The Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement Committee (DI&CE) helps the courts improve equality and outreach.
The goal of the DI&CE is to eliminate bias in the courts. The committee proposes policies and programs to the Supreme Court that will help the court system achieve this goal. They also research and report on the court system’s treatment of all groups.
The original Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns was formed in 1992. The name of the committee was changed in 2019 to better reflect its current mission.
The committee seeks to protect the rights of:
- People of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- People of every religion and cultural group.
- People of all economic backgrounds.
- People of every gender identity and sexual orientation.
The Committee
- Assesses the availability of court services and resources.
- Ensures self-represented litigants have access to services and resources.
- Works with practice divisions and non-Judiciary partners to improve court protocols.
- Facilitates community outreach in areas such as court access and job recruitment, as well as criminal justice and municipal court reforms.
- Works closely with the 15 vicinage advisory committees.
- Remains involved in the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts.
- Issues reports to the New Jersey Supreme Court every two years.
Committee Membership
Committee members are appointed by the Chief Justice. They serve for two years.
The committee includes:
- Superior court judges.
- Attorneys.
- Members of the community.
The committee has representatives from:
- The attorney general.
- The public defender.
- The New Jersey State Bar Association
- The Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association.
- The Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey.
- The Hispanic Bar Association.
- The Garden State Bar Association.
- The New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association.
- The New Jersey Association for Justice.
- The South Asian Bar Association.
- Legal Services of New Jersey.
Committee Contacts
Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Program Coordinator and Committee Staff
Committee Reports:
- SCC DI&CE Biennial Report 2019-2021
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2017-2019
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2015-2017
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2013-2015
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2009-2011
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2007-2009
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2004-2007
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2002-2004
- SCCMC Biennial Report 2000-2002
- SCCMC Biennial Report 1996-1998
- Final Report of the Supreme Court Task Force on Minority Concerns (1992)
- New Jersey Supreme Court Statement and Action Plan on Minority Concerns (1993)