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Peter Verniero (April 30, 1959, Montclair, New Jersey) 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

Verniero graduated summa cum laude from Drew University in 1981, where he was Phi Beta Kappa. He received a J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law in 1984.^[1]

Verniero was an attorney in private practice and active in Republican politics, when he was appointed Chief Counsel to the Governor by Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman in 1994. In this position he oversaw state authorities, legislation, executive orders, pardons, and judicial nominations for Whitman. In 1995, Verniero became Whitman's Chief of Staff.

In 1996, Whitman named Veniero as the Attorney General of New Jersey. Verniero was sworn in to the position on July 10, 1996.^[1] In this position, he oversaw state criminal justice, legal affairs, gaming enforcement, consumer affairs, highway safety, the state police and professional regulation. As the attorney general serves a term concurrent to that of the governor, Whitman renominated Verniero in January of 1998 and he was confirmed a second time by the State Senate on January 20, 1998.^[1]

In 1999, Whitman appointed Verniero as a state Supreme Court justice, a nomination that was considered controversial given Verniero's young age (he was 39 at the time of his nomination) and his lack of trial experience. In 2001, Verniero came under attack for statements he made to the New Jersey Senate during his confirmation hearings regarding racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police. Senators had said Verniero was not completely forthcoming regarding racial profiling during his tenure as attorney general, an accusation he strongly denied. An attempt to impeach Verniero failed in the New Jersey General Assembly.

Verniero previously had been named to a seven year term as a Supreme Court justice, expiring in 2006. Gov. James McGreevey had said he would not reappoint Verniero if he was governor in 2006. In 2004, Verniero announced his decision to step down as a justice for financial reasons and to avoid a fight over any potential reappointment.

By the time he left the court, however, Verniero's work as a justice had been widely praised even by his former critics, including Gov. McGreevey who said publicly that he had begun to reconsider reappointing Verniero had he remained on the bench. The Star-Ledger of Newark reported in an August 20, 2004, article that Verniero was leaving the bench with "a legacy of respect."

• Justice Peter G. Verniero

Preceded by Judy Shaw

Chief of Staff to the Governor of New Jersey 1995 – 1996

Succeeded by Harriett Derman

Preceded by Deborah T. Poritz

Attorney General of New Jersey 1996 – 1999

Succeeded by John Farmer Jr.

Attorneys General of New Jersey (Since 1947 State Constitution)
Parsons • Richman • Furman • Sills • Kugler • Hyland • Degnan • Zazzali • Kimmelman • Edwards • Perretti • Del Tufo • Poritz • Verniero • Farmer • Samson • Harvey • Farber • Rabner