Moore Picks Porter to Succeed Lloyd
Camden Courier-Post - February 1, 1938
Moore Picks Porter to Succeed Lloyd
Surprise Appointment Elevates Essex Judge Instead of Palmer
Trenton, January 31— Governor Moore today nominated Circuit Court Judge Newton H. Porter, now sitting in Essex county, to the state Supreme Court seat left vacant by the retirement of Justice Frank T. Lloyd, of Merchantville. The nomination is now before the Senate for confirmation.
The naming of Porter, a Republican, was a distinct surprise. Circuit Judge V. Claude Palmer, of Burlington county and also a Republican, was believed to have had the inside track for the court vacancy.
J. Warren Leyden, of Hackensack, was nominated as circuit judge to succeed Judge Porter.
The nomination of Porter marks the fourth time he has been appointed to the bench by a Democratic Governor and the third time by Moore.
He first was named to the Essex County Common Pleas Court in 1924 by Gov. George H. Silzer. Moore appointed him to the Circuit Court in 1926 and reappointed him during the second Moore administration.
Porter’s appointment maintains the five to four Republican majority on the Supreme Court. When Moore first took office, it was reported that he would name a Democrat to reverse the balance, but later it was understood that the seat would go to a Republican.
The terms of Chief Justice Brogan and Chancellor Campbell, both Democrats, expire during Moore’s present administration and it was understood that the Democrats felt that by appointing a G. O. P. man to the Lloyd vacancy they could forestall any criticism of continuing two of their own party in the highest judicial posts in the state.
Porter is a resident of Montclair.
He was born in Somerville, April 13, 1877, and moved with his parents to Newark in 1885. At the age of 12 he went to work in the Newark office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, where he remained until January 1, 1910.
Meanwhile, he went to school at night and in 1902 was graduated from the New York University’s evening law school. He was admitted to the New Jersey bar as an attorney in 1904 and as a counselor in 1907. From 1910 until his appointment to Common Pleas Court he practiced law in Newark.
Legislative correspondents here recalled Porter as a capable attorney who took part in a number of public hearings on bills. He usually represented liquor interests in hearings on measures governing that industry.
The Supreme Court appointment is for seven years and pays $18,000 annually. Justice Lloyd ended his term last Saturday and chose to retire at $9000 a year, thus causing the vacancy.
Justice Donges, now sitting in the Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties district, is expected to take over Lloyd’s old district of Camden and Gloucester counties, while Justice Perskie may move down from the Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties district to the so-called “Shore Circuit” vacated by Donges.
Justices select their own districts according to seniority and usually chose one near their residence. Since Donges lives in Camden he is expected to choose Camden and Gloucester. Perskie’s home is in Atlantic City, and it is believed he will take over the shore district.
This will leave the Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean circuit open for Porter, provided some other justice does not choose it.
Porter’s appointment apparently dashed the hopes of South Jersey Democrats that they might get a judgeship out of the Supreme Court shift. They had anticipated that if Palmer, who had the backing of Senator Powell and other Hoffmanite Republicans, were named to the Supreme Court, some local Democrat would take Palmer’s place on Circuit. With Porter being appointed, however, his successor on the Circuit bench probably will be Grossman or some other North Jersey man.