Peter Verniero

Peter G. Verniero (born April 30, 1959, in Montclair, New Jersey) is an American lawyer and jurist from New Jersey. He previously served as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and as New Jersey Attorney General; he is presently in private practice in New Jersey.

Education and early career Born in Montclair, New Jersey, and raised in Montville, New Jersey, Verniero graduated from Montville Township High School in 1977. Verniero graduated summa cum laude from Drew University in 1981, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received a J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law in 1984. Following law school, Verniero served as a law clerk to New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Robert. L. Clifford. Verniero also represented the State of New Jersey before the U.S. Supreme Court in New Jersey v. New York, 523 U.S. 767 (1998), a case settling a boundary dispute over Ellis Island. The Supreme Court declared 90 percent of the present-day island to be a part of New Jersey. Verniero also led statewide initiatives to improve public school safety, aid victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and provide fairness and uniformity in drug case sentencing.

Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court

In 1999, Whitman appointed Verniero to a seat on the state Supreme Court vacated by Justice Stewart G. Pollock. At the time, Verniero’s nomination was criticized on account of his youth and relative lack of trial experience. He was 39 at the time of his nomination. Between 1999 and 2004, Verniero authored 124 decisions on a variety of matters, 72 of which were majority opinions.

On September 30, 2003, Verniero announced that he would retire from the Supreme Court at the end of the Court’s 2004 term. Although named to a seven-year term expiring in 2006, Verniero cited as reasons for his departure both financial considerations and a desire to avoid further debate during any potential reappointment hearing.

2004 to present

After stepping down from the Court, Verniero joined the Newark-based law firm of Sills Cummis & Gross P.C., where he chairs the Corporate Internal Investigations and Appellate Practice groups. The panel screens all candidates for Superior Court judgeships in New Jersey and makes recommendations to the governor and his staff. He served on the panel until 2015. The state has also retained Verniero to serve as special counsel on a variety of high-profile matters, including state education funding and higher education restructuring.

Verniero continues to be actively involved in issues related to New Jersey public safety and welfare through his support of various charitable organizations. Verniero has helped raise funds for organizations like SAFE in Hunterdon, which provides shelter and care for victims of domestic violence, and Crime Stoppers, a nationwide initiative to encourage anonymous tips to aid law enforcement. Verniero also served as a member of the board of the Hunterdon Healthcare System.

In 2016, the New Jersey Bar Foundation, an arm of the State Bar Association, announced that Verniero was that year's recipient of its highest award, the Medal of Honor, conferred annually to those who make exemplary contributions to the legal profession.

Since the death of former Appellate Division Judge Sylvia Pressler in 2010, Verniero has been the commentator and annotator of the Gann Law Books edition of the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey, which is a commonly used edition of the Court Rules in New Jersey.

Verniero is frequently published as an authority on matters related to New Jersey public policy and the judiciary in such publications as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Star-Ledger of Newark.

Personal details

Verniero is married to the former Lisa Gaede and has two children: Jaye and Madeline.

Majority judicial opinions

1999-2000 term Lacey Municipal Utilities Authority v. NJDEP (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-54-98.opn.html) Lapka v. Porter Hayden (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-93-98.opn.html) State v. Lark (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-113-98.opn.html) Schneider v. Simonini (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-84-98.opn.html) State v. Presha (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-79-98.opn.html) Golden v. County of Union (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-105-98.opn.html) Wanetick v. Gateway Mitsubishi (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-106-98.opn.html) State v. Cooke (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-115-98.opn.html) Cavanaugh v. Skil Corp. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-30-99.opn.html) Kurzke v. Nissan Motor Company (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-127-98.opn.html) Cox v. RKA Corporation (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-81-98.opn.html) Estate of Roach v. TRW, Inc. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-74-99.opn.html) Dynasty v. The Princeton Insurance Company (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-31-99.opn.html) State v. Robinson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-48-99.opn.html) Rocci v. Ecole Scondaire (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-34-99.opn.html)

2000-2001 term State v. Zhu (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-75-99.opn.html) Ali v. Rutgers (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-68-99.opn.html) State v. Maisonet (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-98-99.opn.html) Garfinkel v. Morristown Obstetrics & Gynecology Assoc. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-52-00.opn.html) IMO Trust Created by John Seward Johnson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-69-99.opn.html) Alderiso v. The Medical Center of Ocean County (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-100-99.opn.html) Packard-Bamberger & Co. v. Collier (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-134-99.opn.html) State v. Koskovich (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-134-99.opn.html) Zacarias v. Allstate Insurance Company (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-1-00.opn.html) State v. DeLuca (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-82-99.opn.html) State v. Johnson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-132-99.opn.html) IMO Petition of American Water for Rate Increase (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-32-00.opn.html) State v. Sullivan (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-10-00.opn.html) State v. Ravatto (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-45-00.opn.html)

2001-2002 term Campbell v. New Jersey Racing Commission (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-70-00.opn.html) Harleysville Insurance v. Garitta (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-72-00.opn.html) Amoresano v. Laufgas (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-64-00.opn.html) Clymer v. Summit Bancorp. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-74-00.opn.html) State v. Stott (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-88-00.opn.html) In the Interest of J.D.H. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-96-00.opn.html) First Resolution v. Seker (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-116-00_1.doc.html) State v. Carreker (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-95-00.opn.html) State v. Rodriguez (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-19-01.opn.html) Musikoff v. Jay Parrino’s The Mint (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-39-01.opn.html) Wade v. Kessler Institute (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-62-01.opn.html) In re P.S.E. & G. Shareholder Litigation (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-41-01.opn.html) Shepherd v. Hunterdon Developmental Center (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-14-01.opn.html) State v. DiFrisco (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-30-01.opn.html)

2002-2003 term State v. Mendez (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-30-01.opn.html) State v. Brooks (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-69-01.opn.html) State v. Simbara (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-110-01.opn.html) State v. Harvey (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-89-01.opn.html) Leodori v. Cigna (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-120-01.opn.html) State v. Nishina (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-135-01.opn.html) A.B. and S.B.W. v. S.E.W. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-155-01.opn.html) Flanigan v. Munson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-21-02.opn.html) Mull v. Zeta Consumer Products (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-3-02.opn.html) State v. David Summers (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-1-02.opn.html) State v. Holland (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-150-01.opn.html) Joye v. Hunterdon Central (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-27-02.opn.html) First American v. Lawson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-13-02.opn.html) State v. Perez (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-131-01.opn.html) State v. Sisler (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-39-02.opn.html)

2003-2004 term State v. A.G.D. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-11-02.opn.html) State v. Wilson (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-49-02.opn.html) Jaquez v. National Continental Ins. Co. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-74-02.opn.html) State v. Golotta (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-78-02.opn.html) Vassiliu v. Daimler Chrysler (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-63-02.opn.html) State v. Milne (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-61-02.opn.html) Buono v. Scalia (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-101-02.opn.html) State in the Interest of Q.N. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-106-02.opn.html) Borteck v. Riker, Danzig (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-31-03.opn.html) Mancini v. Township of Teaneck (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-18-03.opn.html) State in the Interest of G.C. (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-7-03.opn.html) Island Venture Associates v. NJDEP (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-20-03.opn.html) Comparato v. Schait (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-43-03.opn.html) State v. Diloreto (http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/courts/supreme/a-47-03.opn.html)