Justice Anne Patterson. Photo by Carmen Natale "I am pleased to uphold the practice of reappointing good, fair-minded and qualified justices, regardless of their party affiliation, to our New Jersey Supreme Court. This is a critical tenet of an independent judiciary that I fully intend to fulfill." Murphy said in a statement. "Justice Patterson meets all of the prerequisites, and I am certain she will continue to serve the court and the residents of New Jersey with honor and integrity.” “For the past seven years, Justice Patterson has been an exemplary jurist and legal schola Former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, nominated Patterson to the bench in 2011. She was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in September 2011. She also served on the court's Committee on Character.