Biden nominates Semper as federal judge in NJ

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Jamel Semper, deputy chief of the criminal division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, was nominated for a federal judgeship by President Joe Biden.

In addition to New Jersey, the Democratic president announced his picks Sept. 6 for the bench in California, Hawaii and Oregon, bringing the total number of people he has offered for the federal judiciary to 188. According to Reuters, the U.S. Senate has confirmed 140 of those nominees. 

The latest choices “continue to fulfill the President’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country—both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds,” the White House said in a statement.

According to the administration, 62% of the overall nominees are people of color and 62% are women, keeping with Biden’s campaign pledge to diversify the federal bench. Additionally, 31% are black, 18% Asian American and 18% Hispanic.

Since 2018, Semper has been an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where he currently serves as deputy chief of the criminal division.

Prior to that, he was an assistant prosecutor in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office from 2013 to 2018 and an assistant prosecutor in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office from 2008 to 2013.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University in 2003, Semper went on to receive his juris doctorate in 2007 from Rutgers University School of Law. Following graduation, he spent a year as a law clerk for Essex County Superior Court Judge Harold Fullilove.

Semper was eyed in 2021 as a potential candidate to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with much support from influential Black ministers; however, the president instead nominated Philip Sellinger to the post.

Gov. Phil Murphy also reportedly considered Semper as New Jersey attorney general last year but ultimately named Matthew Platkin to the post.

Over the past two years, U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, both Democrats, have urged Biden to appoint federal court judges to address the state’s judicial emergency of several longstanding district court vacancies that began prior to the current administration.

If the Senate signs off on Semper, the 41-year-old will succeed John Michael Vazquez.

He will also be the ninth Federal District Judge of New Jersey whom the president has nominated and the U.S. Senate has confirmed. Other federal judges that have taken the bench include: Julien Neals, Zahid Quraishi, Christine O’Hearn, Karen Williams, Georgette Castner, Evelyn Padin, Michael Fabiarz and Robert Kirsch.

Booker described Semper as “a highly qualified nominee with a distinguished legal career and years of service to New Jersey at the state and federal levels.”

The senator went on to say, “I’m confident in his ability to preside over cases fairly and impartially. I thank President Biden for nominating Jamel Semper and I look forward to his hearing before the Judiciary Committee and confirmation by the Senate.”

Menendez stated, “For years, Mr. Semper has served the Garden State with fairness and compassion, dedicating his career to keeping New Jerseyans safe. Thanks to his community-focused approach to law enforcement, he enjoys the strong support of major voices and organizations within New Jersey’s diverse communities of color.”

“Should he be confirmed, Mr. Semper would further our collective effort to diversify our federal bench and help ensure that all individuals regardless of their background have access to equal justice under the law. I look forward to supporting Mr. Semper’s confirmation on the Senate floor and urge my colleagues to do the same,” the senator continued.

In a statement, Murphy said he was “thrilled” to see the latest nomination, saying that Semper’s “extensive legal experience, coupled with his commitment to public service, makes him well-qualified and ideally suited for the federal bench.”

The Democrat said, “I also want to commend President Biden, Senator Menendez, and Senator Booker for their outstanding selection, which reflects a continuing commitment to filling our federal judicial vacancies with individuals who represent both the breadth of the legal profession and the rich diversity of our state.”