TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) -- One day after he was approved by the state Senate, Faustino Fernandez-Vina was sworn in as a justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Senate voted 38-0 to confirm Fernandez-Vina to the state's highest court.
On Tuesday, he was sworn in during a private ceremony.
According to the court, the new justice was expected to participate in oral arguments that were scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. the same day.
"I congratulate Judge Faustino Fernandez-Vina on his unanimous and historic confirmation to become the only Hispanic member of the court," Gov. Chris Christie said following Monday's Senate vote.
"With his extensive experience in both the private and public sector, Judge Fernandez-Vina is eminently qualified to serve on New Jersey's Supreme Court, and has earned bipartisan support from leaders on both sides of the aisle.
"I am glad the legislature left politics out of this process and gave Judge Fernandez-Vina the smooth confirmation he deserves."
Christie, whose previous attempts to fill the vacant seats on the state's high court have failed, nominated Fernandez-Vina in August.
The Cuban-born Republican has served as a judge on the New Jersey Superior Court since July 2004.
Hearings still have not been set for Christie's two other nominees to the high court, Robert Hanna and David Bauman.
Christie nominated Hanna, president of the state Board of Public Utilities and an Independent, and Bauman, a Monmouth County Superior Court judge and a Republican, in December 2012.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.
N.J. SC swears in new justice
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