How to Search New Jersey Court Records (Start Here)

New Jersey court records are filed with the Superior Court Clerk (state-run, by vicinage). The Superior Court (unified) handles trial-level cases. New Jersey offers a statewide court search through NJ Courts Online, which covers most case types across all counties courts.

What this page covers: New Jersey state court case records — criminal, civil, family, and probate filings. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (those are on PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.

Where to start: Use NJ Courts Online for online case search. If you need documents beyond docket information, contact the Superior Court Clerk (state-run, by vicinage) in the specific county where the case was filed.

Common mistake: NJ Courts Online covers state courts only. Federal cases filed in New Jersey (bankruptcy, federal criminal, federal civil) require PACER — a separate federal system.

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SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all New Jersey court URLs verified against the official .gov / state-judiciary publisher on the review date. 6 primary .gov / .uscourts.gov sources cited below.

New Jersey Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2025)

New Jersey publishes county-level court-year-to-date caseload reports and the Superior Court Caseload Reference Guide.
NJ Courts
Court system
Statewide
FY2025
Latest fiscal year
Official .gov data
.gov
Primary source
Never data brokers
Free
Public access
Most case records
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems editorial
How to access court records — typical costs
Search online
$0
View docket entry
$0
Download document
$1
Certified copy
$5
Expungement filing
$50
Unit: USD typical fee. Fees and access policies vary by court; see Primary Sources below.

What Changed in 2026 — New Jersey Court Records

2026
New Jersey FY2025 caseload report active
The NJ Courts publishes its current FY2025 case filings, dispositions, and trends on the official statistics portal.
2026
New Jersey statewide case-access portal live
NJ Courts's public case-access portal continues to operate at www.njcourts.gov with statewide coverage.
2026
Latest New Jersey judiciary annual report
The most recent annual report from the NJ Courts is publicly available with full statistical addenda.
2026
New Jersey courts main directory
New Jersey's primary judicial-branch directory at www.njcourts.gov continues to be the canonical entry point for all state court matters.

The 4-Step New Jersey Court Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Identify the court level
In New Jersey, civil and criminal trial cases sit in NJ Courts trial courts. Appellate matters go to the state's appellate courts.
2
Step 2 — Use the state case-access portal
Start at https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/ecourts — the official public case-access for New Jersey.
3
Step 3 — Federal cases are separate
Federal cases involving New Jersey parties live on PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov), not the state system.
4
Step 4 — Sealed / expunged records
Records sealed or expunged under New Jersey law are NOT searchable on public portals. To verify, contact the originating court clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About New Jersey Court Records

❌ Myth: "New Jersey court records are on PACER."
✓ Truth: False. PACER only has federal cases. New Jersey state court records live on www.njcourts.gov.
❌ Myth: "All New Jersey case files are free."
✓ Truth: Partly true. Searching and viewing dockets is usually free. Downloading full documents or certified copies often costs $1-$5 per item.
❌ Myth: "Sealed = deleted in New Jersey."
✓ Truth: False. Sealed records still exist — they're just hidden from public search. The court clerk and law enforcement can still access them.
❌ Myth: "Third-party search sites are official."
✓ Truth: False. Only www.njcourts.gov and the linked official portals are authoritative for New Jersey.
❌ Myth: "Same-day filings show online immediately."
✓ Truth: False. Most New Jersey courts have a 24-48 hour processing lag before new filings appear in public search.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Court Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Court records
Sample New Jersey counties: Atlantic · Bergen · Burlington · Camden · Cape May

Court Records Databases

10 official New Jersey court records sources.

Court Records

Criminal Cases: PROMIS/Gavel Public Access
Official Free
Certain records are not available for public inspection in accordance with statutes and the Rules of Court Governing the State of New Jersey Judiciary. Confidential records and information will not be returned in your search results. Common examples of criminal confidential records include, ...
Municipal Court - City of Jersey City
Official Free
Parking tickets and moving violations may be paid online at NJMCdirect.com, by mail or in-person as long as the ticket has NOT been marked "Court Appearance Required". Tickets paid in-person or by mail via check or money order, are handled by ...
Criminal Cases: PROMIS/Gavel Public Access
Official Free
Certain records are not available for public inspection in accordance with statutes and the Rules of Court Governing the State of New Jersey Judiciary. Confidential records and information will not be returned in your search results. Common examples of criminal confidential records include, ...
Public Access harness
Official Free
We're sorry, but Pega7 doesn't work without JavaScript enabled. Please enable and refresh · Civil Search · Mediator Search · Motion Calendar · Discovery End Date · Enter Search Criteria · County: · Area Of Expertise: · Mediator First Name: · Mediator Last Name:
Application for Admission to Roster of Mediators for Civil, ...
Official Free
state mediation training or who completed the required 40-hour New Jersey mediation training more · than five years prior to their application to the roster must complete the six-hour civil supplemental · mediation course as defined under Rule 1:40-12(b)(8). ... Division-General Equity or Probate Part of the Superior Court for a minimum of five hours by a Civil
Motion Day Schedule 2022-2023 | NJ Courts
Official Free
It is ORDERED that for the court year commencing July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023 , motions in all trial courts (including the Tax Court) shall be heard on Fridays or as otherwise provided by a judge pursuant to · Rule 1:6-2(b), except that motions to be argued in the Law Division of ...
JOC Public Access
Official Free
The Criminal Judgments Public Access database lists all judgments including Judgments of Conviction (final judgment of guilt in a criminal case), Judgments of Conviction & Orders for Commitment, Change of Judgments of Conviction, Change of Judgments of Conviction & Orders for Commitment, Judgments ...
NJ Convictions | DataUniverse - APP.com, part of the USATODAY NETWORK
Official Free
NJ conviction records. Search records from government and public databases, brought to you by the Asbury Park Press.
US Bankruptcy Court NJ - Live Database
Official Paid
Welcome to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey · District of New Jersey - Document Filing System District of New Jersey - ePOC ... This is a restricted government website for official court business only. All activities of CM/ECF subscribers or users of this system for any purpose, and all access attempts, may be recorded and monitored by persons authorized by the federal ...
PACER: Login - U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Official Paid
This site is maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary. PACER Service Center (800) 676-6856 pacer@psc.uscourts.gov

New Jersey Counties

All 21 New Jersey counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

New Jersey's trial courts publish case lookups through the NJ Courts. Start at www.njcourts.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.

The NJ Courts operates New Jersey's official statewide judicial portal at www.njcourts.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for New Jersey residents are searched separately through PACER.

Trial courts in New Jersey handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The NJ Courts publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.njcourts.gov.

Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most New Jersey county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the NJ Courts portal at www.njcourts.gov for each court's coverage window.

No. New Jersey courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the NJ Courts portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.