The Gentleman Justice

It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Justice Daniel J. O’Hern, who passed away on Wednesday. Justice O’Hern, a member of our editorial board, left an enduring and indelible imprint on the practice of law in the state of New Jersey through his time spent as a justice on our Supreme Court. His legacy to the citizens of this state is that of a thoughtful and brilliant judge who is responsible for many opinions and decisions which shaped the laws that have guided and governed us for many years.

During his 19 years on the bench, Justice O’Hern had the reputation of being someone who cared deeply about the people and institutions affected by the Court’s decisions. Among his colleagues on the Court, he was known as a consensus builder who often recognized the differing views of other justices in his majority opinions as an acknowledgment of the strengths of those positions. In the 231 majority opinions he authored during his tenure on the Court, Justice O’Hern wrote clearly and concisely on topics ranging from the adoption of the “continuous-trigger theory” of liability in insurance coverage cases ( Owens-Illinois, Inc. v. United Insurance Co ., 138 N.J. 437 (1994)), to the state’s continuing obligation to provide assistance for the homeless ( L.T. v. New Jersey Department of Human Services , 134 N.J. 304 (1993), and Williams v. New Jersey Department of Human Services , 116 N.J. 102 (1989)).