New Jersey Crime Victims' Law Center

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I have been a practicing lawyer in the State of New Jersey for over 40 years. I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1972 where I was named to the Order of the Coif and served on the Editorial Board of the Kentucky Law Journal. For over a quarter century, my entire law practice has been devoted to the representation of crime victims in the criminal and civil justice systems.

In 1989, my 17-year-old son, Tony was murdered and my family and I soon discovered the harsh reality of the criminal justice system for crime victims. The inappropriate treatment of us resulted in my establishing the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center; the first pro bono law clinic in the United States devoted to protecting and advocating the civil rights of crime victims in the criminal justice system. The Victims’ Law Center has served over 10,000 victims of violent crime since it was founded in 1992.

I was fortunate enough to be at the beginning of the grassroots crime victims’ rights movement in New Jersey, and I have dedicated the last two decades to serving victims and training and educating the legal profession and the public on the subject of victims’ rights. In 2003, I was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board, and I have had the opportunity to be involved in the writing of much of the victims’ rights legislation in New Jersey, including the Victim’s Rights Constitutional Amendment in 1991 and the Alex DeCroce Bill of Rights in 2012.

As an attorney, I have appeared before the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States in significant cases involving the rights of victims. In 2009, I received the prestigious American Bar Association Criminal Justice Lawyer of the Year Award for my work in victims’ rights and in 2013 I was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the Russell Berrie Foundation at Ramapo College.

I also serve as of counsel to the law firm of DiFrancesco Bateman of Warren, New Jersey where I helped establish the Crime Victim Civil Litigation Practice Group.

The New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center is dedicated to the life and memory of Tony Pompelio.

A more detailed resume of my career is provided below.

Richard Pompelio

PROFESSION: Attorney at Law

Executive Director
New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center
61 Spring Street – 4th Floor
Newton, NJ 07860
973-729-9342
rpompelio@yahoo.com

AREA OF CONCENTRATION:
The legal representation of crime victims in the criminal and civil justice systems.

BACKGROUND:
University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Kentucky
Juris Doctor, summa cum laude - 1972
Honors: Order of the Coif; Editorial Board - Law Review;

Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New Jersey
Bachelor of Science, cum laude - 1969
Honors: University Business Honors Council, Dean’s and High Honors List

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE FOLLOWING COURTS:
All New Jersey State Courts - 1972
Federal District Court, New Jersey - 1972
All New York State Courts - 1983
Federal District Court, E.D., New York - 1983
United States Supreme Court - 1983

GOVERNMENTAL APPOINTED POSITIONS:

Municipal Prosecutor, Borough of Netcong, New Jersey, 1974 to 2001
Board of Adjustment Attorney, Borough of Netcong, New Jersey, 1976 to 1984
Municipal Attorney, Township of Roxbury, New Jersey, 1987 to 1992
Special Counsel to the Attorney General of New Jersey on Victims’ Rights and Criminal Justice matters 2001
Advisor to State Juvenile Justice Commission - Restorative Justice Project focusing on rehabilitation of juveniles in the justice system 1998 – 2001
Chairman-New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board 2003 – 2005

DIRECT CLIENT AND AMICUS CURIAE FILINGS IN THE FOLLOWING COURTS:

United States Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Superior Court
New York Supreme Court

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES:

Founder and Executive Director of the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center, 1992 to present
President of New Jersey Crime Victims’ Bar Association 2008 to present
President of Victims’ Rights Alliance of New Jersey 2009 to present
Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice pro bono Program 1996 to present
New Jersey Association of Crime Victims’ Advocates 1996 to present
Advisory Board-End Violence Now, Bergen County, NJ 2000 to present
Board of Trustees-Karen Ann Quinlan Center of Hope Hospice Center - 2000 to 2009
Faculty Member of the New Jersey Crime Victim Law Institute programs on victims’ rights- affiliated with Lewis & Clarke Law School, Portland, Oregon 2006, 2007
Organizer and Co-Sponsor with Office of the Attorney General and Victims’ of Crime Compensation Board of Statewide Summit on Criminal Justice and Victims’ Rights, 2000, 2001 and 2003.
Advisory Board - Morris County Domestic Violence Task Force 2001
Advisor to Council of State Governments on Victims’ Rights, 1999, 2000
Advisory Board - END DWI, Inc. 1995 to 2000
Advisory Board - Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. of Sussex County, NJ 1996 to 1999
Vice Chair - New Jersey Assembly Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, 1997-98
New Jersey State Attorney General’s Advisory Board on Establishing Megan’s Law Standards 1994-1995
Legal Counsel to the New Jersey Crime Victim’s Constitutional Amendment Committee 1990-1991
Legal Counsel, liaison to Governor and Executive Board Member of Roxbury Municipal Alliance Committee on Drug & Alcohol Abuse 1989 - 1991

Memberships (includes past & present) - New Jersey Bar Association; Morris County Bar Association; Sussex County Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association, National Crime Victims’ Bar Association, National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA), National Association of Victims Rights Attorneys (NAVRA) – Advisory Board.

