Gerald R. Stockman
Encyclopedia
Gerald R. Stockman is an American
attorney and politician who served 10 years in the New Jersey Senate
, from 1982 to 1992, where he represented the 15th Legislative District
.
Stockman earned his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross
in 1956 and received his law degree from the Villanova University School of Law
in 1959. He was a law clerk
for United States federal judge
s Thomas James Clary
in Pennsylvania
and Judge Thomas M. Madden
in New Jersey.
Stockman was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1981 to a two-year term of office, succeeding Wayne Bryant, who had been moved out of the 15th district in redistricting following the 1980 United States Census. He was re-elected to four-year terms of office in both 1983 and 1987. Stockman lost his 1991 re-election bid to Democrat Dick LaRossa
by a 50.9%-49.1% margin. Democrats had the goal of regaining some of the seats lost in the 1991 Republican landslide and Stockman challenged LaRossa for a second time in 1993, with the incumbent receiving endorsements from the AFL-CIO
, locals of the Communications Workers of America
and the New Jersey State Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Stockman lost to LaRossa again in 1993, this time by a margin of 52.3% to 47.7%.
Stockman supported legislation enabling fair housing
in New Jersey under the Mount Laurel doctrine
, stating in 1984 that there are "two unequal societies in the state - urban and suburban", earning for him recognition by The New York Times
as "one of the Legislature's strongest open-housing advocates". A bill proposed by Stockman in 1988 would cushion the impact of revaluation on local homeowners on their property tax
es by phasing in the increased tax burden over a three-year period, with the State of New Jersey covering any shortfalls to the municipality.
Following his departure from elected office, Stockman has been an attorney with the Hamilton Township
law firm of Kalavruzos, Mumola and Hartman, where his areas of practice include personal injury, products liability and medical malpractice
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and politician who served 10 years in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, from 1982 to 1992, where he represented the 15th Legislative District
15th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 15th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Mercer County municipalities of Ewing Township, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Pennington Borough, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township and Trenton...
.
Stockman earned his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in 1956 and received his law degree from the Villanova University School of Law
Villanova University School of Law
Villanova University School of Law is the law school of Villanova University, the oldest and largest Catholic University in Pennsylvania. Villanova was founded 150 years ago by the Augustinians, a prominent Roman Catholic teaching order...
in 1959. He was a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
s Thomas James Clary
Thomas James Clary
Thomas James Clary was a United States federal judge.Born in Seneca Falls, New York, Clary received an A.B. from Cornell University in 1920 and an LL.B. from Georgetown University Law School in 1924. He was in private practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1924 to 1949.On October 21, 1949,...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Judge Thomas M. Madden
Thomas M. Madden
Thomas M. Madden was a Federal judge who served on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey....
in New Jersey.
Stockman was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1981 to a two-year term of office, succeeding Wayne Bryant, who had been moved out of the 15th district in redistricting following the 1980 United States Census. He was re-elected to four-year terms of office in both 1983 and 1987. Stockman lost his 1991 re-election bid to Democrat Dick LaRossa
Dick LaRossa
Richard Joseph "Dick" LaRossa is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey Senate, from 1994 to 2000, where he represented the 15th Legislative District.- Early years and education :...
by a 50.9%-49.1% margin. Democrats had the goal of regaining some of the seats lost in the 1991 Republican landslide and Stockman challenged LaRossa for a second time in 1993, with the incumbent receiving endorsements from the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
, locals of the Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
and the New Jersey State Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Stockman lost to LaRossa again in 1993, this time by a margin of 52.3% to 47.7%.
Stockman supported legislation enabling fair housing
Fair housing
In the United States, the fair housing policies date largely from the 1960s. Originally, the terms fair housing and open housing came from a political movement of the time to outlaw discrimination in the rental or purchase of homes and a broad range of other housing-related transactions, such as...
in New Jersey under the Mount Laurel doctrine
Mount Laurel Doctrine
The Mount Laurel doctrine is a controversial judicial interpretation of the New Jersey State Constitution. The doctrine requires that municipalities use their zoning powers in an affirmative manner to provide a realistic opportunity for the production of housing affordable to low and moderate...
, stating in 1984 that there are "two unequal societies in the state - urban and suburban", earning for him recognition by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as "one of the Legislature's strongest open-housing advocates". A bill proposed by Stockman in 1988 would cushion the impact of revaluation on local homeowners on their property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es by phasing in the increased tax burden over a three-year period, with the State of New Jersey covering any shortfalls to the municipality.
Following his departure from elected office, Stockman has been an attorney with the Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 88,464...
law firm of Kalavruzos, Mumola and Hartman, where his areas of practice include personal injury, products liability and medical malpractice
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error. Standards and...
.