Margaret M. Foti

Get to Know Me

Hon. Margaret M. Foti P.J., Cr. (Ret.), formerly the presiding Judge of the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, and a member of the judiciary for 14 years, is a Principal in Withum’s Forensic and Valuation Services Team. She specializes in civil and criminal investigations, both governmental and internal, monitorships, receiverships, and other court-appointed assignments.  

Judge Foti is a member of the NJ and NY Bars, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey and U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit. 

Judge Foti served over eight years in the Criminal Division, six as presiding judge and over five years in the Family Division. In addition to her time on the Bench, Judge Foti has over 20 years of experience assisting individual, corporate and governmental clients in civil and criminal matters.   

While on the bench, Judge Foti presided over complex family and criminal cases involving extensive motion practice, discovery issues, evidence rulings relating to, among other issues, admissibility of digital forensic evidence, Daubert/Frye challenges, and issues relating to the attorney-client relationship. She was honored to receive an appointment to serve on a Supreme Court Committee charged with making recommendations on virtual grand jury and petit jury selection.  

Judge Foti began her career as an FBI agent and New Jersey Deputy Attorney General in both the criminal and civil divisions, specializing in white-collar and environmental crimes, civil public utility and environmental matters. Judge Foti served as counsel for Christine Todd Whitman’s senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns, where she oversaw legal and general campaign issues. Following Governor Whitman’s election, Judge Foti served as the Governor’s Chief Counsel, responsible for legislative initiatives, executive orders, and judicial and prosecutorial appointments. Judge Foti has also served as a corporate attorney for a prominent New York Law Firm. 

Give Back

Judge Foti served as a member of the board of directors of a publicly held bank and on the board of trustees at Hackensack Meridian Health, formerly Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey’s largest health care system.