New Jersey Court Records

Accessing New Jersey Court Records

There are many who assume that the events that occur in the privacy of the courtrooms remain within the walls. However, this is not true. In reality, you can learn about most of the happenings, and you can get all the details that are not published in the newspapers. You can learn about the accusations, the charges, arguments and counter-arguments, the court's observations, the judgments and the penalty or sentence announced. You can get all this information in the court records. Though some of it is withheld because the information is private, but much of it is sharable because it is in the public domain.

Thus, whether you are an employer trying to verify a potential employee's records, or someone who must get some information, the court records can help you. The courts in the state are legally obliged to maintain records of all proceedings efficiently, and must share the information when a person who is qualified to receive it, asks for it.

Accessing Court Records in New Jersey

The court system in New Jersey comprises of three types of courts: Superior courts, Municipal courts and Tax courts. The Superior courts have general jurisdiction over criminal and court cases, while the Municipal courts have limited jurisdiction over certain civil and criminal cases. Tax courts, on the other hand, handle tax cases.

When requesting for court records, you should know the court that you need to approach. You need to approach the Clerk of the courthouse and submit your application. The Clerk's office will hand you over a copy of the official document. But be prepared to wait because once you have submitted your application, the office will conduct a search, and once the record is found, it will be mailed to you.

The Internet can save you time here. You can access court records online by just providing the social security number of the person. The state has a website where it uploads most records. There is a centralized database where all records are maintained. But, you cannot get the official copy of the record on the Internet. At best, you can just see the record. If you do not know the social security number, you may access the public library for the records.

Information You Can Access

At the County court, you can get all kinds of information. You can access information on the minutes, dockets, executions, judgments, appeals and the case files. At the library of Family History, you can access microfilms on affidavits from the courts of Hunterdon county, liens, insolvent petitions, indictments, miscellaneous records and coroner’s inquests. You can access the microfilmed records at the Federal court in New Jersey too.

You may be able to access birth records, death records, marriage records, divorce records, police records, arrest records, criminal records, military records, navy records, army records, business records and property records.