Thomas W. Sumners Jr. at a glance
- Current role
- Chief Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New Jersey · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Thomas W. Sumners Jr.
Chief Judge · Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division
Biography
Professional career
- After retiring from the judiciary in 2026, Sumners joined Szaferman Lakind, a Trenton-based law firm, as Of Counsel.
- Distinguished New Jersey judge who held the role of Chief Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division from 2023 until his retirement in 2026
- Chief Judge: In April 2023, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner appointed him Chief Judge of the Appellate Division, succeeding Carmen Messano
Education
Additional information
- Appellate Division: In 2014, he was elevated to the Appellate Division, Part F
- Early assignments: He served in the Civil and Criminal Divisions before being assigned to the Mercer County criminal bench in 2011
- Appointments: Governor Jon Corzine nominated Sumners to the New Jersey Superior Court in 2008
- This marks a transition from judicial service to a legal advisory role, leveraging his decades of experience in trial and appellate law
- Early career: Before joining the bench, Sumners practiced law with Sumners George & Dortch and held the role of attorney for the Trenton Board of Education.
- He also held leadership roles in the New Jersey legal community, including chairing the State Bar Association’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Media Access And Electronic Devices
Statewide
New Jersey statewide Supreme Court guidelines govern media access and electronic devices in courtrooms; recording, photography, broadcasting, and transmission require compliance with the published approval process and courtroom restrictions.
Transmission, broadcasting, recording and/or photographing is prohibited at any proceeding closed by court order, statute, or Rule of Court.New Jersey Courts ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
New Jersey Courts
Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
New Jersey Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New Jersey Courts official judicial roster ↗