Laura A. Simoldoni Named Trial Court Administrator for Bergen Vicinage

Assignment Judge Peter E. Doyne of the Bergen Vicinage today announced the appointment of Laura A. Simoldoni as trial court administrator effective Jan. 1. She succeeds Jon Goodman, who retired after 21 years with the Judiciary, 16 as trial court administrator. 

The trial court administrator is the highest ranking staff executive in the vicinage in charge of all court operations, including financial management, human resources, information systems, case coordination, case flow management, probation services, jury utilization, facilities, equipment, maintenance, records management and statistical analysis. 

Simoldoni will work closely with Judge Doyne and with vicinage leadership to manage a court operation that currently includes 30 judges and 500 staff members. 

Under New Jersey court rules, the administrative director of the courts appoints the trial court administrator in each vicinage. Judge Glenn A. Grant, acting administrative director of the courts, said he named Simoldoni on the strong recommendation of Judge Doyne. 

"Laura has risen through our ranks to become an outstanding leader who is intimately familiar with all of our court operations," said Judge Doyne. "She is well-respected both in our local vicinage and the statewide Judiciary for her management skill, her intelligence and her unparalleled work ethic. She will make an excellent trial court administrator." 

Simoldoni graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Mich. She began her career working in the law office of her father, Charles J. Simoldoni in Garfield before becoming a fraud investigator for the Bergen County Board of Social Services. She then worked briefly as an insurance claims representative before returning to the private practice of law.  

Simoldoni joined the Judiciary as a probation officer in 1998, and was promoted to supervisor of the domestic violence intake office in Bergen in 2000. She was named the vicinage ombudsman, ADA coordinator and EEO/ AA officer in 200 I, a position she held until 2006, when she was named the vicinage human resource manager. She has held that position until her current appointment. 

In addition to her undergraduate and law degrees, Simoldoni has completed the Certified Court Manager Program through the Institute for Court Management of the National Center for State Courts. She holds certificates in human resource management and equal employment studies from Rutgers University. 
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"I have enjoyed every step of my career in the Judiciary and I work with wonderful people," said Simoldoni. "I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity to serve the public in this new capacity, and I look forward to working with Judge Doyne, the other judges and the amazing staff of the Bergen Vicinage." 

Simoldoni lives in Wood-Ridge.