Mark A. Sullivan (August 11, 1911 – November 9, 2001) was an American judge and sat on the

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...

for eight years. Sullivan was born in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

to Judge Sullivan of the

New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals Prior to 1947, the structure of the judiciary in New Jersey was extremely complex, including Court of Errors and Appeals in the last resort in all causes. The Court of Errors and Appeals was the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey from ...

, which was at the time New Jersey's highest court. Sullivan received his high school education at

St. Peter's Preparatory School Saint Peter's Preparatory School (also known as Saint Peter's Prep or simply Prep) is an Private school, independent, College-preparatory school, preparatory, and Single-sex education, all-male day school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, Jers ...

, his undergraduate degree from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

and his law degree from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

.Carter, Kathy Barrett (2001
"Justice Sullivan, 'a state institution,' dies at 90"
''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition. In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...

'' (Newark, New Jersey), November 10, 2001, p. 29. Accessed April 2, 2025, via

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. During World War II he served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

as a combat intelligence officer aboard the escort aircraft carrier . In 1945 he was appointed as a judge in the 2nd District Court of Jersey City. After the 1947 Constitution changed the structure of the New Jersey judiciary, he sat in the same county, but now as Presiding Judge of the

Hudson County Hudson County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the North River (Hudson River), Hudson River, the No ...

District Court. In 1953, he was elevated to the

New Jersey Superior Court The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with statewide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The New Jersey Constitution of 1947 establishes the power of the New Jersey courts: under Article Six of the State Consti ...

."Statement of the New Jersey Supreme Court on the Death of Retired Associate Justice Mark A. Sullivan" November 13, 2001
, retrieved December 19, 2008 In 1959, Chief Justice

Joseph Weintraub Joseph Weintraub (1908–1977) was an American judge who graduated from Cornell Law School in 1930 and was Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1957 to 1973. He previously served as an associate justice of the same court from 1956 ...

, of the New Jersey Supreme Court, assigned him to the Appellate Division of Superior Court. Sullivan was appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court by Governor William T. Cahill and was sworn in on March 23, 1973. During his eight years on the court he authored many decisions, including the initial reversal of the murder conviction of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Sullivan retired from the New Jersey Supreme Court under the mandatory retirement provision of the New Jersey Constitution on August 11, 1981. Sullivan, however, continued to serve the judiciary as an adjunct judge in the Superior Court in Monmouth County, and in such high-profile cases as the recount of the gubernatorial election in 1981. itzgerald, Mark (2000) "An Election Recount Remembered" ''Editor & Publisher'' December 12, 2000 retrieved December 19, 2008 Sullivan also accepted a number of administrative assignments for the New Jersey Supreme Court, including several years service as the chairmanship of the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct.

Personal life

Sullivan was married to Mary Josephine Hamill, the daughter of Congressman James A. Hamill. Justice Sullivan's wife predeceased him by two years. They had one son.

Notes

External links

Photograph of the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1972
Justice Sullivan at the left. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Mark Justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey Georgetown University alumni Harvard Law School alumni Politicians from Jersey City, New Jersey St. Peter's Preparatory School alumni United States Navy officers 1911 births 2001 deaths 20th-century New Jersey state court judges Lawyers from Jersey City, New Jersey Military personnel from Jersey City, New Jersey