Georgette Castner is now the youngest woman to serve as a federal judge in the 232-history of the U.S. District Court for New Jersey, following her confirmation by The United States Senate March 31.
President Joe Biden nominated Castner to the bench on Nov. 3 after U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both Democrats from New Jersey, recommended her.
“I’m confident her outstanding qualifications and her commitment to justice will make her an excellent, impartial federal judge. During her 15 years of experience in state and federal litigation, Ms. Castner has gained a reputation as one of the brightest and most hardworking attorneys in our state,” Menendez said in a prepared statement.
She was confirmed by a vote of 52-47, which included support from two Republican senators: Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine.
“It is my honor to congratulate Georgette Castner on her confirmation as a U.S. District Court Judge,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a statement following her confirmation. “Through her extensive litigation experience, Georgette has earned wide respect throughout New Jersey’s legal community, and I know that she will honorably serve the people of New Jersey in her new role. I applaud President Biden for this nomination and Senator Menendez and Senator Booker for supporting this outstanding candidate.”
Castner was previously a partner at Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads LLP in Cherry Hill, where she focused on government and white-collar investigations, commercial litigation, and the fast-growing field of cannabis law. As co-chair of the firm’s cannabis law practice group, Castner regularly advised clients in the budding industry and has written a number of articles about the complex landscape of disparate federal, state, and local laws and regulations faced by these businesses.
Montgomery McCracken is also the former office of Fabiana Pierre-Louis, who became the youngest and first Black female associate justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court in August 2020.
Prior to Castner’s confirmation, the Senate confirmed Christine O’Hearn on March 1; last year, it confirmed the appointments of Judges Zahid Quraishi, Julien Neals and Karen Williams to serve on New Jersey’s District Court.
