# United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in 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).
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established New Jersey as a single District on September 24, 1789. On February 13, 1801 the Judiciary Act of 1801 reorganized the federal court system, resulting in the state being divided into Eastern and Western districts. The Judiciary Act of 1801 was repealed on March 8, 1802 and New Jersey was re-established as a single district court.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of January 9, 2025 the acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey is Vikas Khanna.

## Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey holds court at Mitchell H. Cohen Building & U.S. Courthouse in Camden, at Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse and Frank R. Lautenberg Post Office and Courthouse in Newark, and Clarkson S. Fisher Building & U.S. Courthouse in Trenton.
* Camden Vicinage comprises Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
* Newark Vicinage comprises Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Union counties, and the northern part of Middlesex County.
* Trenton Vicinage comprises Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Warren counties, and the southern part of Middlesex County.

## Current judges

As of May 31, 2024:
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Term of service | Term of service | Appointed by |
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Active | Chief | Senior | Appointed by |
| 77 | Chief Judge | Renée Marie Bumb | Camden | 1960 | 2006–present | 2023–present | — | G.W. Bush |
| 80 | District Judge | Susan D. 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 |
| 84 | District Judge | Michael A. Shipp | Trenton | 1965 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
| 85 | District Judge | Madeline Cox Arleo | Newark | 1963 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
| 87 | District Judge | Brian R. Martinotti | Trenton | 1961 | 2016–present | — | — | Obama |
| 88 | District Judge | Julien Neals | Newark | 1965 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
| 89 | District Judge | Zahid Quraishi | Trenton | 1975 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
| 90 | District Judge | Christine O'Hearn | Camden | 1969 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
| 91 | District Judge | Karen M. Williams | Camden | 1963 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
| 92 | District Judge | Georgette Castner | Trenton | 1979 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 93 | District Judge | Evelyn Padin | Newark | 1960 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 94 | District Judge | Michael E. Farbiarz | Newark | 1973 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 95 | District Judge | Robert Kirsch | Trenton | 1966 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 96 | District Judge | Jamel K. Semper | Newark | 1981 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 97 | District Judge | Edward S. Kiel | Camden | 1965 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 51 | Senior Judge | Anne Elise Thompson | inactive | 1934 | 1979–2001 | 1994–2001 | 2001–present | Carter |
| 54 | Senior Judge | Joseph H. Rodriguez | Camden | 1930 | 1985–1998 | — | 1998–present | Reagan |
| 62 | Senior Judge | Mary Little Cooper | inactive | 1946 | 1992–2011 | — | 2011–present | G.H.W. Bush |
| 68 | Senior Judge | Katharine Sweeney Hayden | Newark | 1942 | 1997–2010 | — | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 72 | Senior Judge | Bill Martini | Newark | 1947 | 2002–2015 | — | 2015–present | G.W. Bush |
| 74 | Senior Judge | Stanley R. Chesler | Newark | 1947 | 2002–2015 | — | 2015–present | G.W. Bush |
| 79 | Senior Judge | Peter G. Sheridan | inactive | 1950 | 2006–2018 | — | 2018–present | G.W. Bush |
| 83 | Senior Judge | Kevin McNulty | inactive | 1954 | 2012–2023 | — | 2023–present | Obama |

