Petition for Elections & Reform (Online)
Petitioner hereby certifies he or she is a NJ state resident, eligible to vote, who supports non-partisan elections for superior court judges, county prosecutors and attorney general based upon merit and character, free of excessive campaigning and non-essential fund raising and special interest attack ads, and with no negative impact on state or county treasuries and as contained in the accompanying “Model for Elections” and this Petition:
1) Supreme Court Chief Justice: The Chief Justice is responsible under the NJ Constitution for administration of the Courts . Elections are necessary to insure that enforcement of the Rules and reforms relating to transparency, accountability, impartiality and fairness in administration take place to insure the public confidence.
2) All other Superior Court Judges:
- Elections as needed to fill vacancies and to contest re-nominations of existing judges serving 7 years.
- Elections for 10% of judges up to 4 total including all divisions and levels excepting tax court, rounded to the next highest whole number, with the lowest overall performance ratings as reviewed by attorneys, i.e. in the Court’s’ Judicial Performance Program” which results shall be made public, or the NJ Law Journal.
- Elections for judges for certain misconduct found upon preliminary investigation by a newly configured part of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct due to: willful failure to perform judicial duties including refusing to enforce or apply laws, especially when brought to its attention thru motions for reconsideration, ignoring bad faith and corruption of public entities, exhibiting obvious bias causing needless appeals; incompetence; intemperate conduct; engaging in partisan politics. (Rule 2:15-8)
3) Attorney General: The Attorney General is chief law enforcement officer and also oversees the county prosecutors and is currently appointed by the Governor. Elections are necessary to insure that law enforcement is free from political considerations and interference in the enforcement of laws, especially as relates to political corruption.
4) County Prosecutors: The County Prosecutors are the chief law enforcement officers in each county, and are currently appointed by the Governor. Elections are necessary to insure that law enforcement is free from political considerations and interference in the enforcement of laws, especially as relates to local political corruption.
Terms:
5) Supreme Court and Appellate Div. Judges and Attorney General: Four year term coinciding with gubernatorial elections following an initial term of at least 1 year. Candidates for appeal and supreme court judgeships must have first served at least one full term as trial judge
6) County Trial Judges and Prosecutors: 3 year terms coinciding with freeholder elections following an initial term of at least 1 year.
Petitioner, by signing and registering below, hereby appoints FairtrialNJ.org as my proxy and representative in presenting my petition and advocating same on my behalf.