Union County Court Records

Court records refer to official documents and materials detailing court proceedings. These records range from those submitted by the parties to those generated by the court during the proceedings. Typical court records contain information such as the following:

• The names and designations of the disputing parties
• Information about the attorney handling the cases
• Information about the judges who presided over the proceedings
• Exhibits, statements, and other evidence tendered in the cases
• Information about witnesses who testified in the case
• Court judgments and orders
• The parties’ filing, pleadings, and other submissions

Court records are essential to the legal system as they ensure transparency in the adjudication of cases. Also, members of the public can examine the reasoning and precedents that guide the court’s decisions in cases. Furthermore, access to court records allows employers and homeowners to access crucial information about prospective employees and contractors, such as past criminal convictions and involvement in legal disputes.

Are Court Records Public in Union County?

Union County court records are open to the public pursuant to the New Jersey Court Rules on Public Access to Court Records and Administrative Records. The law allows public access to a wide range of judicial records, providing requirements that record seekers must meet to obtain court records. However, the rules also restrict public access to certain records considered sensitive or protected by statute. Some examples of such confidential records include:

• Medical records
• Sealed and expunged records
• Juvenile delinquency records
• Name change records
• Records of civil commitment proceedings
• Adoption records

Confidential records are often accessible by the parties named on the records, their attorneys, and authorized persons with valid proof of identity.

Union County Court Records Search

The Office of the Superior Court Clerk facilitates access to most court records in Union County. Anyone can access records in the custody of the clerk by submitting the appropriate forms and paying the relevant fees to the clerk’s office. In certain instances, the clerk may also require applicants to provide valid means of identification as a condition to obtain records. Alternatively, record seekers may also search Union County court records using online resources like electronic access portals and third-party websites.

Union County Court Records Search by Name

Typically, when searching court records in Union County, the requester must have particular information about the case records, such as the file or docket number. However, with a named-based search, record seekers can find court records using the parties’ names. This option is available for criminal and municipal case records requests in the county. The requester simply has to enter the defendant’s name, date of birth, and last four digits of social security number in the appropriate field in the request form.

Union County Courts

Union County is home to a Superior Court, a Surrogate Court, Municipal Courts, and a Tax Court. The Superior Court handles general civil claims, criminal cases, family matters, and contested probate cases. The Surrogate Court handles uncontested probate matters, while the Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over traffic violations, ordinance violations, and minor criminal offenses. The Tax Court has authority over tax-related cases in Union County.

Listed below are the locations and contact details of all the courts in Union County:

Union County Superior Court
Union County Courthouse
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 787-1650

Union County Surrogate’s Office
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 527-4280

Union County Surrogate’s Satellite Office - Cranford
Cranford Community Center
220 Walnut Avenue
Cranford, NJ 07016
Phone: (908) 527-4280

Union County Surrogate’s Satellite Office - Scotch Plains
Scotch Plains Municipal Building
430 Park Avenue, Room 202
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone: (908) 527-4280

Union County Surrogate’s Satellite Office - Summit
Summit City Hall
512 Springfield Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901
Phone: (908) 527-4280

Union County Surrogate’s Satellite Office - Union
Union Township Municipal Building
1976 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 527-4280

Berkeley Heights Municipal Court
360 Elkwood Avenue
New Providence, NJ 07974
Phone: (908) 743-1055
Fax: (908) 464-3435

Clark Township Municipal Court
315 Westfield Avenue
Clark, NJ 07066
Phone: (732) 381-5395
Fax: (732) 381-9630

Cranford Municipal Court
Cranford Municipal Building
8 Springfield Avenue
Cranford, NJ 07016
Phone: (908) 709-7242
Fax: (908) 709-7244

Elizabeth Municipal Court
One Police Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Phone: (908) 558-6800

Fanwood Municipal Court
75 North Martine Avenue
Fanwood, NJ 07023
Phone: (908) 322-6750
Fax: (908) 322-1378

Garwood Municipal Court
403 South Avenue
Garwood, NJ 07027
Phone: (908) 789-0780
Fax: (908) 789-6414

Hillside Township Municipal Court
1409 Liberty Avenue
Hillside, NJ 07205
Phone: (973) 926-1881
Fax: (973) 926-2240

Kenilworth Municipal Court
567 Boulevard
Kenilworth, NJ 07033
Phone: (908) 276-1104
Fax: (908) 276-1597

