Harriet E. Derman
Encyclopedia
Harriet E. Derman is an American
Republican Party
politician who was elected to two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
, where she represented the 18th Legislative District
from 1992 to 1996. She later served as head of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
, legal counsel and as chief of staff to Governor of New Jersey
Christine Todd Whitman
, and later served as a New Jersey Superior Court
judge.
A resident of Metuchen
, Derman is a graduate of the Seton Hall University School of Law
and had served in 1992 as president of the Middlesex County Bar Association and as first vice chairwoman of the taxation section of the New Jersey Bar Association.
Derman had been an attorney with the firm of Weiner, Hendler & Derman, specializing in tax law, when she was elected to the General Assembly in 1991 together with running mate Jeffrey A. Warsh
, knocking off Democratic incumbent George A. Spadoro
and his running mate Michael Baker. Derman supported a bill in 1992 that would allow doctors and lawyers to serve as intermediaries in arranging adoptions in the state, saying that "we should do everything we can to encourage adoption versus abortion". Derman and Warsh won re-election in 1993, defeating former Assemblymember Thomas H. Paterniti
and his running mate Matthew Vaughn.
After Christine Whitman took office in 1994, she named Derman to head the Department of Community Affairs, where she was responsible for a $1 billion budget and some 1,000 employees. Republican Joanna Gregory-Scocchi was chosen by a Republican special convention to fill Derman's vacancy. In a November 1994 special election, early favorite Gregory-Scocchi was defeated by Barbara Buono
, after disclosures that a temporary employment firm owned by Gregory-Scocchi had hired illegal immigrants.
Derman become Whitman's chief counsel in May 1996 and became her chief of staff a few weeks later when Peter Verniero
was named as New Jersey Attorney General
as part of a series of changes made after the resignation of New Jersey Supreme Court
Chief Justice Robert Wilentz
. Derman stepped down after 18 months as chief of staff, announcing in November 1997 that she would be leaving to spend more time with her family. Whitman announced that Derman would be named to serve as a New Jersey Superior Court judge. In July 2003, Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz
elevated Derman to be the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division of Superior Court in Somerset County
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician who was elected to two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, where she represented the 18th Legislative District
18th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 18th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of East Brunswick Township, Edison Township, Helmetta Borough, Metuchen Borough, South Plainfield Borough, South River Borough and Spotswood Borough As of the 2000 United States Census,...
from 1992 to 1996. She later served as head of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department is headed by Commissioner Lori Grifa...
, legal counsel and as chief of staff to Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
, and later served as a New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
judge.
A resident of Metuchen
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
, Derman is a graduate of the Seton Hall University School of Law
Seton Hall University School of Law
The Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law School is the only private law school in New Jersey, and is the top-ranked of the three law schools in the state...
and had served in 1992 as president of the Middlesex County Bar Association and as first vice chairwoman of the taxation section of the New Jersey Bar Association.
Derman had been an attorney with the firm of Weiner, Hendler & Derman, specializing in tax law, when she was elected to the General Assembly in 1991 together with running mate Jeffrey A. Warsh
Jeffrey A. Warsh
Jeffrey A. Warsh is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 18th Legislative District, which covers portions of Middlesex County...
, knocking off Democratic incumbent George A. Spadoro
George A. Spadoro
George A. Spadoro is an American Democratic Party politician who served three terms as Mayor of Edison, New Jersey, and two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 18th Legislative District.-Biography:...
and his running mate Michael Baker. Derman supported a bill in 1992 that would allow doctors and lawyers to serve as intermediaries in arranging adoptions in the state, saying that "we should do everything we can to encourage adoption versus abortion". Derman and Warsh won re-election in 1993, defeating former Assemblymember Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti is an American dentist and Democratic Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 18th Legislative District...
and his running mate Matthew Vaughn.
After Christine Whitman took office in 1994, she named Derman to head the Department of Community Affairs, where she was responsible for a $1 billion budget and some 1,000 employees. Republican Joanna Gregory-Scocchi was chosen by a Republican special convention to fill Derman's vacancy. In a November 1994 special election, early favorite Gregory-Scocchi was defeated by Barbara Buono
Barbara Buono
Barbara Buono is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where she represents the 18th Legislative District....
, after disclosures that a temporary employment firm owned by Gregory-Scocchi had hired illegal immigrants.
Derman become Whitman's chief counsel in May 1996 and became her chief of staff a few weeks later when Peter Verniero
Peter Verniero
Peter Verniero is a former Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and a former New Jersey Attorney General. He presently is an attorney in private practice in New Jersey-Biography:...
was named as New Jersey Attorney General
New Jersey Attorney General
The Attorney General of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state. The office is appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and term limited...
as part of a series of changes made after the resignation of New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
Chief Justice Robert Wilentz
Robert Wilentz
Robert Nathan Wilentz was Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1979 to 1996, making him the longest-serving Chief Justice since the Supreme Court became New Jersey's highest court in 1948.-Biography:...
. Derman stepped down after 18 months as chief of staff, announcing in November 1997 that she would be leaving to spend more time with her family. Whitman announced that Derman would be named to serve as a New Jersey Superior Court judge. In July 2003, Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz
Deborah T. Poritz
Deborah Tobias Poritz is an American jurist. She was the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1996 to 2006, and was the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1994 – 1996, in both cases becoming the first woman to serve in that position.-Biography:Poritz was born in Brooklyn, New...
elevated Derman to be the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division of Superior Court in Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
.