Leonard H. Kaser

Leonard H. Kaser
Member of the New Jersey House of Representatives
from the 3B district
In office
1968–1969
Serving with Walter E. Pedersen
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byJohn L. Miller
Thomas J. Shusted
Personal details
Born(1931-10-09)October 9, 1931
PartyRepublican
ResidenceWilliamstown, New Jersey
Alma materLa Salle University
Georgetown University Law Center
ProfessionLawyer

Leonard H. Kaser (born October 9, 1931) was an American lawyer and politician who represented the 3rd legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1969 as a Republican.

Biography

Kaser was born on October 9, 1931, in the Franklinville section of Franklin Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, and graduated from Clayton High School. He received a bachelor's degree from La Salle College (since renamed as La Salle University) and completed his legal education at Georgetown University Law Center.[1] A resident of Williamstown in Monroe Township, he practiced law as a partner at Kaser & Kagan.[2]

In 1967 the 3rd legislative district was redrawn into four sub-districts with Kaser standing for election in seat 3B as a Republican. Kaser would be elected alongside Walter E. Pedersen on the Republican slate with 25.3% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Democrat LeRoy P. Wooster with 25%.[3]

Kaser introduced a bill just days before leaving office that would allow divorce after a couple had been separated for a year, seeking to replace the standing legislation that requires one of the two members of the marriage to have "willfully deserted" the other for two years before a divorce could be granted by the state, which was heavily opposed by the state's Catholic population due to its "no-fault" nature.[4]

Kaser chose not to stand for re-election in 1969, being succeeded by James M. Turner and instead returned to practicing law where he specialized in challenging the state's divorce laws in court.[5]

References

  1. ^ Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 193, p. 401, J.A. Fitzgerald, 1969. Accessed August 26, 2025. "Leonard H. Kaser (Rep., Williamstown) - Assemblyman Kaser was born in Franklinville, N. J., October 9, 1931. He attended Clayton High School, received a B.S. degree, LaSalle College; LL.B. degree, Georgetown University, J.D. degree, Georgetown University."
  2. ^ "De Nafo v. Finch". lawyerz.com. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  3. ^ "Results of the General Election Held on November 7, 1967" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  4. ^ "The Catholic Advocate, Volume 18, Number 5, 23 January 1969". The Catholic Advocate. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF R.S. 2A:34-1 et seq". njstatelib.org. Retrieved August 25, 2025.