CJ Griffin Appointed to New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns
On August 23, Pashman Stein Walder Hayden attorney CJ Griffin was appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns for its 2017-2019 term by Chief Justice Stuart J. Rabner and the Court.
The Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns is tasked with overseeing the implementation of court-approved recommendations designed to “rid the court of all vestiges of bias and discrimination.” To assist the standing committee in its ongoing work in this area, the court created advisory committees in each of the state’s 15 vicinages to work in collaboration with the standing Supreme Court committee, vicinage leaders, and other vicinage advisory committees.
The Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns assures implementation of the court-approved recommendations, advises the court on;
- court goals and how the Judiciary can best assure fairness, impartiality and equal access
- objectives and implementation time tables
- provides guidance to vicinage advisory committees on minority concerns
- monitors execution of the statewide minority concerns program
- reviews and advises the court on major policies and procedures
- conducts studies recommended by the court and committee
- conducts other research as it deems appropriate
The committee publishes a biennial report in odd years.
The membership of the committee reflects a broad cross-section of the bench, bar and public. Members are appointed by the chief justice and serve a two-year term. The committee consists of superior and municipal court judges, attorneys, representatives from public and private sector agencies, organizations and companies, and citizens. The committee also includes in an ex officio capacity designees of the attorney general, the public defender, and the presidents of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association, Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, the Hispanic Bar Association, the Garden State Bar Association, in addition to the director of Legal Services of New Jersey, and a representative of the Vicinage Advisory Committees on Minority Concerns Conference of Chairs.