Gov. Chris Christie moved to diversify the state's all-white Supreme Court on Monday with two firsts: the nominations of an openly gay black man and a Korean-born prosecutor to fill two vacancies.

If confirmed, Bruce A. Harris would become New Jersey's first openly gay justice, and Phillip H. Kwon would become its first Asian representative and the first justice born outside the United States.

Christie, a Republican, said he had "extreme confidence" in the records and intellects of his nominees, neither of whom has been a judge.

"I felt strongly about making sure the court have diversity but first and foremost that the court have quality justices who make sure they take the court in a direction that is a responsible one for the future of our state and its people," Christie said at a news conference attended by the nominees and their families.

Harris, 61, is the Republican mayor of Chatham Borough in Morris County, a post Christie said he would give up if confirmed. He would be the third African-American to be seated on the court.

Court hearings in Jefferson County's record-setting bankruptcy filing are scheduled to resume Thursday. The Birmingham News reports that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas Bennett is expected to consider a variety of motions.

Jefferson County filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history last year over more than $4 billion in debt. Most of the debt stems from borrowing to pay for upgrades to the county's sewer system.

This week, a group of Alabama lawmakers, Jefferson County commissioners and health care professionals met privately to discuss ways to address the county's general fund crisis and other matters.

The Birmingham News reports the three-hour meeting at Vestavia Hills City Hall included Commission President David Carrington; Republican state Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood; and Republican state Sen. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills.

Participants said Tuesday's meeting was the latest in a series of behind-the-scenes efforts among commissioners, Jefferson County legislators, business leaders and others to find ways to solve the county's massive general fund woes.

The action alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by failing to disclose that: (1) China Med’s acquisition of Bio-Ekon Biotechnology Co. Ltd. was from a third-party seller connected to the Company’s own chairman; (2) China Med overpaid by an estimated $20 million in the acquisition of BBE; (3) China Med’s transaction to acquire BBE involved the Company’s use of fraudulent shell companies, including Finnea International Limited which never owned BBE; (4) according to SAIC filings, BBE actually suffered operating losses prior to China Med’s acquisition; and (5) the Company has spent twice as much on “investing activities” as it has purportedly generated from operations.

On December 6, 2011, Glaucus Research Group released a report focusing on the Company’s fraudulent acquisition of BBE and initiating a strong sell for China Med. On this shocking news, China Med shares plunged roughly 23% at the end of trading on December 6, 2011.

If you purchased China Med securities and would like to discuss your legal rights, visit www.faruqilaw.com/CMED. You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello or Francis McConville toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to rgonnello@faruqilaw.com or fmcconville@faruqilaw.com. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding China Medical’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

WATCH: http://www.insiderexclusive.com/show-content/410-dream-vacations-gone-bad--the-paul-brunner-and-doug-otte-story.html

A Dream "Big Game" Hunting Vacation.... to the Arctic Circle goes horribly wrong.... in the flash of a  moment .....On August 26, 2001.....for experienced big game bow hunters, Paul Brunner from Montana and Doug Otte from Nebraska...who were two of six hunters on a musk ox expedition north of the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, Canada. They went on a trip to the Cambridge Bay area of Nunavut Province, north of the Arctic Circle that was sold to them by Canada North, a foreign based company, to include the housing, food, a cook and other provisions during this 10 day hunt for musk ox.  

An explosion turned their cabin into an inferno, burning and trapping Brunner, Hampson and Otte. In this TV Special,   The Insider Exclusive presents  "Dream Vacations Gone Bad - The Paul Brunner and Doug Otte Story     ...... and the "legal challenges" Americans face when you purchase your "exotic vacations" from a "foreign-based company".

Litigating on behalf of travelers who have been seriously injured in exotic and distant locations can be challenging.... indeed.  Where and who, for example, are the viable and liable defendants in real life vacation disasters?

This INSIDER EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL discusses the "Rights of Americans" while traveling to exotic locations and liability of tour operators and air carriers for the tour participant's injuries sustained in foreign destinations.  Foreign companies cannot solicit U.S. Citizens for adventure trips and not be responsible for their negligent operations on those trips which result in serious, deforming injuries to their U.S. customers. A tour operator may be held liable for the consumer's physical injuries if the tour operator promised.... either expressly or implicitly.... that the tour would be delivered in a safe and careful manner.

Consumers, especially the parents of students, rely upon promises of close supervision in purchasing such a tour. Consumer injuries caused by the negligence of the tour guide may support claims against the tour operator for negligent selection and supervision of tour guides and misrepresentation of their training, expertise and knowledge of the tour locale.

A state Supreme Court justice known for opinions written in rhyme has done it again, producing six pages of verse Thursday in the case of whether the maker of a forged check also had committed insurance fraud.

Justice J. Michael Eakin, writing for a 4-2 majority, concluded in six-line stanzas that a man's attempt to deposit a forged check appearing to be from State Farm didn't constitute insurance fraud.

"Sentenced on the other crimes, he surely won't go free, but we find he can't be guilty of this final felony," Eakin wrote. "Convictions for the forgery and theft are approbated -- the sentence for insurance fraud, however, is vacated. The case must be remanded for resentencing, we find, so the trial judge may impose the result he originally had in mind."

A dissenting three-page opinion by Justice Thomas G. Saylor didn't rhyme.

Eakin was first elected to the high court in 2001 after earning a reputation as the "rhyming judge" by issuing some opinions entirely in verse while sitting on an intermediate state appellate court in the late 1990s. Two former state Supreme Court justices, Stephen A. Zappala and the late Ralph J. Cappy, had expressed concern in the past that the practice could reflect poorly on the court.