Roberto Rivera-Soto

If the next Governor is Jon Corzine, Christopher Christie or Richard Codey, the embattled Roberto Rivera-Soto could be a one-term Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin might be his replacement. There is nothing to indicate that Steve Lonegan would pick Valentin if he’s elected, but it’s a near certainty that Lonegan wouldn’t reappoint Rivera-Soto – or any other non-tenured member of the current top court.

Superior Court Judge Patricia J. Costello removed Dana Rone from her seat on the Newark City Council earlier this month for abusing her office when she interceded in a 2006 traffic stop involving her nephew. PolitickerNJ.com editorial cartoonist Rob Tornoe has an interesting take on the matter: that New Jersey operates under a culture where the powerful and politically connected use their influence to get special treatment every day.

Whether its premium seats for concerts, special license plates and badges for judges and elected officials that send a not-too-subtle don’t-mess-with-me signal to state troopers and local police officers, or even the get out of jail free cards the PBA provides to legislators and political leaders in quantity to give away to friends (maybe even contributors), New Jersey politicos actively seek special treatment on a daily basis. So maybe Tornoe is right when he opines that there is some hypocrisy to the system, although his characterization is entirely generic – there is no confirmation that Costello or her family drives a car with judicial license plates.

The latest in the saga of New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto for his role in a 2006 incident involving his son and a teammate on a high school football team continues: a Superior Court Judge said on Friday that she expects a civil suit to continue.  Last year, the court censured Rivera-Soto – effectively a slap on the wrist – agreeing with a judicial conduct panel that Rivera-Soto "engaged in a course of conduct that created a risk that the prestige and power of his judicial office might influence and advance a private matter."

If a civil court jury finds against Soto, there is still no assurance that he would be removed from the bench – as Newark City Councilwoman Dana Rone was last week.  But it might make it less likely that Jon Corzine, the zero-tolerance, “hold me accountable” governor, or a Republican, like crime-fighter Christopher Christie, would reappoint him when his term comes up in 2011.

Sunday was the one year anniversary of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s censure of Associate Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto for his role in a 2006 incident involving his son and a teammate on a high school football team.

The court agreed with a judicial conduct panel that Rivera-Soto "engaged in a course of conduct that created a risk that the prestige and power of his judicial office might influence and advance a private matter."

Rivera-Soto is the first state Supreme Court Justice to be censured in New Jersey history. Justice Robert Clifford was once reprimanded for a DWI conviction -- a lesser penalty.

Rivera-Soto remains on the top court -- making the penalty essentially a slap on the wrist.

Roberto Rivera-Soto, the first New Jersey Supreme Court Justice to be censured in state history, was effectively slapped on the wrist by his top court colleagues -- he gets to keep his job.  But that doesn't mean he'll be there forever: Governor Jon "Zero Tolerance" Corzine, or his successor, could opt to not reappoint him to what would become a tenured term on the Supreme Court, in 2011.  That would also make Rivera-Soto the first Justice under the current State Constitution to not be reappointed.

The New Jersey Supreme Court announced today the censured Associate Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto for his role in a 2006 incident involving his son and a teammate on a high school football team.

The court agreed with a judicial conduct panel that Rivera-Soto "engaged in a course of conduct that created a risk that the prestige and power of his judicial office might influence and advance a private matter."

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New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Roberto A. Rivera-Soto has apologized for his role in a high school football incident involving his son and another student that caused disciplinary charges to be filed against him a few weeks ago. Rivera-Soto admitted that he an "appearance of impropriety" resulted from his actions, but said he "did not intend" to use his office to influence charges he filed against the other student.

"In hindsight, I realize that some of these actions have had the effect of creating the appearance of impropriety. Although I took those actions with innocent intent, I underestimated the capacity that my position has to influence others," the Justice wrote.  "For my actions, and the effect they may have had, I am profoundly sorry."

Rivera-Soto's letter to the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct late today -- the third time in three weeks that the Supreme Court released documents relating to the charges against the Associate Justice at the end of the day on a Friday.

Lawyers for New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto's filed a response to disciplinary charges filed against him last week.

Rivera-Soto denies allegations that he used or allowed the power and prestige of his office  to influence or advance the private interests of his family and his son.  He says he insisted at all times that the matter be treated in the ordinary course The Justice says it was never his purpose or intention to influence the acts of anyone by reference to his judicial position, and that his intent at all times was to avoid any appearance of impropriety by insuring that the proceedings were handled in the ordinary course.

"To the extent any person understood Respondent's actions in any different light, Respondent regrets that understanding," Rivera-Soto's attorney said in the response.