Toms River attorney gets tapped by Murphy to become an Ocean County judge

TOMS RIVER - Assistant Township Attorney Anthony Merlino has been nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy to be an Ocean County Superior Court judge.

Merlino will turn 47 on Nov. 26, and in early December, his nomination will likely be considered by the New Jersey Senate's Judiciary Committee, along with those of the other seven judicial nominations made by Murphy, as the state deals with a backlog of Superior Court vacancies.

"Becoming a judge is a goal that I’ve long aspired to," said Merlino, who began working for Toms River in 2009, when Thomas F. Kelaher was mayor.

"I feel very fortunate that I am actually going to reach the goal that I’ve had for my legal career," he said. "I am happy, honored and humbled all at the same time."

A graduate of Rutgers University and Seton Hall Law School, Merlino clerked for Deborah Poritz, chief justice of the state Supreme Court during the 2002-2003 court session. He also worked for several years in the New Jersey office of the Blank Rome law firm.

A 1995 graduate of Toms River High School North, Merlino also attended Silver Bay Elementary School and Toms River Intermediate East.

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Merlino was an exception in his immediate family; he chose to go into law, and not education. His mother was a teacher in Brick, his father taught in Lakehurst, and his stepfather was an administrator in the Manchester school district.

His brother teachers at High School East, his sister at South Toms River Elementary, and his sister-in-law at Silver Bay.

"I am the only family member not to go into public education," Merlino said, joking, "I guess I was the black sheep in the family."

Judicial nominations are first reviewed by the Judiciary Committee, which can include in-person interviews, and then must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 40 years. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle,  jmikle@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River lawyer nominated by Gov. Murphy to be Ocean County judge