John Jay Hoffman took the oath of office Wednesday, Oct. 2, when he was sworn in as an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. After stagnating all summer, Hoffman's nomination moved quickly through the confirmation process, beginning with a short and unanimous Senate Judiciary Committee hearing vote on Sept. 26. Just days later, on Sept. 30, he was again confirmed unanimously in a Senate floor vote. The New Jersey Supreme Court is fully staffed now that Hoffman is seated on the bench. The newest associate justice is the lone independent on the state high court, where he joins four Democrats and two Republicans. Rabner, Associate Justices Fabiana Pierre-Louis, Rachel Wainer Apter, and Michael Noriega are Democrats. Associate Justices Anne M. Patterson and Douglas M. Fasciale are Republicans. Hoffman took the seat of Associate Justice Lee A. Solomon, a Republican, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Aug. 17.