Linden Municipal Court
301 North Wood Avenue
Linden, NJ 07036
Phone: (908) 474-8429
Fax: (908) 474-8619

Mountainside Municipal Court
1385 U.S. Highway 22 East
Mountainside, NJ 07092
Phone: (908) 232-5335
Fax: (908) 233-6412

New Providence Municipal Court
360 Elkwood Avenue
New Providence, NJ 07974
Phone: (908) 665-1454
Fax: (908) 464-3435

Plainfield Municipal Court
325 Watchung Avenue
Plainfield, NJ 07060
Phone: (908) 753-3064
Fax: (908) 753-3030

Rahway Municipal Court
1 City Hall Plaza
Rahway, NJ 07065
Phone: (732) 827-2039
Fax: (732) 381-9879

Roselle Municipal Court
210 Chestnut Street
Roselle, NJ 07203
Phone: (908) 245-5600
Fax: (908) 245-9508

Roselle Park Municipal Court
110 East Westfield Avenue
Roselle Park, NJ 07204
Phone: (908) 241-4631
Fax: (908) 241-5719

Scotch Plains Municipal Court
430 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone: (908) 322-6700 ext. 216
Fax: (908) 322-0680

Springfield Municipal Court
100 Mountain Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07081
Phone: (973) 912-2213

Summit Municipal Court
360 Elkwood Avenue
New Providence, NJ 07974
Phone: (908) 273-6112
Fax: (908) 464-3435

Union Township Municipal Court
981 Caldwell Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 851-5400
Fax: (908) 851-5256

Westfield Municipal Court
425 East Broad Street
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: (908) 789-4060
Fax: (908) 654-1520

Winfield Township Municipal Court
12 Gulfstream Avenue
Winfield, NJ 07036
Phone: (908) 925-3938

Union County Superior Court Records

Union County Superior Court records are documents pertaining to cases handled by the court, including civil, criminal, contested probate, and family cases. These records are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court, who also disseminates them. Interested persons can obtain copies of Union County Superior Court Records by completing the Records Request Form and submitting it through the Judiciary Electronic Document System (JEDS) or mailing it to:

Superior Court Clerk’s Office
P.O. Box 971
Trenton, NJ 08625-0971

Note that charges apply for each copy of the court records provided. Extra fees apply to requesters that require sealed, exemplified, or certified copies. Union County Superior Court records can also be accessed online using the Electronic Access Portal. This online service costs $4 per minute of use.

Union County Criminal Records

Union County criminal records include information about a person’s past Union county arrests, detentions, convictions, and other crime-related issues. As the primary law enforcement agency in the county, the Union County Sheriff’s Office maintains these records. Anyone can obtain these records by contacting the Sheriff’s office at:

10 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 527-4450
Fax: (908) 527-4455

Furthermore, for information about inmates in the county’s jail, search the inmate lookup website. Record seekers may also request a person’s Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) from the New Jersey State Police using the online SBI 212B Form. However, to obtain one’s criminal history information, the requester must schedule an appointment with the recommended fingerprint-capturing services and pay the required fees. The requester may then download the record from the New Jersey State Police’s website within 24 to 72 hours after the fingerprinting process. This service costs $45.73.

Union County Criminal Court Case Lookup

In Union County, the Superior Court handles most criminal offenses, including felonies and misdemeanors. However, the municipal courts handle minor offenses like simple assault, bad checks, and petty disorderly person offenses. Records of these cases constitute Union County criminal court case records maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court. Interested persons can access criminal case records using the statewide Electronic Access Portal by submitting a completed Records Request Form through the JEDS portal or by mail to the Clerk’s office. Requesters must also pay the applicable fees to facilitate their request. Payment can be made using a credit card, check, or money order. Cash payments can be made in person at the clerk’s office. Checks and money orders must be made payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey.

Get Union County Civil Court Records

Union County civil records are official documents and materials pertaining to civil cases in the county. These include records of small claims, monetary claims, personal injury cases, disputes over property, and other non-criminal legal disputes. These records are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court and may be accessed online using the Electronic Access Portal. Record seekers may also request copies from the clerk’s office by submitting a completed request form and paying the relevant fees.

