The concerns, suggestions and ideas that your division, section, or committee may have regarding the operation and management of the court system are important to the development of the Association's judicial administration program. You can make your views known by contacting the NJSBA's Judicial Administration Counsel, who will communicate your position to the Judicial Administration Committee. The committee is actively involved in developing proposed reforms to the judicial system. The Committee has expanded its judicial education efforts by participating annually at the New Jersey Judicial College.
The State Bar Association also reviews court directives, Supreme Court committee reports and proposed court rules for general comment and input. When an issue arises that pertains to a particular section or committee, you will be sent the corresponding material for review and comment. In order to meet court deadlines for submission of comments, it is essential that your section or committee comment promptly, so that the Board of Trustees can review your recommendations and respond to the court as quickly as possible.
In addition to the Judicial Administration Committee, three other groups regularly handle court-related issues. These are the Municipal Court Practice Section, which is engaged in the enhancement of professionalism of the Municipal Court through identification of and recommendations for resolution of issues arising from the operations of, and practice in Municipal Courts; the Special Civil Part Committee, which identifies problems in the Special Civil Part and recommends a remedial course of action, including rule changes, alternative or complementary dispute resolution, and greater uniformity; and the Equity Jurisprudence Committee, which provides programs designed to improve the skills of association members when practicing before the General Equity Courts and facilitates interaction between the general equity judiciary and the association.
The NJSBA Arthur T. Vanderbilt Award For Excellence in
Judicial Administration
The Arthur T. Vanderbilt Award for Excellence in Judicial Administration recognizes outstanding efforts by individuals in the legal community who assist in fulfilling the mission statements of the NJSBA and the Judicial Administration Committee.
In 2007, the NJSBA Board of Trustees adopted the award named in honor of New Jersey’s first Chief Justice, Arthur T. Vanderbilt, who was President–elect of the NJSBA prior to his becoming ABA President. Chief Justice Vanderbilt was a pioneer in the area of judicial administration and he sparked the NJSBA’s involvement in issues during the 1930s serving as our representative on New Jersey’s inaugural Judicial Council during that time.
The 2008 Arthur T. Vanderbilt Award was presented posthumously to the family of former NJSBA President and Assignment Judge Martin L. Haines in December 2008 at the annual Board of Trustees holiday gathering.
Services
The Judicial Administration Department provides a number of additional services to the YLD, sections and committees, including the following:
assisting in the development of programs and initiatives designed to make the State Bar an effective participant in the judicial administration process;
acting as liaison with the judiciary on matters affecting lawyers, such as pending court rules, proposed Administrative Office of the Court (AOC) programs, directives and other actions;
receiving complaints regarding the court system, any of its components or employees;
serving as a source of information regarding activities of the Supreme Court and the AOC;
providing you with a contact point so that your views can be communicated to the Board of Trustees; and
acting as a liaison with county and specialty bar associations.
