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Justice Peter G. Verniero

Justice Verniero was nominated to serve on the Supreme Court by Governor Christine Todd Whitman on March 15, 1999, confirmed by the Senate on May 10, 1999 and sworn in on September 1, 1999 by then-Justice Marie L. Garibaldi.

He was born in Montclair on April 30, 1959. He attended public schools and graduated summa cum laude from Drew University in 1981, where he was Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated with honors from Duke University School of Law in 1984 and was admitted to the Bar of New Jersey the same year.

The Justice served as a law clerk to now-retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert L. Clifford during the 1984-1985 Court Term.

In private practice, Justice Verniero was an associate with the law firm of Pitney, Hardin, Kipp & Szuch (1985-1987) and a director of the firm of Herold & Haines (1990-1993). In 1986, he was an adjunct professor of business law at the County College of Morris.

Appointed by Governor Whitman as her Chief Counsel, Justice Verniero served in that capacity from January 1994 to February 1995, when he became the Governor’s Chief of Staff. He remained in that position until July 10, 1996, when he was sworn in as Attorney General. His reappointment as Attorney General was confirmed on January 20, 1998. While serving in this position, he personally handled several landmark cases, appearing, for example, in defense of Megan’s Law before the United States Court of Appeals, which upheld the law in 1997.

Justice Verniero is married to the former Lisa Gaede. They have two daughters, Jennifer Lynn and Madeline Rose.