appointing a Republican to the highest judicial position in the state, Democratic governor Jon Corzine instead elevated Associate Justice James R. Zazzali, a Democrat, to the chief justice position and appointed a Republican to fill the seat Zazzali had occupied. When Zazzali reached the age of 70 less than a year later, Corzine was able to nominate a Democrat, Attorney General and former federal prosecutor Stuart Rabner, to serve as Chief Justice. The state Senate confirmed Rabner on June 21, 2007, and he was sworn in as Chief Justice eight days later. Traditionally in New Jersey, the governor re-submits for tenure the Justices whose initial terms have expired, and Governor Corzine followed this tradition with his re-appointments of Justices Long and LaVecchia. On May 15, 2009, Governor Corzine renominated Justice Albin, whose initial seven-year term would have expired on September 18, 2009. Albin's re-appointment was cleared by the Senate on June 26, 2009. Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, elected not to renominate Justice John E. Wallace Jr. in May 2010 and instead nominated attorney Anne M. Patterson. After New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat, refused to consider any nominee to Wallace's seat, Christie nominated Patterson to replace Justice Rivera-Soto who announced he would step down when his term expired in September 2011. The New Jersey Senate unanimously confirmed Patterson on June 28, 2011. She was sworn into a seat on the Court, replacing Rivera-Soto, on September 1, 2011. An impasse between Governor Christie and the Democratic State Senate resulted in longstanding vacancies, and the rejection or refusal to consider several Christie nominees. On May 21, 2014, a compromise was reported under which the Governor agreed to re-appoint Chief Justice Rabner, and the Senate agreed to consider the nomination of Judge Lee Solomon, who is identified as Republican. In April 2016, Governor Christie announced his nomination of Democrat Walter Timpone to the Court's vacant seat. He was sworn on May 2, 2016. As Timpone was 65 at the time of his appointment in 2016, he was required to retire when he turned 70 in 2020, before he became eligible for tenure. In May 2018, Governor Phil Murphy announced his intention to renominate Justice Anne Patterson for tenure. Justice Patterson was reconfirmed by the Senate on July 26, 2018. On June 5, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy announced his intention to nominate Fabiana Pierre-Louis to replace Justice Walter F. Timpone,