Ocean County Prosecutor to be Nominated as Superior Court Judge

It appears Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford is poised to return to her former job as a Superior Court judge.

Gov. Christie on Monday filed a notice of intent to nominate Ford to again serve on the bench, said Ford on Tuesday afternoon. (That is also confirmed on the state legislature's website.)

"I don't know yet where I will be assigned, that's up to the chief justice," said Ford, who lives in Toms River. "It depends where the need is."

The governor is required by the state Constitution to file a notice of intent seven days before nominating candidates to serve as Superior Court judges, Ford explained.

Ford's five-year appointment as county prosecutor expired on June 26, 2012, but she said last year that she would be legally required to continue in her role until a successor is appointed. She had been appointed by Gov. Corzine in June 2007.

The senate has not yet voted to confirm Coronato, according to a staff member in Coronato's law office, Coronato, Brady and Kunz, 12 Madison Ave., Toms River.

Coronato, a longtime Toms River resident and attorney, was not immediately available for comment.

When Coronato's nomination was made last June, Ford said at the time that she hoped to serve in another public capacity, but that nothing had been offered to her at that time.

Ford, a former state Assembly member, was nominated in 1992 by Gov. Florio to be a Superior Court judge, according to her bio. (To see past story with Ford's attached bio, click here.)

Ford served in the family division for four years and for ten years in the civil division. In 2006, she was appointed by Chief Justice Zazzali to be Presiding Judge of the Family Division.