Union County Superior Court Case Search

Union County Superior Court records encompass various documents generated and stored during court proceedings. These records include court orders, case files, dockets, judgments, and other pertinent information. The Clerk of Courts is the principal custodian of these documents, ensuring the smooth progression of court proceedings and upholding transparency and openness in the judicial process. Typically, residents and the general public execute case searches of Superior Court records to research trial cases, track case status, handle personal matters, or perform background checks for employment or tenancy.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in the Union Superior Court?

The Union County Superior Court has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. Nonetheless, the court usually only handles cases beyond other courts' jurisdiction.

Union County's superior court comprises several divisions that handle various case types. These divisions include civil, criminal, family, chancery, and probate. Most civil cases heard in Union County's Superior Court involve individuals seeking redress through monetary compensation. They include cases involving automobile accidents, medical malpractice, breaches of contracts, and landlord/tenant disagreements.

Civil cases involving amounts over $20,000 are heard in the Civil Division of the Superior Court. The Special Civil Part of the Civil Division handles sums between $5,000 and $20,000 and small claims ($5,000 or less).

The Criminal Division handles all indictable criminal cases involving adult offenders. Based on the severity of the crime, juveniles may be waived to adult court.

The Family Court typically hears cases involving divorce, child support, paternity, custody, parenting time, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, family crisis, foster care placement, and more.

Union County Superior Court

The Union County Superior Court is the county's primary trial-level court. It has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, but typically handles cases beyond other courts' jurisdiction. As the court where civil and criminal cases are first heard, it is the cornerstone of the county's local justice administration. Consequently, to ensure the equitable and efficient resolution of legal disputes, divisions within the court handle different case types, such as civil, criminal, family, chancery, and probate.

The contact details of the Union County Superior Court are as follows:

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

Union County Case Lookup

Interested parties seeking to perform a county-wide search of Union court records may use the following options: online, walk-in, and mail-in.

Online Searches

The Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) portal provides users access to non-restricted criminal, traffic, family, and probate case records.

Applicants may download the Records Request Form on the New Jersey Courts website for free. However, first-time users must register for an account on JEDS to submit the completed request form and pay for copies of court records ($0.05 per letter-sized page and $15.00 per certified document). Requesters may use credit cards to pay for copies of court records online.

The request form must adequately describe the court records sought by the division (criminal, civil, family, etc.), including case numbers, dates, and the parties' names.

Court records deemed confidential by statute, court order, previous case law, juvenile delinquency records, expunged records, family case records, and more are inaccessible to the public via JEDS.

Walk-in Requests

Individuals requesting records in person may submit a request at the Union County Clerk of Court's Office or other applicable records custodian Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The respective custodians of court records expect information seekers searching for the county's court records to supply specific details such as the case number, names of the parties involved, or type of case. A valid government-issued photo ID is also required for identification purposes.

Plain (letter-sized) paper copies of court records cost $0.05 per page, while certified ones attract a charge of $2.50 per page. Requesters may pay copying fees using checks, money orders or cash.

Mail-in Requests

To conduct a mail-in request for Union County court documents, applicants must send a completed application form to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office at:

Superior Court Clerk's Office
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
P.O. Box 971
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0971

The application must include the requester's personal and contact details and an adequate description of the requested record, including any case numbers, dates, and names of individuals involved.

Mail-in applications must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope and the necessary fees for copies of court records.

Plain (letter-sized) copies of court records cost $0.05 per page, while certified paper copies cost $15.00 per document. Checks and money orders payable to the "Treasurer-State of New Jersey" are acceptable payment methods.

For further information on obtaining copies of records, interested persons may contact customer service at (609) 421-6100.

Union Superior Court Case Search by Name

Online Searches: Interested persons may submit a name-based request for Union County Superior Court records through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) portal. To get started:

• Download and save the request form on a computer.
• Under the case identification section, input the case name and names of the parties involved.
• Next, insert the correct processing location, using "SCCO" for records processed by the Superior Court Clerk’s Office.
• Click on "Submit Completed Form" to upload the saved form.

The record custodian will provide the requested records via the email address stated on the form.

In-Person Searches: Requesters with a party name or case number may request a name-based search of Union County Superior Court records by visiting the Clerk of Court's Office.

Mail Requests: Information seekers may mail a records request form to the Union County Clerk of Courts stating the parties' names (preferably complete names), a case number, and other requirements (e.g., a copy of a photo ID and a self-stamped envelope).

Union Superior Court Docket Search

A Union County Superior Court docket is an official document of a case's unique facts in brief sequential entries summarizing court events. It also includes approaching judicial hearings and filings. Court dockets bring all parties participating in proceedings up to date on what has occurred thus far. They are also helpful when the court assigns a case to a different district or judge or when new counsel joins the courtroom proceedings.

Requesters must log on to the New Jersey eCourts portal to search by docket number or party name. Select the Case County and Civil Part (L) from the Docket Type drop-down list to search using the docket number. Enter the case's Docket Number and two-digit Docket Year, and click the search button to view results.

Lookup Union County Superior Court Online

Information searchers looking for Union County Superior Court records may access court filings and case summaries through the Judiciary Electronic Submissions portal. They may also visit or send a mail-in request for copies of court records to the Union County Clerk of Courts Office. Alternatively, third-party databases like Newjerseycourtrecords.us offer convenient interfaces for finding Superior Court records. Users may obtain particular case details by entering information like case numbers and party names from the comfort of their homes. Using these sites allows searchers to view and download court records easily. However, record seekers should know that such third-party databases operate independently of government bodies. As a result, there is no guarantee that records on these platforms will be available or accurate.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

In Union County, the Superior Court is a first-instance trial court. The Court has original jurisdiction over various cases and is responsible for initially handling many types of cases. This is achieved through criminal trials (including felonies), civil disputes, and family law matters such as divorce, domestic violence, and child custody.

Conversely, the New Jersey Supreme Court does not conduct trials. Instead, it hears appeals from lower courts (such as the superior courts) and focuses on constitutional issues and matters of statewide significance. The State Supreme Court has the final decision on appeals within the state unless the United States Supreme Court decides to review such cases as the highest appellate court in the country.