TEACHING AFFILIATIONS:

Seton Hall Law School, Newark, N.J. – Victims’ Rights Legal Clinic – 1998 to present
Sussex County Community College, Newton, N.J. – Adjunct professor in Criminal Justice and Victimology – 2007 to present
Centenary College, Hackettstown, N.J. – Adjunct professor in Victimology – 2009 to 2012.
Fairleigh Dickinson – Graduate School - Adjunct professor in Victims’ Rights – 2013

HONORS & AWARDS:

The College of New Jersey Criminal Justice Award - 2014
Ramapo College – The Russ Bernie Award for Making a Difference - 2013
Hudson County Prosecutor Victim Service Award – 2012
American Bar Association Criminal Justice National Attorney of the Year Award 2009
Sussex County Annual Law Day-Lawyer of the Year 2008
Rowan University Annual Criminal Justice Award 2008
Birth Haven Citizen of the Year 2007
Sussex County New Jersey Human Spirit Award 2005
Fathers Against Guns Victim Service Award Plainfield, NJ 2005
Harold Meltz Memorial Achievement Award – Mothers Against Drunk Driving 2005
New Jersey Chapter of National Assn. of Social Workers Citizen of the Year Award 2005
Federal Bureau of Investigation Victim Service Award 2004
National Crime Victim Law Institute Distinguished Service to Victims Award 2004
Essex County Prosecutor’s Victim Services Award & establishment of Richard Pompelio Victim Services Award 2004
Sussex County Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Award 2003
New Jersey Association of Crime Victims Advocates - 2002 State Victim Services Award
National Crime Victim Bar Association - Victim Advocate of the Year 2002
New Jersey Association of Probation Officers - Advocate of the Year Award – 2001
National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) - Victim Advocate of the Year – 2001
James A. Meyers Memorial Award presented by South Jersey Survivors of Violent Burlington County, New Jersey – 2001
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Crime Victims Advocate Award – 2000
Sussex County Service to Community Award – 1998
MADD statewide Victim Services Award – 1998
United States Department of Justice Special Recognition Awards for Work in Victims’ Rights 1993 & 1998
UNICO Citizen of the Year Award 1998
Morris County Prosecutor’s Victim’s Service Special Recognition Award – 1997
Sparta/Andover Fraternal Order of Police Citizen of the Year Award – 1997
August E. Greiner Award for Services to Crime Victims by the New Jersey Private Detectives Association - May 1993
New Jersey State Prosecutor’s Victim Services Award - April 1993

MEDIA APPEARANCES: List furnished on request

MAJOR PUBLICATIONS:

Book – Crime Victims’ Rights, Equal Justice Publishing 2009. (Currently 10,000 copies in print)
Magazine - Victim Voice, Vol. 1 2006 (7,500 distribution) available at http://www.njcvlc.org/reference/victims-voice/index.php
Magazine - Victim Voice, Vol. 1 2007 (10,000 distribution) available at http://www.njcvlc.org/reference/victims-voice/index.php

SEMINARS, CONFERENCESAND MAJOR PUBLIC SPEAKING APPEARANCES

ICLE credit trainings for NJICLE, County Prosecutors’ Offices, County Bar Associations 2011, 2012, 2013
Governor’s Council on Women 2011
New Jersey Parole Board 2011
New Jersey Victim Assistance Academy 2010, 2011
National Crime Victim Conventions 2005 – 2011
National Crime Victim Bar Association 2010
National Crime Victim Law Institute, Portland Oregon 2004, 2005 and 2006, 2007, 2008
Rowan University Criminal Justice Symposium 2008
National Crime Victim Bar Association 2003, 2008
South Jersey Victims’ Annual Victims’ Rights Conference –1994, 2005, 2007, & 2008
Maryland Victim Resource Center HOPE Conference 2006
New Jersey Prosecutor’s Association 2003 & 2005, 2007
Judicial College of New Jersey State Judges’ Training 1991 & 2004
New Jersey Association of Victim’s Advocates 2004 & 2005
Statewide 2 day Attorney Training Program on representing victims in the criminal and civil justice systems 2004 & 2005, sponsor and developer of program
National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards 2004 & 2005
National Organization of Victim Assistance International Conference 2002
New Jersey Victim’s Rights Summit 2000 & 2001
Eagleton Institute, Rutgers University 2001
New Jersey Probation & Correction Association 2001
MADD of Morris County, Sussex County & New Jersey - various years
South Jersey/Philadelphia Victims’ Rights Conference for Health Care Providers 1996
Victims’ Rights Vigils in numerous counties throughout New Jersey – Keynote Speaker 1991-present
CASA -Court Appointed Special Advocates Conference 2005
Speaking before numerous college and high school classes, public and private service organizations and victim advocacy groups

