The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) has sworn in the Honorable David B. Katz, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey, to President of the NCJFCJ Board of Directors. The Administrative Director of the New Jersey Courts, the Hon. Glenn A. Grant, administered the oath of office to Judge Katz.
“Judge Katz’s unwavering dedication to children and families will continue to bring improvements and positive outcomes to courts and communities,” said Joey Orduña Hastings, NCJFCJ CEO. “With his expertise and leadership, the NCJFCJ will continue to do its best and most inspiring work in our nation’s courtrooms.”
At the NCJFCJ, Judge Katz has been a Board Director since 2017 and has served as the vice-chair of the Family Violence and Domestic Relations Advisory Committee and as a member of several committees including Curriculum, Membership, and Legislative.
“I am extremely grateful for the support I have received from the Board of Directors and staff, as well as from the leadership in the New Jersey judiciary, and I am looking forward to working on many initiatives to advance the interests of families and children on a national level as the President of the NCJFCJ,” said Judge Katz.
Judge Katz was appointed to the Superior Court of New Jersey in 2008. He currently serves as the Presiding Judge in the Family Division in the Essex Vicinage. Judge Katz is Chair of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Family Practice Committee and the immediate past Chair of the Conference of Presiding Family Judges and in that capacity served as a member of New Jersey’s Judicial Council. Judge Katz has also served as the Lead Judge for Children in Court, Lead Judge for Domestic Violence, Lead Judge for the Children in Court docket, the Family Drug Court Judge and Chair of the Model Court. He is a former Chair of the state-wide Domestic Violence Working Group as well as the Essex County Domestic Violence Working Group.
Judge Katz has been appointed as Chair or member of nearly 15 committees, ad hoc committees or special committees dealing with family-related issues, and is a frequent presenter at education conferences. He has also served as Vice President of the New Jersey Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
From 2013-2015, Judge Katz was assigned to the Chancery Division, General Equity. Judge Katz received his law degree from Seton Hall Law School in 1987, with honors, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Seton Hall Law Review. He also has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Fairleigh-Dickinson University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware. Judge Katz is a former law clerk to the Hon. Garrett E. Brown, Jr., United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey.
Judge Katz is active in his community where he served three terms as Mayor and 15 years as a member of his local Emergency First Aid squad as an EMT. He is also a 20-year volunteer at a local food kitchen. He and wife Diane have been married for 36 years and have two sons.
Judge Katz was sworn in at the NCJFCJ’s 85th annual conference. The NCJFCJ has released its resolution, celebrating 85 years serving children and families who seek justice. For more information, visit NCJFCJ.org.