Mercer Times

Acting Governor Way has signed Executive Order No. 363, mandating that U.S. and New Jersey flags be flown at half-staff from August 23 to August 25. This period of mourning coincides with services commemorating the life of former New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice James H. Coleman, Jr., who passed away on August 2.

Justice Coleman is survived by his wife, Sophia, and two children, Kairon and James. He was notable for being the first Black Justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court, a position he held from 1994 until 2003. His career in the judiciary included significant milestones such as becoming the first Black workers’ compensation judge and the first Black jurist on the Appellate Division in New Jersey. Before his judicial appointments, Justice Coleman practiced privately and served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

"Justice Coleman was a trailblazer within the New Jersey judiciary," Acting Governor Way stated. "Born as the son of a Black sharecropper in racially segregated Virginia, Justice Coleman's life embodies the intertwined history of inequality and progress in our country. His historic appointment to the New Jersey Supreme Court broke down racial barriers by demonstrating that communities of color could be represented at the highest levels of our judiciary. We extend our condolences to his loved ones and will forever be grateful for his extraordinary life of service."