Corzine Nominates Kirsch to Judgeship

Gov. Jon Corzine this week nominated Westfield resident Robert Kirsch to a judgeship on the state Superior Court.

Kirsch is currently an assistant U.S. Attorney based in Newark, in the office formerly headed by Gov.-Elect Chris Christie. Kirsch is scheduled to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee during a meeting in Trenton today. Kirsch is likely to be voted on by the full Senate on Monday during their last session of the current legislative term. He was recommended to Corzine by Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).

Kirsch, 43, specializes in complex criminal matters as a member of the U.S. Attorney's securities and health care fraud unit. Former Councilman Kevin Walsh, who served alongside Kirsch in the federal prosecutor's office, said the judge-designate is known for taking on the complex cases that others did not want.

"He's a real trial lawyer," Walsh said. "At the U.S. Attorney's office, he always took on difficult cases. He was especially valuable because he would take on the cases that sat around for a while that no one wanted to touch. He is known as someone that is not afraid of a complicated white collar fraud case."

In 2006, Kirsch won a conviction of two Florida men in a case involving an international commodities fraud scheme, where investors in New Jersey and other states lost over $13 million. The case, which Kirsch worked on for several years, involved Charles Hoffecker and Charles Myers, who were convicted of operating a Bahamas based company reported to be buying and selling commodities on behalf of investors solicited over the phone. Kirsch proved in the case that no commodities existed in the company, along with the company making no loans and holding no items in storage.

Earlier this year, Kirsch prosecuted a case which led to the founder of a New Jersey real estate company admitting to running a ponzi scheme. The case involving Wayne Puff resulted in 500 people, including 300 from New Jersey, losing a total of $80 million in the scheme.

Kirsch, a graduate of Emory University and Fordham Law School, was a prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Washington before joining the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey. He is being praised for the qualities he will bring to the bench.

Henry Klingeman, a Newark attorney who has known Kirsch since the first day of law school, noted that the judge-designate has the right personality for the state's main trail bench.

"Union County and the people of Westfield are very fortunate to have him as a judge," he said. "Sometimes government gets it right and this is one of those times. The Superior Court is the court where retail justice is dispensed. Individuals will feel like they are getting a fair shake from Judge Kirsch."

Kirsch is the third Westfield resident nominated by Corzine this year for a seat on the Superior Court bench. Former Councilman James Hely was nominated by Corzine, and approved by the Senate, in June for a judgeship. In November, Corzine nominated local attorney Thomas Walsh to a judgeship. 

Kirsch's nomination comes on the heels of Corzine and Christie coming to an agreement on the lame duck governor's nominations to state posts. Christie had been opposing Corzine's appointments to various policy making boards and judgeships in the waning days of his term. The governor-elect said Corzine should withhold from making nominations due to the voters electing Christie over Corzine. Republican opposition to Corzine's nominations was also led by Kean. In addition to recommending Kirsch to the governor, Kean was the sponsor of Walsh's nomination.

The Superior Court is New Jersey's main trial court, housing divisions handling civil, criminal and family cases. Judges can also be elevated to the appeals court on appointment of Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. Judges are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for seven year terms to start. They can be renominated and confirmed to tenured terms which expire on their 70th birthday.

Former Councilman Walsh said he believes that Kirsch, whose father was a trial attorney, will be a stand out in the state judiciary.

"He's going to be a great judge," Walsh said. "He is very fair and will be decisive when necessary. That is what is needed in hard cases. He's going to be fantastic."