NJ JUDICIARY ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE REFORMS. JUDGE WITCHER'S RETURN TO THE BENCH UNKNOWN. .
Judge Witcher’s stance will have long-term impact on individuals and the New Jersey court system.
As a result of his actions followed by the support and advocacy of many individuals and organizations throughout the state, a major victory was won, and a step made toward a better fairer system.
The Latino Action Network deserves special acknowledgment for a relentless effort and fearless advocacy. Their actions were critical and will continue to be essential to holding the judiciary accountable..
We never expected the judiciary to fully admit there is discrimination in the court system, but the fact that statewide changes will occur as a result of Judge Witcher’s courage, tells us what we alresdy knew about systemic discrimination.
We are certain that individuals and organizations will continue to work, investigate, demand answers, hold people accountable and make sure the changes are instituted
STATE REFORMS:
1. Statewide changes will be made to court notices, including adding information in English and Spanish about the availability of court interpreter services, and information about interpreting services will be added to opening statements made at the start of court proceedings. Judges who preside over courts with a substantial Spanish-speaking population will have the option to deliver interpreter information in English and Spanish via a prerecorded video.
2. The judiciary’s website will be updated with additional information on interpreting services and enhanced training will be provided to all municipal court judges statewide regarding language access services.
3. Additional reforms are planned specifically for municipal courts where Witcher presides, in Millville, Bridgeton, Penns Grove and the combined Pennsville/Carneys Point court. In those courts, all initial appearances will be held virtually for now, the report states.
“During his interview for this investigation, Judge Witcher raised the idea of making first appearances virtual for all defendants,” judiciary spokesman Pete McAleer said in a Thursday statement. “We plan to analyze the impact this practice has on eliminating any disparity in the use of interpreting services.” In addition, Millville is looking at options for a freelance interpreter to assist on some virtual sessions.
State lawmakers in the New Jersey Legislative Latino and Black caucuses issued a statement Thursday evening saying the report offered “some sense of assurance,” but that the planned policy changes raise the additional question of why the language access issues hadn’t been addressed previously.
Witcher declined to speak about the report’s findings. “I won’t comment on the framing of the relevant legal issue or methodology used. Whether I agree or disagree really isn’t that important,” he said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “I don’t know why the observations of a small-time municipal court judge in a rural county gained so much attention, except that the issue was important enough to deserve the attention it has received. “If people benefit by it, and the system is better because of it, then it is worth all the hell I’ve had to endure for it.”
The Attorney General's investigation into retaliation against Judge Witcher are ongoing..
Since collapsing and being taken from the courtroom by ambulance last week, presumably from stress, Judge Witcher is doing well and recovering with his family.
He has not decided if or when he will return to the bench. We hope he recovers and returns soon, the judicial system and the people who encounter it are better because of his presence.