Former Ventnor solicitor Tim Maguire was sworn in Feb. 18 as Chief Judge of the new Atlantic County consolidated municipal court in Mays Landing.
MAYS LANDING – The new Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County hosted an oath administration event Feb. 18 for the four judges who will preside in the consolidated court, the first of its kind in the State of New Jersey.
Chief Judge Timothy Maguire was sworn in by NJ Superior Court Assignment Judge Julio L. Mendez. Judges Richard Fauntleroy and Howard Freed were sworn in by Presiding Judge of Municipal Courts Louis Belasco and incoming Assignment Judge Michael Blee. Judge Blee will replace Mendez upon his retirement effective March 1. The fourth judge, Michele Verno, was out of town.
The ceremony was held in Courtroom 1 in the historic courthouse at 5905 Main Street in Mays Landing. Most cases are being conducted virtually as mandated by the Administrative Office of the Courts since June of 2021.
After taking their ceremonial oaths, each judge was presented with a certificate from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson in honor of the occasion.
“We’re proud to be a model for the rest of the state,” Levinson said. “Consolidation is never easy or unanimously accepted, but we believe it can work and work well and bring the benefit of efficiency and cost savings to our taxpayers.”
To learn more about the Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County, visit www.aclink.org/centralcourt.
