Judge Ciarrocca Takes the Bench

During a ceremony that mixed jokes with praise, Mark Ciarrocca donned a black robe and into his future.

The former Westfield councilman was sworn-in Tuesday afternoon to a seven-year term as a in Union County. The ceremony, held in the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth, placed Ciarrocca center stage as his fellow judges welcomed him to the bench and others rushed to praise the Republican in a mini-version of “This is Your Life.”

“Transforming from a lawyer to a judge brings a lot of anxiety to you, it also bring a lot of anticipation,” Union County Assignment Judge Karen Cassidy said.

Cassidy focused much of her remarks on discussing the process to become a judge, including securing the political support from local state senators to a gubernatorial nomination. She talked about her meetings with Ciarrocca since his at the end of June and what she has learned about his background, including his service as Westfield’s youth football commissioner.

“That is a pretty thankless job,” Cassidy said of the football commissionership. “I think his experience in a negotiating capacity in that arena are skills that are required every single day as a Superior Court judge.”

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), who helped secure the judgeship for Ciarrocca focused on what he and Union County’s other senators, Democrats Ray Lesniak and Nick Scutari look for in judicial candidates to recommend to Gov. Chris Christie. He said the trio look for judges who understand the law and can give back to the community.

Kean touched on Ciarrocca’s volunteer experience in the Westfield community. This included Ciarrocca’s two terms as a town councilman for the third ward, serving as football commissioner, as a youth football coach, as president of Contact We Care and as a volunteer with the annual Christmas tree sale on Elm Street.

“Mark has been a good friend in so many ways,” Kean said.

Kean noted he has had professional dealings with Ciarrocca during Ciarrocca’s time as an attorney in private practice in Union Township. Kean said that when he and his wife, Rhonda, were selling one Westfield home for another several years ago, Ciarrocca represented the couple in their closings. He said Ciarrocca was helpful through the entire process, providing advice on how to handle the process.

“Every single time he was straight forward,” Kean said. “From the professional point of view there is no one else who you’d put your trust in.”

Scutari, the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, noted how he has gone up against Ciarrocca in the courtroom.

“He did an excellent job as an adversary,” Scutari said. “He decimated my client. We ultimately settled the case for less than I thought he should get.”

Scutari noted to laughs that while Ciarrocca outperformed him in the courtroom, he still Ciarrocca take to the bench.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Westfield’s Republican chairman, noted to laughs that as a trial attorney he welcomes Ciarrocca’s legal capability as a judge he will miss Ciarrocca’s political skill locally. Ciarrocca won two terms in the Democratic leaning third ward, including capturing 60-percent of the vote in 2007.

Bramnick, who sidelines as a stand-up comic, described what he discovered were the keys to Ciarrocca’s political success.

“I thought it was because of door-to-door,” Bramnick said. “Then I realized how big the Ciarrocca family is.

During his speech later in the ceremony, Ciarrocca touched on the size of his family.

“You can’t swing a dead cat in Westfield without hitting a Ciarrocca,” he said.

Bramnick also said the new judge’s political success came from two other members of his family.

“The secret is also Janet Ciarrocca,” he said. “Also, his mom makes the kind of cookies that we can sell at Republican fundraisers to raise the money.”

Janet Ciarrocca, who held the Bible for her husband’s swearing-in, is a charter school principal in Jersey City. In addition to Mrs. Ciarrocca holding the Bible, the couple’s two children, Robbie and Jack, participated in the ceremony. Robbie Ciarrocca, a student at Wake Forest University, put the robe on his father, while Jack Ciarrocca, a student at , led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

In introducing Ciarrocca’s college and law school roommate, Air Force Col. Gordon Hammock, Cassidy joked she and the other judges in attendance had hoped to gain some good gossip on their new colleague. Hammock, the head of the Air Force’s judiciary system, may find himself in contempt of court by holding back on the details the judges may have been looking for.

Hammock talked about how he and Ciarrocca got to know each other as students at the Virginia Military Institute, where they are two others shared a small dorm room. He noted how the two would have to march closely together in formation and be subjected to the same military conditions.

Hammock shared how Ciarrocca was elected to VMI’s honor court as a junior for a two-year term. During that time, he noted that Ciarrocca resisted urges from other students to reveal the names of the students who had cases pending before the court.

“As a judge I know Mark will not only judge what comes before him but enhance this state,” Hammock said.

In an emotional speech to an audience packed with judges, lawyers and a who’s who of Westfield luminaries, Ciarrocca talked about his career and his hopes for his new stint on the bench. He said how he has practiced law in many counties around the state and has always been impressed with the judges in Union County.

“I am so proud to call these men and women my colleagues,” Ciarrocca said.

Ciarrocca teared up when he discussed his family and how he learned about community service from his parents. Ciarrocca thanked all of the Westfield attendees, including Mayor Andy Skibitsky, Councilmembers Keith Loughlin, Vicki Kimmins and Sam Della Fera, former Councilwoman Darielle Walsh, Board of Education President Julia Walker and BOE member Ginny Leiz for their attendance and work.

“All of those people serve as volunteers,” Ciarrocca said of his former political colleagues. “Thank you for being here and thank you for your service to Westfield.”

While Ciarrocca was thanking others for serving Westfield, Skibitsky took time to thank his former deputy for his service to the town. Ciarrocca was considered the most powerful councilmember in recent years, playing a role in most areas of town policy.

Ciarrocca has served several years as the town’s acting mayor, along with chairing the Council’s public safety committee and finance committees. He was the architect of the Central Avenue redesign, along with leading the efforts on the 2010 and 2011 town budgets, town parking, recreation and public safety policy and leading the town government’s efforts to have a closer relation between the town and the Board of Education.

During Ciarrocca’s seven years in local government, he served as the Council’s liaison to the , , board and the . Due to Skibitsky’s regular absences due to work related trips, Ciarrocca was a familiar presence as the presiding officer at Town Council meetings.

Until his judicial nomination, Ciarrocca had been considered by many to be the town’s next mayor if Skibitsky declines to seek a third term in 2013. 

“He served the town with integrity and honesty,” Skibitsky said. “He is one of the most effective council people we have had.”