LEGISLATION PARTICIPATION – Richard Pompelio has been directly involved in the development of the following bipartisan legislation and has testified in support of its passage:

Major Revision to Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights – N.J.S.A. 52:4B-36 became law in 2012.
Total restructuring of Victims of Crime Compensation Board statutory provisions and elimination of highly paid patronage positions 2007
Governor’s Task Force Commission on the Implementation of the Death Penalty 2007
Public Right to Know Law 2000
Amendment to Bill of Rights – Financial protection for Victims 2000
Tony Pompelio Memorial Scholarship for victims of crime 2000
State Assembly Domestic Violence Task Force & legislative reform 1998- 2001
Amendment to Bill of Rights - Use of Photograph at sentencing by homicide survivor (Nielsa’s Law -1999)
Abolition of statute of limitations in civil lawsuits involving murder & manslaughter 1998
Medical Examiner’s Death Certificate Correction Law 1996
Abolition of statute of limitations in crime of sexual assault (Susan’s Law) 1996
State Assembly Juvenile Justice Task Force & Juvenile Justice Legislative Reform 1995
Denial of visitation to individual convicted of killing other parent Massachusetts Assembly on Lizzie’s Law (proposed similar legislation in NJ)
Parental Responsibility Act 1995
Clemency Law – Major notice to victims revisions 1993
Constitutional Amendment, Article 1, par. 22 of the New Jersey Constitution 1991
Amendment to Bill of Rights - Victim Impact Statements 1991



