Essex County Court Records

Essex County court records are official documents on judicial proceedings in the county. They typically contain the following:

• Case details: These include case number, names of parties involved, and case type
• Pleadings: These include complaints, answers, motions, and responses
• Evidence: These include exhibits, witness statements, and transcripts
• Orders and judgments: These include court decisions, sentences, and fines
• Trial records: These primarily include verbatim transcripts of court proceedings
• Docket entries: These include the chronological list of events and filings in the case

Essex County court records can be categorized into civil division records (including general equity records), criminal division records, family division records, special civil part records, and municipal court records. The availability of court records brings transparency and accountability to the judicial process in the county. Essex County court records serve as historical records of legal proceedings and can be used for background checks, journalist investigative reporting, and legal and academic research.

Are Court Records Public in Essex County?

Essex County court records are public. The New Jersey Open Public Records Act permits the public to view and request court records unless such records are sealed by the court or are restricted from public disclosure by law. Typically, the following court records cannot be accessed by the public in Essex County:

• Medical and Mental Health Records
• Juvenile Records
• Records protected by state or federal laws
• Adoption Records
• Personal information such as social security number, financial account details, and driver’s license number

Essex County Court Records Search

Essex County court records can generally be accessed online and offline. Record seekers can search for public court records in the county online using the New Jersey Court Case Lookup. In addition, they can access non-confidential court records via the Court Clerk’s office website or by visiting the courts where the cases were heard. Some reliable third-party websites are also a great way to access Essex County court records.

Essex County Court Records Search by Name

Looking up court records by name is one of the common ways of searching court records in Essex County. A name-based court record search typically uses a record owner's name as the search criterion. Record seekers can search for Essex County court records by name using the New Jersey Court Case Lookup.

Essex County Courts

The court system in Essex County comprises superior, surrogate, and municipal courts. Superior Courts are the primary trial courts in the county and have general jurisdiction over civil, family, and criminal cases. Surrogate courts handle cases involving wills, estates, trusts, and guardianship, while the Municipal Courts hear cases relating to municipal ordinance violations, traffic violations, and minor criminal offenses. Each municipality has its court within the county.

The locations and contact information of Essex County courts are listed below:

Essex County Superior Court

Veteran Courthouse
West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 776-9300

Historic Courthouse
470 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 776-9300

Hall of Records
Room 206465
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 776-9300

Robert N. Wilentz Court Complex
212 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 776-9300

Essex County Surrogate Court

Hall of Records
Room 206465
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 621-4900
Fax: (973) 621-2647

Essex County Municipal Courts

Belleville Township Municipal Court
152 Washington Avenue
Belleville, NJ 07109
Phone: (973) 621-4900
Fax: (973) 621-2647

Bloomfield Township Municipal Court
Law Enforcement Building
1 Municipal Plaza
Room 227
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Phone: (973) 680-4082
Fax: (973) 680-4082

Caldwell Municipal Court
1 Provost Square
Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: (973) 403-4630
Fax: (973) 403-7574

Cedar Grove Municipal Court
525 Pompton Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
Phone: (973) 239-1410 ext 205
Fax: (973) 239-0312

East Orange Municipal Court
221 Freeway Drive East
East Orange, NJ 07018
Phone: (973) 266-5300
Fax: (973) 266-5249

Essex Fells Municipal Court
141 Gould Avenue
North Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: (973) 228-6420
Fax: (973) 228-5195

Fairfield Township Municipal Court
230 Fairfield Road
Fairfield, NJ07004
Phone: (973) 882-2700 ext 2502
Fax: (973) 882-2714

Glen Ridge Municipal Court
825 Bloomfield Avenue
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
Phone: (973) 748-8116
Fax: (963) 748-3926

Irvington Municipal Court
Public Safety Building
1 Civic Square
Irvington, NJ 07111
Phone: (973) 399-6678
Fax: (973) 535-7997

Maplewood Township Municipal Court
1618 Springfield Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Phone: (973) 762-2839
Fax: (973) 762-9367

Millburn Township Municipal Court
435 Essex Street
Millburn, NJ 07041
Phone: (973) 564-7066
Fax: (973) 564-7764

Montclair Township Municipal Court
Montclair Public Safety Building
647 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: (973) 509-4774
Fax: (973) 744-6902

Newark Municipal Court
31 Green Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 733-6520
Fax: (973) 733-8533

North Caldwell Municipal Court
141 Gould Avenue
North Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: (973) 228-6410 ext 109
Fax: (973) 228-5195

Nutley Township Municipal Court
Public Safety Building
228 Chestnut Street
2nd Floor Nutley, NJ 07110
Phone: (973) 284-4945
Fax: (973) 284-4914

Orange Municipal Court
Freddie Polhill Law and Justice Complex
29 Park Street
Orange, NJ 07050
Phone: (973) 762-2839
Fax: (973) 672-5233

Roseland Municipal Court
19 Harrison Avenue
Roseland, NJ 07068
Phone: (973) 266-0641

South Orange Municipal Court
1618 Springfield Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Phone: (973) 732-2839
Fax: (973) 762-9367

Verona Township Municipal Court
600 Bloomfield Avenue
Verona, NJ 07044
Phone: (973) 857-4772
Fax: (973) 857-4792

West Caldwell Municipal Court
21 Clinton Road
West Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: (973) 226-3373

West Orange Municipal Court
60 Main Street
West Orange, NJ 07052
Phone: (973) 3250-408050

Essex County District Court Records

Essex County District Court records document legal proceedings and prosecutions in the county's Superior Court. The district court in New Jersey’s court system is the Superior Court. Records generated from Essex County Superior Courts are typically from the following case types:

• Criminal cases
• Civil Cases
• Family Law Cases
• Special Civil Cases

Interested individuals can do the following to access Essex County Superior Court civil case records:

• Open the New Jersey Civil/Family Court Case Look-up
• Register to access the civil case system
• Select the criteria for searching, which includes party name, attorney/firm, docket number, or property address

To access Essex County Superior Court criminal case records, take the following steps:

• Open the New Jersey Criminal Case Look-up and register an account
• Select the type of record from convictions, pending cases, attorney/firm, or daily docket
• Click a preferred search option from the defendant's name or docket number

Interested parties may also request records from Essex County Superior Court by mail. The mail request must include the party name, docket number, and any other relevant information to facilitate easy search.

