Honorable Raymond A. Batten is Of Counsel at the firm in the Business Litigation Department. Judge Batten devotes his entire practice to serving as an arbitrator or mediator in a wide variety of matters and disputes throughout New Jersey. With more than 20 years on the bench, Judge Batten’s significant and diverse experience as a trial judge provides clients with a unique judicial perspective.
Serving statewide in all 21 New Jersey counties, Judge Batten holds the distinction of not only being on the Approved Roster of Civil Mediators (Rule 1:40) and the Approved Roster of Family Mediators (Rule 1:40), but is an Approved Rule 4:21A Arbitrator, and an Approved Roster Panelist for the American Arbitration Association. He is also a Certified Mediator for the United States District Court, District of New Jersey.
In 1992, at age 38, Judge Batten was appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court by Governor James Florio. In 1999, he was reappointed for tenure by Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Judge Batten served the first ten years (1992-2002) of his twenty-three year judicial career in the Family Part of Vicinage I (Atlantic/Cape May Counties). He then served ten years in the Criminal Part in those counties through his appointment as Presiding Judge, Chancery Division, on March 1, 2013, where he served through his September 1, 2015 retirement. Twelve of Judge Batten’s trial opinions were published by the Committee on Opinions. Over the course of his career, he disposed of more than 73,400 Family Part cases, 10,500 Criminal Part cases, 1170 Chancery cases, and 340 adoptions. Prior to his judgeship, Judge Batten served as municipal prosecutor in Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, Middle Township and Lower Township, planning board solicitor in Dennis Township, and municipal solicitor in Wildwood and Middle Township, all in Cape May County. He is married to the former Mary Frances Boles; Ray and Mary Frances are the proud parents of three daughters: Alexis Binder (Villanova Law 2007); Bryna (Widener Law 2013) and Dylan (Widener Law 2014). The Batten family resides in Cape May, New Jersey.
Prior to joining Archer, Judge Batten was appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court by Governor Jim Florio in 1992 and was reappointed for tenure in 1999. Judge Batten served on the criminal division of the Cape May County Court from 2002 to 2013. He was reassigned as the presiding judge of the General Equity Division for Vicinage 1 in 2013. Prior to his judgeship, Judge Batten was a former Assemblyman from New Jersey’s 1st district and a former municipal prosecutor.
Judge Batten earned his J.D. from the Widener University School of Law in 1979 and his B.A. from Princeton University in 1976.
Articles and Presentations
- State in Interest of J.S., 273 N.J. Super. 450, 642 A.2d 430 (1994) ;
- NJ Div. of Youth and Family Services v. RW, 273 N.J. Super. 365, 641 A.2d. 1124 (1994);
- Shambaugh v. Wolk, 302 N.J. Super. 380, 695, A.2d 382 (1996);
- State of Interest of A.H. 304 N.J. Super. 34, 597 A.2d 964 (1997);
- Matter of Seized Firearms Identification Card of Hand, 304 N.J. Super. 360, 700 A.2d 904 (1997);
- Raubar v. Raubar, 315 N.J. Super. 353, 178 A.2d 705 (1998);
- In re Adoption of M. 317 N.J. Super. 531, 722 A.2d 615 (1998);
- Clark v. Clark, 324 N.J. Super. 587, 737 A.2d 189 (1999);
- Leonardis v. Woodruff, 354 N.J. Super. 135, 804 A.2d 1170 (2001);
- Secure Heritage, Inc., et al v. City of Cape May, et al, 178 N.J. 32, 834 A.2.d 405 (2003), aff’d in part, rev’d in part by 361 N.J. Super. 281, 825 A.2d 534 (App. Div. 2003);
- State v. Bradley, 375 N.J. Super. 24, 866 A.2d 242 (2004)
- State v. Eckel, 429 N.J. Super. 580 (Law Div. 2013)
