Mercer Times

Governor Murphy and Acting Governor Way have expressed their condolences following the death of Associate Justice James H. Coleman, Jr., who served nearly a decade as the first Black Justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court. In a joint statement, they described Justice Coleman as "a lifelong trailblazer."

Justice Coleman's life story reflects America's complex history with inequality and progress. Born to a sharecropper in segregated Virginia, he overcame racial barriers, serving in the U.S. Army Reserve and earning degrees from Virginia State University and Howard University School of Law.

His legal career began in New Jersey, where he worked in private practice and at the Department of Labor before becoming a workers’ compensation judge. He made history by being the first African American to hold several judicial positions within the state.

In 1994, Governor Christie Whitman nominated him to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Upon confirmation by the Senate, his appointment became a source of inspiration for many in New Jersey's communities of color.

Justice Coleman's tenure on the court lasted nine years, during which he influenced significant changes in state jurisprudence. The governors extended their prayers to his family: wife Sophia Coleman, children Kairon and James, and his grandchildren.

The statement concluded with gratitude for Justice Coleman's contributions to New Jersey's legal landscape.