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September 15, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held Monday, September 21, 2009 at 10 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, Wayne where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
He will be laid to rest in the Murner family plot at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday from 2-5 PM.
This is a short story of a fellow who was gifted with great and practical intellect. A man who held court as a Municipal Judge with such skill and fairness that he was admired by everyone. It could be said with assurance “Well done oh good and faithful servant.”
James J. Murner “Judge Murner” age 90 of Wayne died on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at the Saint Josephs Hospital in Wayne. His passing was quiet and peaceful after having received the loving care of his family.
He was born in Paterson where he lived his formative years. James received his formal education at Saint Josephs Grammar School and then Saint Josephs High School. He proved himself to be an exemplary student and you would often find him reading books with gusto. After high school he went to Georgetown University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He then went to Harvard Law School where he received a Juris Doctorate Degree. He spent sixty-eight years in the legal profession.
Perhaps the most important mentor in his life was his father James J. Murner Sr. who was a lawyer. Jim followed in the footsteps of his father who was a well-known criminal lawyer in New Jersey and also served on the Passaic County Board of Taxation as Passaic County Tax Administrator.
Jim started his career as a law clerk to Judge Gerald McLaughlin of the United Sate Circuit Court of Appeals, following which he became a Professor of Law at John Marshall Law School where he proudly reported teaching several student who went on to become Superior Court Judges.
He was appointed as a Deputy Attorney General and was sent to Passaic County by the then Governor Robert Meyner. He served with distinction as the First Assistant Prosecutor to then Prosecutor Charles S. Joelson.
In was appointed the Municipal Court Judge in Wayne in 1970. He was considered the “senior judge” by other Municipal Court Judges in Passaic County, both because of the length of his service, thirty-nine years, and the breadth of his knowledge. His wit, compassion and intelligence have made him a legend within the Municipal Court system.
He once described himself as “Attila the Hun” regarding crime. However in his off hours he would spend Christmas Eve in a Santa Clause suit making Christmas deliveries to children and grandchildren of his friends. In administering the law he was not above salting his opinions with humor. In fact he was classic as an orator on legal issues before him. His quick wit and good judgment forgave many a legal sin that came before him. If you repeated your wayward ways he could also be one tough guy the next time around.
He once said the secret of being a good judge is to not always be judgmental.
As his father before him he served for many years on the Passaic County Board of Taxation as Passaic County Tax Administrator an office that supervises the county’s tax assessors.
He was still on the bench through his eighties and going strong.
A good example of his fine judgment is that he had a case before him by the local game warden. Seems a young fellow was brought to court for fishing on the banks of the river in Wayne. The judge found him not guilty. In his dialogue with the prosecutor he said “ I have heard evidence that this boy came to the riverbank. He opened up a tackle box, had a pole which he put over the water. He put a line on the pole but, you know, prosecutor I didn’t hear a word about him putting a hook on the line. This man is not guilty. “You can’t fish without a hook.” He was a kid fishing. We live in a sea of narcotic violations. You have to feel sorry for a kid arrested for something as innocuous as fishing.
One of Judge Murner’s famous quotes “So let it be written so let it be done.”
Judge Murner received very special care in his autumn years and the family would like to acknowledge the wonderful attention given by his special home care giver Cynthia.
Surviving are his sister Rita Murner Costello of Sea Girt and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother Peter P. Murner formerly of Hillsdale in 2001 and his sister Mary May formerly of River Edge in 1972.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Judge Murner’s memory are asked to consider The Wayne Police Athletic League, 100 PAL Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470 or The Wayne Township First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07470
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held Monday, September 21, 2009 at 10 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, Wayne where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
He will be laid to rest in the Murner family plot at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday from 2-5 PM.
September 15, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held Monday, September 21, 2009 at 10 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of Consolation RC Church, Wayne where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
He will be laid to rest in the Murner family plot at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday from 2-5 PM.
This is a short story of a fellow who was gifted with great and practical intellect. A man who held court as a Municipal Judge with such skill and fairness that he was admired by everyone. It could be said with assurance “Well done oh good and faithful servant.”
James J. Murner “Judge Murner” age 90 of Wayne died on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at the Saint Josephs Hospital in Wayne. His passing was quiet and peaceful after having received the loving care of his family.
He was born in Paterson where he lived his formative years. James received his formal education at Saint Josephs Grammar School and then Saint Josephs High School. He proved himself to be an exemplary student and you would often find him reading books with gusto. After high school he went to Georgetown University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He then went to Harvard Law School where he received a Juris Doctorate Degree. He spent sixty-eight years in the legal profession.
Perhaps the most important mentor in his life was his father James J. Murner Sr. who was a lawyer. Jim followed in the footsteps of his father who was a well-known criminal lawyer in New Jersey and also served on the Passaic County Board of Taxation as Passaic County Tax Administrator.
Jim started his career as a law clerk to Judge Gerald McLaughlin of the United Sate Circuit Court of Appeals, following which he became a Professor of Law at John Marshall Law School where he proudly reported teaching several student who went on to become Superior Court Judges.
He was appointed as a Deputy Attorney General and was sent to Passaic County by the then Governor Robert Meyner. He served with distinction as the First Assistant Prosecutor to then Prosecutor Charles S. Joelson.
In was appointed the Municipal Court Judge in Wayne in 1970. He was considered the “senior judge” by other Municipal Court Judges in Passaic County, both because of the length of his service, thirty-nine years, and the breadth of his knowledge. His wit, compassion and intelligence have made him a legend within the Municipal Court system.
He once described himself as “Attila the Hun” regarding crime. However in his off hours he would spend Christmas Eve in a Santa Clause suit making Christmas deliveries to children and grandchildren of his friends. In administering the law he was not above salting his opinions with humor. In fact he was classic as an orator on legal issues before him. His quick wit and good judgment forgave many a legal sin that came before him. If you repeated your wayward ways he could also be one tough guy the next time around.
He once said the secret of being a good judge is to not always be judgmental.
As his father before him he served for many years on the Passaic County Board of Taxation as Passaic County Tax Administrator an office that supervises the county’s tax assessors.
He was still on the bench through his eighties and going strong.
A good example of his fine judgment is that he had a case before him by the local game warden. Seems a young fellow was brought to court for fishing on the banks of the river in Wayne. The judge found him not guilty. In his dialogue with the prosecutor he said “ I have heard evidence that this boy came to the riverbank. He opened up a tackle box, had a pole which he put over the water. He put a line on the pole but, you know, prosecutor I didn’t hear a word about him putting a hook on the line. This man is not guilty. “You can’t fish without a hook.” He was a kid fishing. We live in a sea of narcotic violations. You have to feel sorry for a kid arrested for something as innocuous as fishing.
One of Judge Murner’s famous quotes “So let it be written so let it be done.”
Judge Murner received very special care in his autumn years and the family would like to acknowledge the wonderful attention given by his special home care giver Cynthia.
Surviving are his sister Rita Murner Costello of Sea Girt and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother Peter P. Murner formerly of Hillsdale in 2001 and his sister Mary May formerly of River Edge in 1972.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Judge Murner’s memory are asked to consider The Wayne Police Athletic League, 100 PAL Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470 or The Wayne Township First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07470
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