A state trial court

Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage

A general-jurisdiction trial court in New Jersey.

The Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage is a general-jurisdiction trial court in New Jersey, where most civil and criminal cases are first heard. Its judges are chosen by gubernatorial appointment, the method New Jersey uses for its judges. This page lists the court's sitting judges, from New Jersey's official judicial directory.

Judges in history

Currently serving

Appointment

Selection

7-yr

Term

Current judges

Judge	Since
Lisa M. Adubato	–
Mark S. Ali	–
Patrick J. Arre	–
Kevin Barry	–
Arthur J. Batista	–
Jeffrey B. Beacham	–
Juliana E. Blackburn	–
Bruce D. Buechler	–
Thomas A. Callahan Jr.	–
John F. Chiaia	–
Kandace L. Clarke	–
Joanne Cocchiola	–
Jennifer C. Critchley	–
Philip James Degnan	–
David Dugan	–
Ana P. Esteves	–
Angela G. Foster	–
Karina D. Fuentes	–
Harold W. Fullilove Jr.	–
Garry J. Furnari	–
Robert H. Gardner	–
John I. Gizzo	–
Lori Ellen Grifa	–
Nora J. Grimbergen	–
MeLinda Hawkins-Taylor	–
Leonardo A. Hernandez	–
Roselyn D. Holmes-Grant	–
Francis P. Kapusinski	–
Naazneen B. Khan	–
Verna G. Leath	–
Alvin Ricardo Little	–
Amy K. Manigan	–
Samantha J. Mendenhall	–
Joseph Minish	–
Richard Nunes	–
Kevin J. O'Connor	–
Michael Parlavecchio	–
Stephen L. Petrillo	–
Michael L. Ravin	–
Kevin R. Reich	–
Christopher S. Romanyshyn	–
Jodi L. Rosenberg	–
Nidara Rourk	–
Aldo J. Russo	–
Joshua D. Sanders	–
Cynthia D. Santomauro	–
Annette Scoca	–
Louise Grace Spencer	–
Richard T. Sules	–
Mayra V. Tarantino	–
Heather V. Taylor	–
Thomas R. Vena	–
Ronald D. Wigler	–
Marcella Matos Wilson	–
John Zunic	–

Former judges

No former judges on record.

How a judge reaches this court. Judges of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage are appointed by the governor to 7-year terms. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any judge to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.

Source: New Jersey Judiciary, Judges Contact Directory; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data last verified 2026-07-01. Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).