Home » Events I have been a practicing lawyer in the State of New Jersey for over 40 years. I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1972 where I was named to the Order of the Coif and served on the Editorial Board of the Kentucky Law Journal. For over a quarter century, my entire law practice has been devoted to the representation of crime victims in the criminal and civil justice systems. In 1989, my 17-year-old son, Tony was murdered and my family and I soon discovered the harsh reality of the criminal justice system for crime victims. The inappropriate treatment of us resulted in my establishing the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center; the first pro bono law clinic in the United States devoted to protecting and advocating the civil rights of crime victims in the criminal justice system. The Victims’ Law Center has served over 10,000 victims of violent crime since it was founded in 1992. I was fortunate enough to be at the beginning of the grassroots crime victims’ rights movement in New Jersey, and I have dedicated the last two decades to serving victims and training and educating the legal profession and the public on the subject of victims’ rights. In 2003, I was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board, and I have had the opportunity to be involved in the writing of much of the victims’ rights legislation in New Jersey, including the Victim’s Rights Constitutional Amendment in 1991 and the Alex DeCroce Bill of Rights in 2012. As an attorney, I have appeared before the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States in significant cases involving the rights of victims. In 2009, I received the prestigious American Bar Association Criminal Justice Lawyer of the Year Award for my work in victims’ rights and in 2013 I was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the Russell Berrie Foundation at Ramapo College. I also serve as of counsel to the law firm of DiFrancesco Bateman of Warren, New Jersey where I helped establish the Crime Victim Civil Litigation Practice Group. The New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center is dedicated to the life and memory of Tony Pompelio. A more detailed resume of my career is provided below. Richard Pompelio PROFESSION: Attorney at Law Executive Director New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center 61 Spring Street – 4th Floor Newton, NJ 07860 973-729-9342 rpompelio@yahoo.com AREA OF CONCENTRATION: The legal representation of crime victims in the criminal and civil justice systems. BACKGROUND: University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Kentucky Juris Doctor, summa cum laude - 1972 Honors: Order of the Coif; Editorial Board - Law Review; Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New Jersey Bachelor of Science, cum laude - 1969 Honors: University Business Honors Council, Dean’s and High Honors List ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE FOLLOWING COURTS: All New Jersey State Courts - 1972 Federal District Court, New Jersey - 1972 All New York State Courts - 1983 Federal District Court, E.D., New York - 1983 United States Supreme Court - 1983 GOVERNMENTAL APPOINTED POSITIONS: Municipal Prosecutor, Borough of Netcong, New Jersey, 1974 to 2001 Board of Adjustment Attorney, Borough of Netcong, New Jersey, 1976 to 1984 Municipal Attorney, Township of Roxbury, New Jersey, 1987 to 1992 Special Counsel to the Attorney General of New Jersey on Victims’ Rights and Criminal Justice matters 2001 Advisor to State Juvenile Justice Commission - Restorative Justice Project focusing on rehabilitation of juveniles in the justice system 1998 – 2001 Chairman-New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board 2003 – 2005 DIRECT CLIENT AND AMICUS CURIAE FILINGS IN THE FOLLOWING COURTS: United States Supreme Court New Jersey Supreme Court New Jersey Superior Court New York Supreme Court PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES: Founder and Executive Director of the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center, 1992 to present President of New Jersey Crime Victims’ Bar Association 2008 to present President of Victims’ Rights Alliance of New Jersey 2009 to present Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice pro bono Program 1996 to present New Jersey Association of Crime Victims’ Advocates 1996 to present Advisory Board-End Violence Now, Bergen County, NJ 2000 to present Board of Trustees-Karen Ann Quinlan Center of Hope Hospice Center - 2000 to 2009 Faculty Member of the New Jersey Crime Victim Law Institute programs on victims’ rights- affiliated with Lewis & Clarke Law School, Portland, Oregon 2006, 2007 Organizer and Co-Sponsor with Office of the Attorney General and Victims’ of Crime Compensation Board of Statewide Summit on Criminal Justice and Victims’ Rights, 2000, 2001 and 2003. Advisory Board - Morris County Domestic Violence Task Force 2001 Advisor to Council of State Governments on Victims’ Rights, 1999, 2000 Advisory Board - END DWI, Inc. 1995 to 2000 Advisory Board - Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. of Sussex County, NJ 1996 to 1999 Vice Chair - New Jersey Assembly Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, 1997-98 New Jersey State Attorney General’s Advisory Board on Establishing Megan’s Law Standards 1994-1995 Legal Counsel to the New Jersey Crime Victim’s Constitutional Amendment Committee 1990-1991 Legal Counsel, liaison to Governor and Executive Board Member of Roxbury Municipal Alliance Committee on Drug & Alcohol Abuse 1989 - 1991 Memberships (includes past & present) - New Jersey Bar Association; Morris County Bar Association; Sussex County Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association, National Crime Victims’ Bar Association, National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA), National Association of Victims Rights Attorneys (NAVRA) – Advisory Board. TEACHING AFFILIATIONS: Seton Hall Law School, Newark, N.J. – Victims’ Rights Legal Clinic – 1998 to present