New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice Jaynee LaVecchia retiring at the end of August

(The Center Square) – New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice Jaynee LaVecchia is retiring on Aug. 31 at the end of the current court term after serving on the state’s highest court for more than two decades.

LaVecchia, 66, informed Gov. Phil Murphy of her retirement in a Monday letter. Murphy, a Democrat, will appoint a successor for LaVecchia, an independent.

“It has been a privilege to hold the position of an Associate Justice for these more than 21 years,” LaVecchia said in a statement. “I revere the Court’s importance in our constitutional structure, and I have striven to uphold the Court’s independence and esteem during my service.”

After “spending almost my entire professional career – more than 40 years – in public service in various legal and policy positions within the Executive Branch and then the Supreme Court, I have decided after much reflection that it is time for a change,” LaVecchia added. “After a little rest and relaxation, I plan to assess what new professional opportunities may lie ahead, including service to the community.”

Former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican, nominated LaVecchia to the bench, and she was sworn into office in February 2000.

“Justice LaVecchia has served on the New Jersey Supreme Court with independence and integrity, becoming the longest-serving female Justice in state history,” Murphy said in a statement. “Justice LaVecchia approached the job with fidelity to the law and our Constitution, authoring a number of notable opinions on issues as varied as school funding and the right to privacy.”

LaVecchia’s public service career includes stints as director of the Division of Law at the Department of Law and Public Safety, commissioner of the Department of Banking and Insurance and director and chief administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Law. She also served as deputy chief counsel to former Gov. Tom Kean.

“I wish Justice LaVecchia all the best in her next life chapters and thank her for nearly four decades of service to the people of New Jersey,” Murphy said. “Her legacy will influence our legal system for generations to come.”

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