Hon. Nelson C. Johnson (Ret.) was a judge for the Atlantic/Cape May County Superior Court (Vicinage 1) in New Jersey. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Jon Corzine in 2006 and reappointed for tenure in 2012. Johnson retired in 2018 after reaching the mandatory age of retirement.
Over the course of his judicial career, he held an assignment in the Civil Division in Atlantic County (2006 to 2018).
Prior to joining the judiciary, Johnson practiced as an attorney at the law firm of Johnson & Bertman for four years beginning in 2001. He was also an attorney in the law firms of Sills Cummis; Dilworth, Paxson, Kalish & Kaufman; and Donio, Bertman, Johnson, Sahli & Greco. In addition, Johnson acted as a former solicitor for the Atlantic City Planning Board in the early 80s.
He is a New York Times Best Selling author. In 2002, Johnson published “Boardwalk Empire,” a novel highlighting Atlantic City’s colorful history. His inspiration for the novel came from his experiences while representing the Atlantic City Planning Board. The book later became the basis for an HBO series sharing the same name. Johnson went on to author three additional novels, including a sequel to “Boardwalk Empire.”
He received a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from St. John’s University in 1970. Johnson then completed a J.D. at Villanova University, Charles Widger School of Law in 1974.
He was born and raised in Atlantic County, where his family has resided since before the founding of Atlantic City. Johnson, a lifelong resident of Hammonton, resides there with his wife, Dr. Johanna Johnson, a retired educator. The couple has three grown children, including their daughter, the Hon. Sarah Beth Johnson, a judge for the Vicinage 1 Superior Court in Atlantic/Cape May County.