Sussex County Community College, Newton, N.J. – Adjunct professor in Criminal Justice and Victimology – 2007 to present Centenary College, Hackettstown, N.J. – Adjunct professor in Victimology – 2009 to 2012. Fairleigh Dickinson – Graduate School - Adjunct professor in Victims’ Rights – 2013 HONORS & AWARDS: The College of New Jersey Criminal Justice Award - 2014 Ramapo College – The Russ Bernie Award for Making a Difference - 2013 Hudson County Prosecutor Victim Service Award – 2012 American Bar Association Criminal Justice National Attorney of the Year Award 2009 Sussex County Annual Law Day-Lawyer of the Year 2008 Rowan University Annual Criminal Justice Award 2008 Birth Haven Citizen of the Year 2007 Sussex County New Jersey Human Spirit Award 2005 Fathers Against Guns Victim Service Award Plainfield, NJ 2005 Harold Meltz Memorial Achievement Award – Mothers Against Drunk Driving 2005 New Jersey Chapter of National Assn. of Social Workers Citizen of the Year Award 2005 Federal Bureau of Investigation Victim Service Award 2004 National Crime Victim Law Institute Distinguished Service to Victims Award 2004 Essex County Prosecutor’s Victim Services Award & establishment of Richard Pompelio Victim Services Award 2004 Sussex County Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Award 2003 New Jersey Association of Crime Victims Advocates - 2002 State Victim Services Award National Crime Victim Bar Association - Victim Advocate of the Year 2002 New Jersey Association of Probation Officers - Advocate of the Year Award – 2001 National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) - Victim Advocate of the Year – 2001 James A. Meyers Memorial Award presented by South Jersey Survivors of Violent Burlington County, New Jersey – 2001 Bergen County Prosecutor’s Crime Victims Advocate Award – 2000 Sussex County Service to Community Award – 1998 MADD statewide Victim Services Award – 1998 United States Department of Justice Special Recognition Awards for Work in Victims’ Rights 1993 & 1998 UNICO Citizen of the Year Award 1998 Morris County Prosecutor’s Victim’s Service Special Recognition Award – 1997 Sparta/Andover Fraternal Order of Police Citizen of the Year Award – 1997 August E. Greiner Award for Services to Crime Victims by the New Jersey Private Detectives Association - May 1993 New Jersey State Prosecutor’s Victim Services Award - April 1993 MEDIA APPEARANCES: List furnished on request MAJOR PUBLICATIONS: Book – Crime Victims’ Rights, Equal Justice Publishing 2009. (Currently 10,000 copies in print) Magazine - Victim Voice, Vol. 1 2006 (7,500 distribution) available at http://www.njcvlc.org/reference/victims-voice/index.php Magazine - Victim Voice, Vol. 1 2007 (10,000 distribution) available at http://www.njcvlc.org/reference/victims-voice/index.php SEMINARS, CONFERENCESAND MAJOR PUBLIC SPEAKING APPEARANCES ICLE credit trainings for NJICLE, County Prosecutors’ Offices, County Bar Associations 2011, 2012, 2013 Governor’s Council on Women 2011 New Jersey Parole Board 2011 New Jersey Victim Assistance Academy 2010, 2011 National Crime Victim Conventions 2005 – 2011 National Crime Victim Bar Association 2010 National Crime Victim Law Institute, Portland Oregon 2004, 2005 and 2006, 2007, 2008 Rowan University Criminal Justice Symposium 2008 National Crime Victim Bar Association 2003, 2008 South Jersey Victims’ Annual Victims’ Rights Conference –1994, 2005, 2007, & 2008 Maryland Victim Resource Center HOPE Conference 2006 New Jersey Prosecutor’s Association 2003 & 2005, 2007 Judicial College of New Jersey State Judges’ Training 1991 & 2004 New Jersey Association of Victim’s Advocates 2004 & 2005 Statewide 2 day Attorney Training Program on representing victims in the criminal and civil justice systems 2004 & 2005, sponsor and developer of program National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards 2004 & 2005 National Organization of Victim Assistance International Conference 2002 New Jersey Victim’s Rights Summit 2000 & 2001 Eagleton Institute, Rutgers University 2001 New Jersey Probation & Correction Association 2001 MADD of Morris County, Sussex County & New Jersey - various years South Jersey/Philadelphia Victims’ Rights Conference for Health Care Providers 1996 Victims’ Rights Vigils in numerous counties throughout New Jersey – Keynote Speaker 1991-present CASA -Court Appointed Special Advocates Conference 2005 Speaking before numerous college and high school classes, public and private service organizations and victim advocacy groups LEGISLATION PARTICIPATION – Richard Pompelio has been directly involved in the development of the following bipartisan legislation and has testified in support of its passage: Major Revision to Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights – N.J.S.A. 52:4B-36 became law in 2012. Total restructuring of Victims of Crime Compensation Board statutory provisions and elimination of highly paid patronage positions 2007 Governor’s Task Force Commission on the Implementation of the Death Penalty 2007 Public Right to Know Law 2000 Amendment to Bill of Rights – Financial protection for Victims 2000 Tony Pompelio Memorial Scholarship for victims of crime 2000 State Assembly Domestic Violence Task Force & legislative reform 1998- 2001 Amendment to Bill of Rights - Use of Photograph at sentencing by homicide survivor (Nielsa’s Law -1999) Abolition of statute of limitations in civil lawsuits involving murder & manslaughter 1998 Medical Examiner’s Death Certificate Correction Law 1996 Abolition of statute of limitations in crime of sexual assault (Susan’s Law) 1996 State Assembly Juvenile Justice Task Force & Juvenile Justice Legislative Reform 1995 Denial of visitation to individual convicted of killing other parent Massachusetts Assembly on Lizzie’s Law (proposed similar legislation in NJ) Parental Responsibility Act 1995 Clemency Law – Major notice to victims revisions 1993 Constitutional Amendment, Article 1, par. 22 of the New Jersey Constitution 1991 Amendment to Bill of Rights - Victim Impact Statements 1991