New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, moving quickly to restock the Judicial Advisory Panel that quit in a mass protest two weeks ago, named seven high-profile lawyers Wednesday and chose retired state Supreme Court Justice Peter Verniero as chairman.
The original panelists, appointed in 2006 by Gov. Jon Corzine to serve as confidential gatekeepers on nominations to the state’s trial courts, resigned on June 2 to protest Christie’s decision to pass over Justice John Wallace Jr. — on ideological grounds — for renomination to a full tenured term on the high court.
