NJ Republican Governor Chris Christie has not reappointed Justice John E. Wallace to the N.J. Supreme Court. This is the first time that a justice was not reappointed by a governor in the state.

New Jersey Supreme court justices must be reappointed to the bench after serving for 7 years. Many are asking if this is about race or politics. Either way, anyone of these two are wrong for New Jersey.

Wallace will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 in two years, but Christie couldn't wait. The governor will get at least three more chances to put his stamp on the court as other terms expire in the next three years, but Wallace had to go now.

Christie has chosen a resident of his own town of Mendham Township and someone who has spent much of her career in corporate litigation defending product liability cases. The woman named Anne M. Patterson, who is white, was selected as Justice Wallace's replacement.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the governor has his next opportunity to reappoint a justice. The next justice up for reappointment is the only Latino on the bench.