Gov. Phil Murphy’s long-stalled nominee for the state Supreme Court may have a way to bypass the senator who is holding up her confirmation — by moving. According to Politico, Rachel Wainer Apter would consider moving from her home in Englewood, Bergen County to advance her nomination, which has been held up by Bergen County Republican Sen. Holly Schepisi for more than a year now through an unwritten rule known as senatorial courtesy.
Senatorial courtesy allows senators from a nominee’s legislative district or home county to block the process. Wainer Apter made the comment in response to a question from a student during a talk at Rider University. Her stalled appointment is getting increased attention because of the unprecedented number of judicial vacancies in the state. The Supreme Court has three empty seats with one being temporarily filled by an appellate judge.
