Richard E.A. Nunes Sworn In As 12th Chief Judge of Newark Municipal Court 
Mayor Cory A. Booker, the Municipal Council, Essex County Superior Court Assignment Judge Patricia K. Costello, Municipal Court Presiding Judge Anthony J. Frasca, Business Administrator Julien X. Neals, Esq., Corporation Counsel Anna Pereira and other dignitaries held an installation ceremony to swear in Richard E.A. Nunes as Chief Judge of the Newark Municipal Court. Judge Nunes will be the 12th Chief Judge to head the Newark Municipal Court since the position was created in 1958. The ceremony was held in the Municipal Council Chamber, at City Hall, located at 920 Broad Street.The ceremony confirms Judge Nunes who has been serving in the capacity of Acting Chief Judge for the Newark Municipal Court since February 2008. Judge Nunes has worked diligently to provide effective case management and to implement innovative procedures to reduce recidivism, such as the creation of Newark Community Solutions, the first Community Court Program in the State of New Jersey and also the development of the City’s Youth Court which is the first all-youth court in the State of New Jersey.
“Judge Nunes combines great wisdom with great leadership skills,” Mayor Booker said. “He has energized the Municipal Court and brought the power of justice to our residents. We are proud to have him at the head of New Jersey’s largest and busiest municipal court, and look forward to more achievements from him and the court.”
“The thousands of people who have matters in our Municipal Court expect and deserve fairness, courtesy and respect from our system. The Administration has full confidence that these ideals will be an integral part of our Court under Judge Nunes’ leadership, and we will do our part to support the Chief Judge,” said Business Administrator Neals, who served as the event’s Master of Ceremony and has served in the capacity of Chief Municipal Court Judge and Corporation Counsel for the City of Newark.
“The Newark Municipal Court will benefit greatly from Judge Nunes’ dedication to service. His commitment to ensuring justice for all who appear before the Municipal Court is evident. We are all very fortunate to have Judge Nunes serve as the Chief Judge of our Municipal Court here in the great City of Newark,” said Corporation Counsel Pereira who is a former Newark Municipal Court Judge.
During the ceremony, Nunes’ 7-year-old daughter, Jade, recited the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of the National Anthem by the Newark Boys Chorus. His parents, Arthur and Audrey Nunes, held the bible while Nunes’ wife Nichole Nunes joined with his 3-year-old son Jaxon and daughter Jade to present his Robe and Gavel. Essex County Superior Court Assignment Judge Patricia K. Costello administered the oath.
“As proud parents we celebrate this occasion and are very excited about our son serving the great City of Newark in such a capacity and we trust that he will make a difference in the life and work of its community. Our family and friends are truly humbled by his accomplishments.” said Mr. Nunes.
“Judge Nunes has a passion for justice. With the help of the entire court staff, he has taken the Newark Municipal Court to new levels of performance. We can all be proud of their accomplishments under his direction,” said Judge Costello.
Judge Nunes was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in East Orange, NJ. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. and gained his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall Law School in Newark in 1995. After graduation, Judge Nunes served as Judicial Clerk to Judge Rudolph N. Hawkins Jr., of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey for a year. From October 1996 to August 1997, he worked at law firms in the private sector, before joining the Office of the Public Defender, Bergen Region, as an Assistant Deputy Public Defender. There he handled criminal cases, participated in the implementation of the county’s Drug Court, and helped found and supervise the office’s internship program. He lectured on the Drug Court to community organizations and attended trainings for drug court around the United States. He was sworn in for a three-year term as a Newark Municipal Court judge in November 2006. Judge Nunes is a member of numerous organizations such as the Jersey Supreme Court Municipal Court Practice Committee; Essex County Municipal Court Judges Alliance; Essex County Speedy Trial Committee; New Jersey State Bar Association; Caribbean Bar Association; Garden State Bar Association; Jamaican American Bar Association, The Anne E. Thompson American Inn of Court and the American Bar Association. Judge Nunes has also received numerous awards such as the Legal Award of Excellence from the Jamaican Organization of New Jersey, the Professional Leadership Award from the Caribbean Bar Association, and the Citation Award from the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Delta Pi Chapter and the Magistrate Award from the Jamaican American Bar Association, North East.
“It is both truly a privilege and an honor to serve the great City of Newark as the Chief Judge of the Newark Municipal Court. Our Court has worked extremely hard over the past several years and we have made tremendous positive strides. I look forward to our continued success in achieving our core values of Independence, Integrity, Fairness and Quality Service,” said Chief Judge Nunes.
The Newark Municipal Court is the largest such court in the State of New Jersey, handling more than 500,000 cases each year. It rules on traffic, housing code enforcement, sanitation, quality-of-life, and minor criminal offenses. Under the Booker administration, the Municipal Court has moved to enhance customer service, improve its technology, and create new initiatives like a Community Court to take a holistic approach to addressing causes behind crime in the City of Newark.
For more information on any City of Newark municipal program or policy, contact the Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.
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