Garrett E. Brown Jr. is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. He joined the court in 1985 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan. Brown is the Chief Judge of the Court serving as the court's lead judicial administrative officer in conjunction with the Clerk of Court in the court's day to day operations.
A native of New Jersey, Brown graduated from Lafayette College with his Bachelor's Degree in 1965 and later graduated from the Duke University School of Law with his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1968.
Brown started his legal career as a law clerk for former State Supreme Court Justice Vincent Haneman in the Supreme Court of New Jersey from 1968 to 1969. Brown later joined the U.S. Attorney's Office as a Assistant U.S. Attorney serving out of the Newark branch from 1969 to 1973. Then from 1973 to 1981, Brown served as a private practice attorney licensed in the State of New Jersey. Brown later moved to Washington, DC as General counsel for the U.S. Government Printing Office from 1981 to 1983.
In 1983, Brown was nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Chief counsel for the U.S. Maritime Administration and served in that role until 1985 where he was Acting deputy maritime administrator for the U.S. Maritime Administration and served in that role until 1986.
Brown was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on October 23, 1985 to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333 which was approved by Congress. Brown was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 16, 1985 on a Senate vote and received commission on December 17, 1985. Brown has been the Chief Judge of the Court Since 2005.