New Jersey

Located in the Mid-Atlantic, New Jersey sits in the Third Federal US Circuit Court System. The Peninsula-state is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, New York, the Delaware River, the state of Delaware, and Pennsylvania. By area it’s the 4th smallest US state (at just over 8700 sq miles), however it is the 11th most populous with over 9 million residents. It is also the third wealthiest state in the US by household median-income (2016). The Garden State, was one of the 13-Original Colonies, and became the 3rd state admitted to the Union on December 18, 1787.

New Jersey’s political issues in recent years have typically stemmed from conflicts between state government and public-sector unions. Issues like gambling and marijuana legalization, same-sex marriage rights, and gun control laws, are just a few areas where key state government has been at odds with unions.

The New Jersey government was established by the state’s most recent constitution in 1947.  The New Jersey government is split into three branches, the executive, legislative and judicial branch.  The executive branch is led by the governor of the state, based in Trenton, New Jersey.  The legislative branch is also based in Trenton, and is made up of a 40 member Senate and an 80 member General Assembly.  New Jersey is divided into 40 districts, and each district elects one senator and two assembly members. The main job of the legislature is to enact laws, and it can also propose amendments to the state constitution. 

The judicial branch in New Jersey decides how state laws are applied in situations.  The branch consists of the New Jersey State Supreme Court, which decides constitutional matters and consists of a chief justice and six associate justices.  Additionally, the state has a Superior court that is broken into the Appellate, Law and Chancery divisions, and this is where most trials take place.  Each court division hears cases in their area:  The appellate division hears appeals, the Law division hears criminal and civil cases, and Chancery consists of General Equity Division and the Family Division.  The governor of the state appoints judges with senate approval, and the judges initially serve seven-year terms but after being re-appointed, the term limit is gone and justices can serve until they are 70.

Several well-known universities including Princeton, Rutgers, and Seton Hall University, are located in New Jersey. In addition to an exceptional educational system, popular area-attractions include Liberty State Park, Six Flags Theme Park, the Jersey Shore, The Steel Pier, Lucy the Elephant, and Casino Pier, among other destinations. New Jersey is also well-known for legalized gambling, with Jersey City being a premier destination for its locals and visitors alike.

The National Law Review covers a range of stories and news from the state of New Jersey and the 3rd Circuit. Among stories covered are in employment law, telemedicine and pharmaceuticals, state legislation, federal agency news, telecommunications, environmental law issues, and litigation throughout the state, for various cases. Visitors to the National Law Review will constantly find the latest coverage, and details from the state, which are relevant to locals and the US in general.