Civil Trials Resume In Union County Following Judge Shortage

ELIZABETH, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Three months after they were put on hold due to a shortage of judges, civil trials are resuming in one northern New Jersey county.

But The Star-Ledger reports that the civil trial calendar in Union County will likely be slow moving, since there are hundreds of backlogged cases and only four judges - two full-time and two part-time - are assigned to its civil division.

There are now nine judicial vacancies among the county's allotted 25 positions. But political battles are slowing down the process to get those spots filled.

Gov. Chris Christie has made three nominations to the Superior Court bench in Union. But Democrats on the state Senate's Judiciary Committee - which must confirm those nominations - have called the governor's picks unqualified.

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