Michael Noriega, a New Jersey Supreme Court nominee, is one step closer to taking the bench. Noriega’s nomination unanimously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday as he was praised from both sides of the aisle.
Noriega is a Democrat, a first-generation American and fluent Spanish speaker, with a particular focus on immigration and criminal law. He’s a graduate of Rutgers University and Seton Hall Law School, where he’s now an adjunct professor. If approved, he would be the first public defender appointed to the court; he served as assistant deputy public defender in Essex County from 2003 to 2008. During his confirmation hearing, Noriega spoke about how being the child of immigrants prompted him to go into a career of service. The Senate is expected to vote on Noriega’s nomination on Friday.
