Hon. Michael K. Diamond (Ret.), Of Counsel

Judge Michael Diamond was appointed to the Superior Court in 1994. He was a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Family Practice Committee for 15 years, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He was also a member of the Skills and Methods Course Study Committee for ICLE, the Family Vicinage Visitation Program Committee, and the New Jersey Family Court Unified Court Committee.

During 29 years of private practice before becoming a judge, his practice consisted primarily of family matters, divorce, real estate, zoning and planning. Judge Diamond is a Past President of the Passaic County Bar Association, was a member of the District Ethics Committee, and a Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He was also chosen to be a Fellow of the American Bar Association.

Judge Diamond was the Presiding Judge of the Passaic County Family Division, and the chairman of the Family Presiding Judges Conference, where he sat on the Judicial Council. He also served as the Acting Assignment Judge for Passaic County. In addition, he was chosen to represent the State of New Jersey at a conference in San Francisco, to explain the Unified Court System to the Administrative Offices of the California Courts; and in Raleigh, North Carolina, to explore new and innovative judicial programs.

Judge Diamond has primarily heard dissolution matters, all eleven docket types in the Family Division, and conducted the Passaic County’s Kids Count program. He supervised the Early Settlement Panel Program, and is a past president of the Barry Croland Family Law Inns of Court. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in 2003, and the WAFA House Honoree Award in 2009; in 2011, an award was named in his honor for outstanding contributions to CASA in Passaic County.

He received a BA Degree from Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, and a Juris Doctor degree from The American University Washington College of Law. He is a lecturer for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the Comprehensive Judicial Orientation Program, the Newly Appointed Judges Orientation, and the New Presiding Judges Orientation. He has also lectured for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and was a coordinator of and lecturer for the Family Law Clerk Orientation Program. He presently serves on the Board of Trustees for CASA of Passaic County.

A resident of the township of Wayne, Judge Diamond served as Planning Board Attorney, Urban Renewal Attorney, Township Prosecutor, and Assistant Township Attorney in Wayne. He also served as Urban Renewal Attorney in Paterson, Board of Adjustment Attorney in Haledon, Planning Board Attorney in North Haledon, and as Attorney for the Board of Education at Passaic County Vocational and Technical High School.

Areas of Practice

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Family Law

Education

• BA Degree from Rutgers College,
  • New Brunswick, New Jersey
• Juris Doctor degree from The American University
  • Washington College of Law

Professional Association Memberships

• Member of Judicial Council, 2008-2010
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• Passaic County Bar Association
• Fellow Member of the American Bar Association
• NJ Supreme Court Family Practice Committee
• Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the NJ State Bar Association
• Skills and Methods Course Study Committee for ICLE
• Family Vicinage Visitation Program Committee
• NJ Family Court Unified Court Committee
• Past President of the Passaic County Bar Association
• District Ethics Committee

Published Works

• "Settling Matrimonial Cases", The Matrimonial Strategist, Volume 32, Number 9, September 2014

Classes Taught

• Institute of Continuing Legal Education
• Comprehensive Judicial Orientation Program
• Newly Appointed Judges Orientation
• New Presiding Judges Orientation
• The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Family Law Clerk Orientation Program