Posted on May 21, 2017 at 10:35 AM
BY S.P. SULLIVAN
ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com,
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
TRENTON — A pair of Republican state lawmakers is looking to do away with tenure for state Supreme Court justices, proposing a constitutional amendment that would have voters give them a thumbs-up or thumbs-down every four years.
State Sens. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) and Michael Doherty (R-Warren) say the move would make the justices accountable to New Jersey voters, but some worry the move would further inject politics into the state’s highest court.
Currently, New Jersey’s seven justices are appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate with an initial term of seven years. Then, if the governor reappoints and the Senate again approves, a justice gets tenure until hitting a mandatory retirement age of 70.
