Law Division of the Superior Court and all surrogates shall become clerks of the Chancery Division (Probate Part) of the Superior Court for their respective counties and shall perform such duties and maintain such files and records on behalf of the Clerk of the Superior Court as may be required by law and rule of court; and all fees payable to the county clerks and surrogates prior to the effective date of this amendment shall continue to be so payable and be received for the use of their respective counties until otherwise provided by law. (d) The judges of the County Courts in office on the effective date of this amendment shall be judges of the Superior Court. All such judges who had acquired tenure on a County Court shall hold office as a judge of the Superior Court during good behavior, with all rights, and subject to all the provisions of the Constitution affecting a judge of the Superior Court, as though they were initially appointed to the Superior Court. All other judges of the County Courts shall hold office as judges of the Superior Court, each for the period of his term which remains unexpired on the effective date of this amendment; and if reappointed, he shall hold office during good behavior, with all the rights and subject to all the provisions of the Constitution affecting a judge of the Superior Court as though he were initially appointed to the Superior Court. Article XI, Section VI, added effective December 7, 1978. SECTION VII [ edit ] In the event of a vacancy in the office of Governor resulting from the death, resignation or removal of a Governor in office, or the death of a Governor-elect, or from any other cause, occurring prior to noon on January 19, 2010, the President of the Senate shall become Governor until a new Governor or Lieutenant Governor is elected and qualifies, and in the event of the Senate President's death, resignation or removal prior to becoming Governor, or if the Senate President declines to become Governor, then the Speaker of the General Assembly shall become Governor until a new Governor or Lieutenant Governor is elected and qualifies, and in the event of the Speaker's death, resignation or removal prior to becoming Governor, or if the Speaker declines to become Governor, then the functions, powers, duties and emoluments of the office shall devolve for the time being upon such officers and in such order of succession as may be provided by law until a new Governor or Lieutenant Governor is elected and qualifies. When the President or Speaker becomes Governor pursuant to this section, the President's or Speaker's seat in the Legislature and leadership position shall become vacant. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Governor occurring prior to noon on January 19, 2010, a Governor shall be elected to fill the unexpired term at the general election next succeeding the vacancy, unless the vacancy shall occur within sixty days immediately preceding a general election, in which case the Governor shall be elected at the second succeeding general election; but no election to fill an unexpired term shall be held in calendar year 2009. A Governor elected for an unexpired term shall assume office immediately upon election. Until noon on January 19, 2010, in the event of the failure of the Governor-elect to qualify, or of the absence from the State of a Governor in office, or the Governor's inability to discharge the duties of the office, or the Governor's impeachment, the functions, powers, duties and emoluments of the office shall devolve upon the President of the Senate, for the time being; and in the event of the Senate President's death, resignation, removal, absence, inability or impeachment, then upon the Speaker of the General Assembly, for the time being; and in the event of the Speaker's death, resignation, removal, absence, inability or impeachment, then upon such officers and in such order of succession as may be provided by law; until the Governor-elect qualifies, or the Governor in office returns to the State, or is no longer unable to discharge the duties of the office, or is acquitted, as the case may be, or until a new Governor or Lieutenant Governor is elected and qualifies. If the President of the Senate is to become Governor or acting Governor pursuant to this section but the Senate has elected more than one President, only one of whom is of the same political party as the Governor, the President who is of that same political party shall become Governor or acting Governor, as appropriate. If the Speaker of the General Assembly is to become Governor or acting Governor pursuant to this section but the General Assembly has elected more than one Speaker, only one of whom is of the same political party as the Governor, the Speaker who is of that same political party shall become Governor or acting Governor, as appropriate. Article XI, Section VII added effective January 17, 2006.