Essex County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Essex County are documents of people's criminal activities and prosecutions within the county. These records typically include Essex County arrest records,  arrest warrants, mugshots, jail sentences, and other pretrial crime records. Record seekers can obtain criminal records by visiting the courthouse in person or sending mail requests to the court. Records may also be accessed via online resources such as PROMIS/Gavel Public Access. The Sheriff's Office can provide arrest records and sometimes background checks. Interested persons can visit or send a request to the county Sheriff’s Office at:

Essex County Sheriff's Office
50 West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 621-4111

Essex County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Interested persons can look up specific criminal cases from Essex County through the PROMIS/Gavel Public Access portal. They can search by the defendant's name, docket number, and other available search parameters. Also, they can visit the Essex County Superior Court in person to request access to criminal case records.

Get Essex County Get Essex County Civil Court Records

Eùùssex County civil court records are detailed accounts of proceedings and decisions made by the court during the legal process of civil cases within the county. They comprise documents generated from non-criminal legal disputes such as:

• Contract and Property Disputes
• Divorce Proceedings (Family Law)
• Personal Injury Lawsuits (Torts)
• Employment Discrimination (Employment Law)
• Consumer Protection

In Essex County, civil cases are heard by the Superior Courts, which is part of the New Jersey Court system. The clerk of the Superior Court maintains civil court records in compliance with county and state regulations.

Anyone can find Essex County civil court records via the New Jersey Superior Civil/Family Case Case Look-up platform, which allows looking up docket information for civil cases. In addition, record seekers can visit the Superior Courts in person or complete a Records Request Form and submit it via the New Jersey Judiciary Electronic Document System to obtain records of civil cases heard by the courts.

Essex County Family Court Records

Essex County family court records are records related to family law prosecutions within the county. These records contain information on the trial of the following case types:

• Divorce
• Emancipation
• Legal Separation
• Child Support
• Domestic Violence Cases
• Paternity
• Spousal Support
• Adoption
• Protection Orders

While some general information, like the fact of a divorce filing or issuance of judgment, may be accessible to the public, family court records are not. This is to protect the privacy of record owners according to New Jersey Court Rule 1:38. Family court records generated in Essex County Superior Courts can be accessed in those courts by authorized persons. Public family court records can also be viewed on the New Jersey Superior Civil/Family Case Look-up platform.

Essex County Dissolution of Marriage Records

In Essex County, dissolution of marriage records are legal documents detailing the end of marital unions in the county. These records are managed by the Superior Court Clerks and the State Vital Records Office, a division of the New Jersey State Department of Public Health. Dissolution of marriage records in the county usually includes the following:

• Information on the Parties Involved
• Marriage Settlement Agreement
• Decree of Dissolution of Marriage
• Petition for Marriage Dissolution
• Child Custody and Support Orders (where applicable)

Typically, most dissolution of marriage records in Essex County are closed records and can only be viewed by the parties involved and their attorneys. However, the general public can view divorce orders. Persons interested in marriage dissolution records can contact the local vital records offices in their municipalities.

Essex County Marriage and Divorce Records

Divorce records are documents used for and during the legal separation of two married individuals, while marriage records are documents showing the legal union of two persons. Requests for marriage records can be made through the New Jersey Department of Health's Vital Statistics and Registry or the municipalities where the marriage licenses are issued. Divorce records are maintained by the family division of the Superior Court. Requesters may access them in the court where the divorces were granted. However, only parties to divorce cases or their attorneys can access divorce records, and a valid state ID must be included in their requests. Anyone else is required to provide a court order directing the court clerk to release these records. Divorce judgments can also be viewed on the Civil/Family Case Lookup platform.

Essex County Birth and Death Records

Essex County birth and death records are official documents that provide details about the births and deaths respectively within the county. Only authorized persons can access these records in New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Public Health, through the State Vital Records Office, maintains birth and death records for Essex County. Eligible persons can request birth or death records at their municipality's Vital Records Office or from the Department of Public Health.

Essex County Probate Court Records

Essex County Probate Court records are official documents on the administration of deceased persons wills or estates of deceased persons without wills. These records comprise documents on wills, guardianship, conservatorship, assets Inventory, administration of estates, and other probate matters. Probate court records are maintained by the Surrogate Court in Essex County. Most probate court records are generally public and can be accessed by visiting the court where the records were generated or by mail. Some records may be available online through the New Jersey Courts eCourt System or the Essex County Surrogate Court website. However, access to some specific documents might be restricted, especially if they involve sensitive personal information.

Essex County Property Records

Essex County property records, such as mortgages, deeds, liens, property sales history, zoning, parcel numbers, and tax records, are official documents on real estate in the county. They are public records. Municipality clerks are responsible for managing the property records within their jurisdictions. Interested persons can visit municipality town halls to examine their property records or use the New Jersey Land Registry portal to search for property records in Essex County.

Essex County Court Records Online

Essex County court records can be accessed through third-party online resources like new jerseycourtrecords.us. Third-party platforms provide time-saving and convenient access to Essex County court records. However, some information obtained from these sites may not be accurate or up-to-date. Record seekers are required to cross-check information on third-party sites with official records to ensure reliability and accuracy.