Commissioners
The Commission consists of four appointed attorney members, the Deans of New Jersey's three ABA-approved law school campuses, and the Chairs of the Judiciary Committees in the State Senate and State Assembly.
Vito A. Gagliardi, Jr., Chair, Attorney at Law, Morristown, N.J.
Andrew O. Bunn, Vice-Chair, Attorney at Law, Short Hills, N.J.
Virginia Long, Justice, (Retired), Princeton, N.J.
Louis N. Rainone, Attorney at Law, Middletown, N.J.
Johanna Bond, Dean, Rutgers University School of Law, Camden and Newark
John Kip Cornwell, Dean, Seton Hall University School of Law
Ellen J. Park, Chair, Assemblywoman Judiciary Committee
Brian P. Stack, Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee
Dean Bond is represented by Grace Bertone, Attorney at Law, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. and by Professor Bernard Bell of Rutgers University School of Law, Newark; and Interim Dean John K. Cornwell is represented by Professor Edward Hartnett of Seton Hall University School of Law.
NJLRC Staff
The NJLRC has four Staff members, including a full-time Executive Director, a full-time Deputy Director, one full-time Counsel, one full-time Executive Assistant and one Legislative Fellow. Law and undergraduate students provide additional legal research and drafting assistance.
Laura C. Tharney, Executive Director; Email: lct@njlrc.org
Samuel M. Silver, Deputy Director; Email: sms@njlrc.org
Whitney G. Schlimbach, Counsel; Email: wgs@njlrc.org
Veronica V. Fernandes, Executive Assistant, Email: vvf@njlrc.org
Carol N. Disla-Roa, Legislative Fellow, Email: cdr@njlrc.org
How the Commission Operates
The Commission considers suggestions for revision to the statutes from American Law Institute, the Uniform Law Commission (formerly the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws), other learned bodies, legislators, the Commissioners themselves, Staff, members of the legal community and the public.
Once a project is accepted by the Commission, Staff members begin research and prepare memoranda regarding issues to be presented to the Commissioners. Research may include conventional legal research on cases and statutes, as well as interviews with: members of the legal community; persons in government; and any other parties with information relevant to the particular subject matter. The Commission also extensively examines the current local law and practice, as well as the law of other jurisdictions.
After researching the issues, Staff members draft revisions to the language of the statute(s) comprising the project. The Commission also consults, throughout the drafting process, with experts in the field, and seeks input from individuals and organizations familiar with the practical operation of the law and the impact of the existing statutes.
When preliminary research, drafting and redrafting is complete, the Commissioner may approve a Tentative Report for formal circulation to the public for comment. Depending upon the scope and the extent of the project, a second or third Tentative Report may be issued for comment prior to the approval of a Final Report which is formally submitted to the Legislature.
History of the Commission
New Jersey has a tradition of law revision. The first Law Revision Commission was established in 1925 and produced the Revised Statutes of 1937. The Legislature intended that the work of revision and codification continue after the enactment of the Revised Statutes, so the Law Revision Commission continued in operation until 1939. After that time, the functions of the Commission were transferred to a number of successor agencies, including the Legislative Counsel (52:11-61). When it adopted N.J.S. 1:12A-1 et seq., the Legislature transferred the functions of statutory revision and codification to the current New Jersey Law Revision Commission.
The current New Jersey Law Revision Commission was created by N.J.S. 1:12A-1 et seq., which was enacted in 1985 with an effective date of January of 1986. The statutory mandate of the Commission is to simplify, clarify and modernize New Jersey statutes. The Commission fulfills this mandate through annual and periodic reports to the Legislature containing recommendations concerning the adoption, repeal and amendment of statutes.