Richard Nunes Takes Helm as Newark Municipal Court Chief Judge

Dozens gathered Tuesday evening in council chambers at city hall to watch Superior Court Judge Patricia Costello swear in Newark Municipal Court Judge Richard Nunes as the city's twelfth chief judge.

Nunes has been acting chief judge of Newark Municipal Court since February 2008. 

"Judge Nunes combines great wisdom with great leadership skills," said Newark Mayor Cory Booker to a crowd that included officials from the Essex County Sheriff's Office, Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the city. "He has energized the municipal court and brought the power of justice to our residents. We are proud to have him at the head of New Jersey's largest and busiest municipal court and look forward to more achievements from him and the court."

During the roughly hour-long ceremony, Nunes' daughter recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the Newark Boys Chorus School sang the National Anthem. Nunes' parents presented the chief judge with the bible. "May God be with you," Arthur Nunes told his son.

Nunes was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in East Orange. He has a bachelor's degree from Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and later attended Seton Hall Law School in Newark.

"It is both truly a privilege and an honor to serve the great City of Newark as the chief judge of the Newark Municipal Court," he said. "Our court has worked extremely hard over the past several years and we have made tremendous positive strides."

— Antonella Rao