Flag of the State of New Jersey

The Guide to New Jersey Courts


The New Jersey trial court system consists of Superior Courts, Municipal Courts, and Tax Courts.
 
Superior Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases but generally handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction over some types of criminal cases. The New Jersey Tax Court is a specialized court that handles certain tax cases for the entire state from two locations.
 

Find court records by county Find court records by town or zip code Find court resources by category Find court records in other states
Please select a New Jersey county below to view directory of all courts with links to court record resources for each court. Find New Jersey court pages by Town or Zip Code. Select a court record or online resource category below to view all resources at both the statewide and county level. Go to the court records pages for another state.

 

 



 
WeCanSolveIt.org
Public Records Search    Advertising
 
First Name
 MI Last Name State
 
I entered a partial first name above
adkey

New Jersey Superior Courts

Superior Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, and generally only handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other courts.

Superior Courts may have divisions based on case type, such as civil, criminal, family, housing, general equity/chancery, probation or municipal.

The Family Part of Superior Court has exclusive original jurisdiction over all non-criminal child abuse or neglect cases, all matters relating to a juvenile-family crisis and juvenile delinquency cases that do not involve allegations of murder or manslaughter. The Family Part also handles divorce, annulment, maintenance, child support, parental notification waivers, adoption, paternity and cases related to domestic violence.

Superior Courts may transfer cases to The New Jersey Tax Court when taxation expertise is appropriate. Superior Courts may grant Municipal Courts jurisdiction to handle motor vehicle cases resulting in death or bodily injury.

New Jersey Municipal Courts

Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over certain types of criminal cases.

Cases typically heard by Municipal Courts include felony preliminary hearings, violations of county or municipal ordinances, most violations of motor vehicle and traffic laws, most "disorderly person" offenses and violations of fish, game and boating laws. Municipal Courts may also handle "crimes of the fourth degree" and crimes punishable by imprisonment of less than one year.

Municipal Courts do not have jurisdiction over motor vehicle cases involving death or serious bodily injury, unless jurisdiction over a case is specifically granted by a Superior Court.

New Jersey Tax Courts

The New Jersey Tax Court has limited jurisdiction to review actions or regulations about tax matters involving a State agency, a State official, a county board of taxation or a county or municipal official. The Tax Court has a Small Claims division for certain tax cases.

The Tax Court will also handle cases transferred from Superior Courts when taxation expertise is appropriate for the case.

Tax Courts hear cases for the entire State and are currently operate out of offices located Trenton and Newark. Tax Court sessions may be held in other locations throughout the State.

Where to find court cases in New Jersey

The chart below gives general information on the types of cases heard in each type of court in New Jersey.
 

Most Cases = Most or all cases.     Some Cases = Some cases.

Case Type Court Type
CivilSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
General Civil - Unlimited
Most or all General Civil - Unlimited cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
General Civil - Limited
Some General Civil - Limited cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Small Claims
Most or all Small Claims cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Civil Equity
Most or all Civil Equity cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Complex Commercial
Most or all Complex Commercial cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Foreclosures and Liens
Most or all Foreclosures and Liens cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Real Estate Title and Boundary
Most or all Real Estate Title and Boundary cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Landlord / Tenant
Most or all Landlord / Tenant cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Ordinance Violations
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Most or all Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders
Most or all Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Administrative Agency Appeals
Most or all Administrative Agency Appeals cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
CriminalSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
Felony
Most or all Felony cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Felony Preliminary Hearings
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Misdemeanors
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Ordinance Violations
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Most or all Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Juvenile
Most or all Juvenile cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Traffic and Infractions
Some Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Most or all Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Domestic RelationsSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
Divorce
Most or all Divorce cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Child Custody and Visitation
Most or all Child Custody and Visitation cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Child Support
Most or all Child Support cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Paternity
Most or all Paternity cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Domestic Violence Protection Order
Most or all Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
JuvenileSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
Adoptions
Most or all Adoptions cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Juvenile Delinquency
Most or all Juvenile Delinquency cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Child Abuse and Neglect
Most or all Child Abuse and Neglect cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Termination of Parental Rights
Most or all Termination of Parental Rights cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Children in Need of Supervision
Most or all Children in Need of Supervision cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Mental HealthSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
Involuntary Commitments
Most or all Involuntary Commitments cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Other Mental Health Cases
Most or all Other Mental Health Cases cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
ProbateSuperior CourtsMunicipal Courts
Wills & Estates
Most or all Wills & Estates cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Name Changes
Most or all Name Changes cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Trusts
Most or all Trusts cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 
Guardianships and Conservatorships
Most or all Guardianships and Conservatorships cases can be found in the Superior Courts
 

Note: Some courts in New Jersey are not included in the chart above. Please use the following links for descriptions and types of cases heard:
 
  Tax Courts
Google
 
Web www.courtreference.com

 
© Northwest Location Services, Inc. 2008 - Your use of this site indicates agreement to the terms of use.
We strive to provide accurate information, however, Courtreference.com is not an official source of information for any court or court clerk.
No legal advice is offered here and this site is not an alternative to competent legal counsel.