John McDonald confirmed as new Somerset County prosecutor

SOMERVILLE - The State Senate has confirmed Gov. Phil Murphy's nomination of John McDonald as Somerset County prosecutor.

The nomination cleared the State Senate on Wednesday. Murphy nominated the Watchung resident to the five-year term on June 9. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination on June 20.

McDonald had been serving as a Superior Court judge in the Family Division.

He is the second Somerset County judge to become a county prosecutor. Former Assignment Judge Yolanda Ciccone was nominated by Murphy in 2020 to become Middlesex County prosecutor.

McDonald became a Superior Court judge in July 2017 and has served in the Family Division. He faced mandatory retirement in 2024 at age 70.

A Watchung resident, McDonald is a graduate of Seton Hall Law School and served in private practice in Somerville with fellow Superior Court Judge Michael Rogers, who is retiring.

McDonald replaces Michael Robertson who resigned near the end of his term in late January to become a partner in an Essex County law firm. Robertson is also serving as Bridgewater Township's special counsel on police matters.

In his private practice in Somerville, McDonald had a statewide reputation for defending individuals in both civil and criminal litigation.

McDonald is a past president of the Somerset County Bar Association, and also served as president of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He served on the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee, and was also a member of the District XIII Ethics Committee. McDonald has been active in the Seton Hall Law School Inn of Court. He also received the 2012 Somerset County Professional Lawyer of the Year Award 

Annmarie Taggart, the deputy director of the Division of Criminal Justice in the Attorney General's Office, has been serving as the acting Somerset County prosecutor.

Earlier:Superior Court Judge John McDonald nominated for Somerset County prosecutor

McDonald previously was nominated by former Gov. Jon S. Corzine for the post in March 2009 to replace Wayne Forrest who had served as prosecutor for a dozen years.

But retired Sen. Kip Bateman used his privilege of senatorial courtesy to block the nomination.

When Corzine was defeated for reelection, former Gov. Chris Christie nominated Geoffrey Soriano for the job. However, Christie did not nominate Soriano for another term and Soriano served in the Attorney General’s Office before becoming executive director of the Somerset County Park Commission.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.