Robert Nathan Wilentz was Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1979 to 1996, making him the longest-serving Chief Justice since the Supreme Court became New Jersey's highest court in 1948.
15 Facts About Robert Wilentz
1.
2.
Robert Wilentz was born on February 17,1927, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to David and Lena Wilentz.
3.
David Robert Wilentz was a powerful political boss in Middlesex County.
4.
Robert Wilentz graduated from Perth Amboy High School, where he was valedictorian.
5.
Robert Wilentz first enrolled at Princeton University, but left school to serve in the United States Navy.
6.
Robert Wilentz was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1965 and 1967 but chose not to seek a third term in 1969.
7.
Robert Wilentz considered a campaign for Governor of New Jersey in the 1973 election, but ultimately decided against it.
Related searches
Brendan Byrne 8.
Robert Wilentz was appointed Chief Justice by Democratic Governor Brendan Byrne in 1979.
9.
Apart from his jurisprudence, Robert Wilentz openly sought to use the structural role of Chief Justice to expand access to New Jersey courts.
10.
Robert Wilentz instructed judges to record observations of bias and take courses on bias.
11.
In Mount Laurel II, Chief Justice Robert Wilentz found that towns must take affirmative action to construct low-income housing, through subsidies, tax breaks, and a presumption of approval for building plans.
12.
Robert Wilentz instructed the lower courts to come up with firm, quantifiable targets for every municipality in the state.
13.
Robert Wilentz ruled that the expert testimony on the matter was appropriate and therefore admissible and remanded the case for further proceedings.
14.
Robert Wilentz died three weeks later on July 23,1996.
15.
Robert Wilentz would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in February 1997.