Stuart Rabner

Infobox_Politician


name = Stuart Jeff Rabner
|caption =
order = 56^th
office = New Jersey Attorney General
term_start = September 26, 2006
term_end = June 29, 2007
predecessor = Zulima Farber
successor = Anne Milgram
office2 = Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court
term_start2 = June 29, 2007
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = James R. Zazzali
successor2 =
birth_date = birth date|1960|6|30|mf=y
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
party =
spouse = Deborah Wiener
religion = Jewish [Jones, Richard G. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/01/nyregion/01trenton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "Rivalries Hobble Resolution of New Jersey Budget Standoff"] , "The New York Times", July 1, 2006. Accessed December 17, 2007. "Little progress is expected Saturday because three principal players in the negotiations — the state treasurer, Brad Abelow; the governor's chief counsel, Stuart Rabner; and Assemblyman Gary S. Schaer, a member of the budget committee — observe the Jewish Sabbath and will not resume taking part in talks until Saturday night."]

Stuart Jeff Rabner (June 30, 1960) is the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He has previously served as New Jersey Attorney General, Chief Counsel to Governor Jon Corzine, and as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey.

Personal facts

Rabner graduated "summa cum laude" from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and "cum laude" from Harvard Law School. Rabner grew up in Passaic. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/governor/cabinet/stuart_rabner.html Stuart Rabner: State Attorney General] , State of New Jersey. Accessed September 20, 2007. "Rabner grew up in Passaic and was graduated summa cum laude in 1982 from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University."] He currently resides in Caldwell. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060824.html Corzine Nominates Stuart Rabner to Serve as Attorney General] , press release dated August 24, 2006.] He was married in 1989 to Dr. Deborah Ann Wiener, [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3D91E31F930A35754C0A96F948260 Dr. Wiener Wed To Stuart Rabner] , "The New York Times", July 3, 1989.] and has three children (Erica, Carly, and Jack). In June 2007, he was named the #1 most influential political personality in the state of New Jersey. [ [http://politicsnj.com/politicsnj-com-power-list-2007-9715 PoliticsNJ.com Power List 2007] , dated June 20, 2007.]

Appointment as Chief Justice

On June 4, 2007, Governor Corzine nominated Rabner to be the next Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, replacing James R. Zazzali, who was nearing the mandatory retirement age. [ [http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/FRONT01/70531007/-1/UPDATES "Source: Corzine picks Rabner as chief justice, Milgram as AG"] , "Courier News", May 31, 2007. Accessed May 31, 2007.]

Shortly after the nomination, two members of the New Jersey Senate from Essex County, where Rabner resides, blocked consideration of his confirmation by invoking "senatorial courtesy", a Senate tradition that allows home county legislators to intercede to prevent consideration of a nominee from the counties they represent. State Senator Ronald Rice had initially blocked the nomination, but relented on June 15, 2007, after a meeting with the governor. [Associated Press. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/15/nyregion/15jersey.html?fta=y "Opposition Ebbs on Corzine Judge"] , "The New York Times", June 15, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Ronald L. Rice, an Essex County Democrat and state senator, said yesterday that he would no longer block Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s nomination for chief justice of the State Supreme Court."] Senator Nia Gill dropped her block on June 19, 2007, but did not initially explain the nature of concerns. (Anonymous lawmakers cited in "The New York Times" indicated that the objection was due to Rabner's race and Governor Jon Corzine's failure to consider a minority candidate for the post.) [Jones, Richard G. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/nyregion/20justice.html?ref=nyregion "Senator Drops Objections to Corzine Court Nominee"] , "The New York Times", June 20, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Senator Gill had delayed Mr. Rabner’s confirmation hearing by using “senatorial courtesy” — an obscure practice through which senators who represent the home county of nominees may block consideration of their confirmations."]

With the Senators permitting consideration of his nomination, Rabner was quickly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Gill casting the only negative vote. On June 21, 2007, the New Jersey Senate confirmed Rabner as Chief Justice by a vote of 36-1, with Gill again casting the lone dissenting vote. [Jones, Richard G. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/nyregion/22confirm.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "After One Objection, Senate Confirms Corzine’s Choice for Chief Justice"] , "The New York Times", June 22, 2007. Accessed June 22, 2007. "The Senate voted 36 to 1 to confirm Stuart Rabner, who has been attorney general since September 2006 and was Mr. Corzine’s chief counsel before that. It also confirmed Anne Milgram, Mr. Rabner’s first assistant, to succeed Mr. Rabner as attorney general.... A short time later, she was the only one of 40 senators to vote against Mr. Rabner."]

Rabner was sworn in as Chief Justice on June 29, 2007, with Acting Chief Justice Virginia Long administering the oath of office. [ [http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/supreme/rabner.htm chief Justice Stuart Rabner] , New Jersey Supreme Court. Accessed August 11, 2007.]

Attorney General

Rabner served as Attorney General of New Jersey in the cabinet of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. He took office as attorney general on September 26, 2006. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20070402003850/http://www.nj.gov/oag/oag/ag_bio.htm New Jersey Attorney General biography] , version from Internet Archive copied as of April 2, 2007. Accessed December 17, 2007.] Rabner was nominated by Governor Corzine on August 24, 2006, to replace former Attorney General Zulima Farber who resigned and left office on August 31, 2006. [ [http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060824/NEWS01/60824030/1004/LIVING Corzine names Rabner attorney general] "The Courier-Post, August 24, 2006.] On September 25, 2006, Rabner was confirmed by a 35-0 margin by the New Jersey Senate. [ [http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/NEWS01/609260365/1006 Rabner confirmed as attorney general] , "The Courier-Post, September 26, 2006.] .

Other positions

He assumed the post of Chief Counsel to Governor Corzine in January 2006. [http://www.state.nj.us/govelect/news/approved/051214.html CORZINE NAMES RABNER CHIEF COUNSEL] , press release dated December 14, 2005.] Previously, Rabner had served as Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, focusing on public corruption issues, and supervising 100 attorneys and staff. He was viewed as a surprise choice for the chief counsel position, as it traditionally goes to individuals with strong political connections and not to career prosecutors. [ [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2ODM5OTg3JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg= Straight-laced, quick-witted and caring] , "The Record (Bergen County)", December 17, 2005.] Rabner began his legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Dickinson Richards Debevoise of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

References

External links

* [http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/supreme/rabner.htm Chief Justice Stuart Rabner] , New Jersey Supreme Court
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070402003850/http://www.nj.gov/oag/oag/ag_bio.htm New Jersey Attorney General biography] , version from Internet Archive copied as of April 2, 2007
* [http://www.nj.gov/oag/oag/ag_2006-2007_rabner_bio.htm Stuart Rabner] , New Jersey Attorney General