Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D., Acting Administrative Director of the New Jersey Courts testifies before the NJ Senate Budget Committee. Photo: Carmen Natale/ALM Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D., acting administrative director of the New Jersey courts. Photo: Carmen Natale/ALM[/cap

Testifying before the state Assembly Budget Committee, Judge Glenn A. Grant, administrative director of the New Jersey courts, on Monday highlighted the fact that the state's judicial vacancy crisis has necessitated the unprecedented step of shutting down civil and matrimonial trials in two vicinages.

"The main message is the same as it has been for several years now," Grant said. "For the past three years, the court system has operated with an average of more than 50 vacancies. A year ago, we warned of the need to reduce that number to a manageable level of between 25 and 30."

Grant pointed to the unprecedented step taken by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner to shut down all civil and matrimonial trials in Vicinage 13, which includes Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties, and Vicinage 15, which includes Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.