## Former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| 1 | David Brearley | NJ | 1745–1790 | 1789–1790 | — | — | Washington | death |
| 2 | Robert Morris | NJ | 1745–1815 | 1790–1801 1802–1815 | — | — | Washington Operation of law | reassignment to E.D.N.J. / W.D.N.J. death |
| 3 | William Sanford Pennington | NJ | 1757–1826 | 1815–1826 | — | — | Madison | death |
| 4 | William Rossell | NJ | 1760–1840 | 1826–1840 | — | — | J.Q. Adams | death |
| 5 | Mahlon Dickerson | NJ | 1770–1853 | 1840–1841 | — | — | Van Buren | resignation |
| 6 | Philemon Dickerson | NJ | 1788–1862 | 1841–1862 | — | — | Van Buren | death |
| 7 | Richard Stockton Field | NJ | 1803–1870 | 1863–1870 | — | — | Lincoln | resignation |
| 8 | John T. Nixon | NJ | 1820–1889 | 1870–1889 | — | — | Grant | death |
| 9 | Edward T. Green | NJ | 1837–1896 | 1889–1896 | — | — | B. Harrison | death |
| 10 | Andrew Kirkpatrick | NJ | 1844–1904 | 1896–1904 | — | — | Cleveland | death |
| 11 | William M. Lanning | NJ | 1849–1912 | 1904–1909 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 12 | Joseph Cross | NJ | 1843–1913 | 1905–1913 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | death |
| 13 | John Rellstab | NJ | 1858–1930 | 1909–1928 | — | 1928–1930 | Taft | death |
| 14 | Thomas Griffith Haight | NJ | 1879–1942 | 1914–1919 | — | — | Wilson | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 15 | John Warren Davis | NJ | 1867–1945 | 1916–1920 | — | — | Wilson | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 16 | Charles Francis Lynch | NJ | 1884–1942 | 1919–1925 | — | — | Wilson | resignation |
| 17 | Joseph Lamb Bodine | NJ | 1883–1950 | 1920–1929 | — | — | Wilson | resignation |
| 18 | William Nelson Runyon | NJ | 1871–1931 | 1923–1931 | — | — | Harding | death |
| 19 | William Clark | NJ | 1891–1957 | 1925–1938 | — | — | Coolidge | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 20 | James William McCarthy | NJ | 1872–1939 | 1928–1929 | — | — | Coolidge | resignation |
| 21 | Guy Leverne Fake | NJ | 1879–1957 | 1929–1951 | 1948–1951 | 1951–1957 | Coolidge | death |
| 22 | John Boyd Avis | NJ | 1875–1944 | 1929–1944 | — | — | Hoover | death |
| 23 | Phillip Forman | NJ | 1895–1978 | 1932–1959 | 1951–1959 | — | Hoover | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 24 | Thomas Glynn Walker | NJ | 1899–1993 | 1939–1941 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | resignation |
| 25 | William Francis Smith | NJ | 1903–1968 | 1941–1961 | 1959–1961 | — | F. Roosevelt | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 26 | Thomas Francis Meaney | NJ | 1888–1968 | 1942–1966 | — | 1966–1968 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 27 | Thomas M. Madden | NJ | 1907–1976 | 1945–1968 | 1961–1968 | 1968–1976 | Truman | death |
| 28 | Alfred Egidio Modarelli | NJ | 1898–1957 | 1951–1957 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 29 | Richard Hartshorne | NJ | 1888–1975 | 1951–1961 | — | 1961–1975 | Truman | death |
| 30 | Reynier Jacob Wortendyke Jr. | NJ | 1895–1975 | 1955–1970 | — | 1970–1975 | Eisenhower | death |
| 31 | Mendon Morrill | NJ | 1902–1961 | 1958–1961 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
| 32 | Arthur Stephen Lane | NJ | 1910–1997 | 1960–1967 | — | — | Eisenhower | resignation |
| 33 | Anthony Thomas Augelli | NJ | 1902–1985 | 1961–1972 | 1968–1972 | 1972–1974 | Kennedy | resignation |
| 34 | James Aloysius Coolahan | NJ | 1903–1986 | 1962–1974 | 1972–1973 | 1974–1986 | Kennedy | death |
| 35 | Robert Shaw | NJ | 1907–1972 | 1962–1972 | — | — | Kennedy | death |
| 36 | Mitchell Harry Cohen | NJ | 1904–1991 | 1962–1974 | 1973–1974 | 1974–1991 | Kennedy | death |
| 37 | Lawrence Aloysius Whipple | NJ | 1910–1983 | 1967–1978 | 1974–1978 | 1978–1983 | L. Johnson | death |
| 38 | George Herbert Barlow | NJ | 1921–1979 | 1969–1979 | 1978–1979 | — | Nixon | death |
| 39 | Leonard I. Garth | NJ | 1921–2016 | 1969–1973 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 40 | Clarkson Sherman Fisher | NJ | 1921–1997 | 1970–1987 | 1979–1987 | 1987–1997 | Nixon | death |
| 41 | John Joseph Kitchen | NJ | 1911–1973 | 1970–1973 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 42 | Frederick Bernard Lacey | NJ | 1920–2017 | 1971–1986 | — | — | Nixon | retirement |
| 43 | Vincent P. Biunno | NJ | 1916–1991 | 1973–1982 | — | 1982–1991 | Nixon | death |
| 44 | Herbert Jay Stern | NJ | 1936–present | 1973–1987 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
| 45 | Henry Curtis Meanor | NJ | 1929–2008 | 1974–1983 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
| 46 | John F. Gerry | NJ | 1925–1995 | 1974–1994 | 1987–1994 | 1994–1995 | Ford | death |
| 47 | Stanley Brotman | NJ | 1924–2014 | 1975–1990 | — | 1990–2014 | Ford | death |
| 48 | Harold Arnold Ackerman | NJ | 1928–2009 | 1979–1994 | — | 1994–2009 | Carter | death |
| 49 | Dickinson Richards Debevoise | NJ | 1924–2015 | 1979–1994 | — | 1994–2015 | Carter | death |
| 50 | H. Lee Sarokin | NJ | 1928–2023 | 1979–1994 | — | — | Carter | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 52 | John Winslow Bissell | NJ | 1940–present | 1982–2005 | 2001–2005 | — | Reagan | retirement |
| 53 | Maryanne Trump Barry | NJ | 1937–2023 | 1983–1999 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 55 | Robert Cowen | NJ | 1930–present | 1985–1987 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 56 | Garrett Brown Jr. | NJ | 1943–present | 1985–2012 | 2005–2012 | 2012 | Reagan | retirement |
| 57 | Alfred James Lechner Jr. | NJ | 1948–present | 1986–2001 | — | — | Reagan | resignation |
| 58 | Nicholas H. Politan | NJ | 1935–2012 | 1987–2002 | — | — | Reagan | retirement |
| 59 | Alfred M. Wolin | NJ | 1932–present | 1987–2000 | — | 2000–2004 | Reagan | retirement |
| 60 | John C. Lifland | NJ | 1933–present | 1988–2001 | — | 2001–2007 | Reagan | retirement |
| 61 | William G. Bassler | NJ | 1938–present | 1991–2005 | — | 2005–2006 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
| 63 | Joseph Eron Irenas | NJ | 1940–2015 | 1992–2002 | — | 2002–2015 | G.H.W. Bush | death |
| 64 | Jerome B. Simandle | NJ | 1949–2019 | 1992–2017 | 2012–2017 | 2017–2019 | G.H.W. Bush | death |
| 65 | William H. Walls | NJ | 1932–2019 | 1994–2005 | — | 2005–2019 | Clinton | death |
| 66 | Stephen Orlofsky | NJ | 1944–present | 1995–2003 | — | — | Clinton | resignation |
| 67 | Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. | NJ | 1957–present | 1996–2010 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 69 | Faith S. Hochberg | NJ | 1950–present | 1999–2015 | — | — | Clinton | retirement |
| 70 | Joel A. Pisano | NJ | 1949–2021 | 2000–2015 | — | — | Clinton | retirement |
| 71 | Dennis M. Cavanaugh | NJ | 1947–present | 2000–2014 | — | — | Clinton | retirement |
| 73 | Jose L. Linares | NJ | 1953–present | 2002–2019 | 2017–2019 | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
| 75 | Robert B. Kugler | NJ | 1950–present | 2002–2018 | — | 2018–2024 | G.W. Bush | retirement |
| 76 | Freda L. Wolfson | NJ | 1954–present | 2002–2023 | 2019–2023 | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
| 78 | Noel Lawrence Hillman | NJ | 1956–present | 2006–2022 | — | 2022–2024 | G.W. Bush | retirement |
| 86 | John Michael Vazquez | NJ | 1970–present | 2016–2023 | — | — | Obama | resignation |
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 17, 1790, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 1790, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Reassigned from the E.D.N.J. / W.D.N.J.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1816, confirmed by the Senate on January 9, 1816, and received commission on January 16, 1816
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 13, 1826, confirmed by the Senate on December 19, 1826, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1889, confirmed by the Senate on January 27, 1890, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1896, confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 1896, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1904, confirmed by the Senate on December 13, 1904, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1925, confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1925, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1928, confirmed by the Senate on January 8, 1929, and received commission the same day
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 16, 1940, confirmed by the Senate on March 5, 1940, and received commission on March 13, 1940

## Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

## 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 | 1816–1826 |
| Rossell | 1826–1840 |
| M. Dickerson | 1840–1841 |
| P. Dickerson | 1841–1862 |
| Field | 1863–1870 |
| Nixon | 1870–1889 |
| Green | 1890–1896 |
| 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 | 2006–2022 |
| Farbiarz | 2023–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 | 2002–2023 |
| Kirsch | 2023–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 | 2002–2015 |
| Neals | 2021–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 | 2000–2015 |
| Vazquez | 2016–2023 |
| Semper | 2023–present |
Seat 10 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 (temporary) ||||
| Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 8 on April 1, 1972 ||||
| Lacey | 1971–1986 |
| Lechner, Jr. | 1986–2001 |
| Linares | 2002–2019 |
| Castner | 2022–present |
Seat 11 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Debevoise | 1979–1994 |
| Orlofsky | 1995–2003 |
| Sheridan | 2006–2018 |
| Quraishi | 2021–present |
Seat 12 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Thompson | 1979–2001 |
| Chesler | 2002–2015 |
| Martinotti | 2016–present |
Seat 13 :
| Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Rodriguez | 1985–1998 |
| Hochberg | 1999–2015 |
| Padin | 2022–present |
Seat 14 :
| Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Cowen | 1985–1987 |
| Wolin | 1987–2000 |
| Cavanaugh | 2000–2014 |
| Arleo | 2014–present |
Seat 15 :
| Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Brown, Jr. | 1985–2012 |
| McNulty | 2012–2023 |
| Kiel | 2024–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 | 2002–2018 |
| O'Hearn | 2021–present |
Seat 18 :
| Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 ||||
| Simandle | 1992–2017 |
| Williams | 2021–present |