Judge Glenn A. Grant to Retire as Administrative Director Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage Assignment Judge Blee Named Successor

Judge Glenn A. Grant announced today that he will retire this March after 16 years as the acting director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage Assignment Judge Michael Blee has been appointed by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner to serve as the AOC’s next director and will work alongside Judge Grant for the next two months to ensure an orderly transition.

“Throughout a remarkable tenure, Judge Grant has brought an unwavering passion for justice, a commitment to excellence, boundless energy, and extraordinary dedication to his work as director of the Administrative Office of the Courts,” Chief Justice Rabner said. “He can retire knowing that our courts and our justice system will benefit from his accomplishments for decades to come.”

As the eighth administrative director in the courts’ history, Judge Grant oversaw the day-to-day operations of a judicial system with more than 9,000 judges and staff, including the civil, criminal, and family divisions; probation services; operations management; and the office of information technology. He also chaired numerous committees, including those that dealt with access and fairness, the use of artificial intelligence in the courts, strategic planning, municipal court reform, and landlord/tenant issues.

“Over the past 16 years, we’ve tried to advance the work of the courts in a way that benefits our society,” Judge Grant said. “I believe that a strong Judiciary is essential to a strong democracy. A strong Judiciary protects the safety and wellbeing of our children, provides a forum for those who seek compensation for loss, ensures that disputes are resolved in a fair and equitable manner, provides opportunity for those who want to rehabilitate themselves, and upholds justice in a civil manner so that we can maintain an orderly society. Every day, the justices, judges, and staff play a vital role in ensuring the wellbeing of our community, and it has been my honor to be involved in that effort.”

During Judge Grant’s tenure as acting administrative director, the Judiciary administered many noteworthy statewide reforms. Among them:

• In 2017, the state implemented the most significant transformation to its criminal justice system in decades, moving away from a reliance on monetary bail to adopt an objective risk-based system to determine the conditions of a defendant’s release. The courts added a pretrial services unit in each vicinage to help administer Criminal Justice Reform, and the program became a national model.
• The development of eCourts, an electronic filing system, improved access to the courts for attorneys and the public alike, and later allowed the court to convert to a virtual system so it could continue to operate and serve the public during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• New initiatives directed by Judge Grant include a program that helped create employment opportunities for graduates of Recovery Court and other probation services clients; wellness programs; the Gun Violence Reduction Initiative; and the annual Supreme Court Action Plan, which identifies specific steps to eliminate barriers to equitable justice for people of color and other historically marginalized groups.  

“I’m proud of the way we have worked collaboratively with the other branches of government to make our justice system fairer and more accountable,” Judge Grant said. “Under the leadership of Chief Justice Rabner, we have faced and overcome many challenges including, but not limited to, a judicial vacancy crisis and a worldwide pandemic.”

Judge Grant’s successor, Judge Blee, has served as the assignment judge for the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage since March 2022. Before that, he served as presiding judge of the vicinage’s chancery division and sat on the bench in the vicinage’s criminal and family divisions. Judge Blee also served as a municipal court judge, a municipal prosecutor, and a municipal public defender.

While leading the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage, Judge Blee also has played a key role on statewide committees such as the Supreme Court Special Committee on Wellness in the Law, the Budget and Planning Committee, and committees focused on the use of artificial intelligence, criminal justice reform, and elder justice.

“Judge Blee possesses a wide range of experience as well as the dedication, enthusiasm, and professionalism needed to succeed in his new role,” Chief Justice Rabner said. “We have the utmost confidence in his ability to continue the great tradition of leadership in the Administrative Office of the Courts.”

Judge Blee will work alongside Judge Grant until the end of March, when he will officially take over as administrative director.

“I admire both Judge Grant and Chief Justice Rabner for their obvious leadership qualities,” Judge Blee said. “I’m inspired and humbled by this new opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to serve the public and continuing the great work of the Administrative Office of the Courts.”