Jeff Jacobson Discusses New Jersey Supreme Court’s Efforts to Remain Nonpartisan With Bloomberg Law

Business litigation partner Jeff Jacobson spoke to Bloomberg Law about the New Jersey Supreme Court’s reputation as nonpartisan and collegial, which many say is a welcome relief in a time where many high-profile cases are heard by politically charged state supreme courts.

The publication noted that New Jersey has many “unwritten rules” for the governor and state legislature when nominating and confirming Supreme Court justices, including one that gives the governor authority to fill vacancies but provides that neither party can hold more than four seats on the court. This push for consensus means the court is more likely to take a congenial approach for setting policy and when hearing cases, rather than taking “big swings” on issues. Jacobson said while the court has shifted politically over time, justices have continued to work to find common ground.

“That being said, the court has taken a very practical approach to these cases, has given business defendants a respectable hearing, and reached decisions that the business community so far has reason, if not to applaud, not consider to be awful,” Jacobson noted.