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Friend, Yesterday, the New Jersey State Senate confirmed Michael Noriega to fill a vacancy on the New Jersey Supreme Court by a unanimous, bipartisan vote. Michael’s confirmation represents several steps forward for our Court. He’s the son of Peruvian immigrants and will be the only Latino member on the Court. He’ll also be the first former public defender in the Court’s history. This comes not long after Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson made similar history as the first former public defender to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Public defenders bring a unique perspective to the Courts on which they serve. They see firsthand how the law impacts the people they represent. They don’t get a say in who their clients are, and they most often represent folks from the most marginalized communities. As a member of the Court, Michael will be able to pull on his over 20 years of experience as a criminal defense and immigration lawyer and a public defender to understand what it’s like standing on the other side of the courtroom.
I’m proud that our Supreme Court will have someone who didn’t just learn how our judicial system works in a textbook, but had the real-world experience of fighting for their clients and giving them the representation they are entitled to under the law. I look forward to seeing what Michael does from the bench. Thanks, Phil |
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