Union County Family Court Records

Union County Family Court records include information and materials about the adjudication of cases on family, juvenile, and domestic matters. Examples of cases within the jurisdiction of the family division of the Superior Court include:

• Domestic violence
• Divorce
• Child custody and visitation
• Paternity
• Juvenile delinquency
• Child abuse and neglect

Interested persons can request records of these cases from the Clerk of the Superior Court by submitting the Records Request Form using the JEDS portal or by mail. Alternatively, record seekers may search family court records using the Electronic Access Portal. However, note that requesters have to contact the Surrogate Court for records of adoption cases.

Furthermore, certain family records, such as divorce and adoption records, are confidential and not open to public access. However, depending on the type of record, certain persons, such as the parties, their attorneys, and legal guardians, may access them. Such persons may be required to provide certain documents, including a valid government-issued ID and court order, where necessary.

Union County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Petitions, decrees, and other documents relating to marriage dissolution cases are confidential records in Union County. As such, only the parties, their attorneys of records, and persons with court orders can request the records from the Clerk of the Superior Court. Eligible requesters must complete the Records Request Form and submit it on the JEDS portal or via mail, pay the applicable fees, and present valid government-issued IDs. Marriage dissolution records in the custody of the clerk are limited to cases concluded in 2017 and earlier. To obtain post-2017 cases, visit the Union County Superior Court at:

Union County Courthouse
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 787-1650

Requesters who do not have docket numbers can contact the Customer Service Unit of the Superior Court Clerk’s Office by calling (609) 421-6100.

Union County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriages and divorce records are part of Union County's vital records. Marriage certificates are evidence of the beginning of a legal union, while divorce records document the termination of marriages. Union County marriage certificates can be obtained from the municipality registrar where the marriage ceremony occurred. Alternatively, record seekers can obtain Union County marriage records from the New Jersey Department of Health by sending an online request, calling (877) 622-7549, or visiting the department at:

Department of Health
140 E. Front Street
Trenton, NJ

Requesters must also present their valid government-issued IDs and pay the applicable fees. Additionally, those requesting certified copies must also include proof of relationship showing that they are either the person listed on the records, the record owner’s spouses, representatives, or close family members. Persons requesting informational copies do not need to provide proof of relationship. For historical marriage records from 1931-1948, contact the New Jersey State Archives. On the other hand, Union County divorce records can be accessed by submitting a completed Records Request Form to the Superior Court Clerk’s office.

Union County Birth and Death Records

Union County birth and death records can be obtained from the registrar of the municipality where the birth or death occurred. Obtaining these records involves submitting requests and providing relevant details about the records, such as names, date of occurrence, and place of occurrence. Requesters must also pay the relevant fees determined by the record custodian.

Record seekers may also obtain Union County birth and death records from the New Jersey Department of Health. They can do so by calling (877) 622-7549, ordering the records online, or making walk-in requests at the department. In addition to providing relevant information about the record and paying the applicable fees, requesters must also provide a government-issued ID. Also, those who want certified copies of the records must provide proof of their relationship with the record’s subject. Proof must show that the applicant is either a legal guardian or representative, parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandchild of the person listed on the record.

Union County Probate Court Records

Union County probate court records consist of documents relating to legal proceedings over deceased persons’ estates. Common probate matters include the admission of wills, guardianships, conservatorships, administration, and trusts. The Superior Court and the Surrogate Court in the county share jurisdiction in probate matters. In particular, the Superior Court handles all contested probate cases, while the Surrogate Court specializes in uncontested matters.

Interested persons can obtain Superior Court probate records by filling out the Records Request Form and submitting it through the JEDS portal or by mail. For records in the custody of the Surrogate Court, contact any of the court’s locations.

Union County Property Records

The Union County Clerk’s Office is responsible for maintaining property records in the county, including information about property ownership, land transactions, and property-related instruments. Interested persons can find these records and request certified copies online using the Public Land Records Search Page, which contains land records from 1977 to date. Users can search the website by name, book and page, instrument number, and date range. To obtain older records, visit the clerk’s office at:

Union County Clerk’s Office
Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 115
Elizabeth, NJ 07207

Union County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like newjerseycourtrecords.us offer members of the public access to a wide range of Union County public records, including court records, criminal records, and property records. Using these sites eliminates the need for in-person requests at the record custodians’ offices, making them a convenient and faster alternative. Nonetheless, these services may be more expensive and may not provide up-to-date information.