Essex County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Essex County is located in the northeastern part of New Jersey and is home to 853,374 residents. Its county seat is Newark. Part of the 8th, 10th, and 11th Congressional Districts Essex County court system upholds justice in the county through its courts, including Superior Courts, Surrogate Courts, Municipal Courts, and Tax Courts.

The Newark-based Essex County Superior Court is the primary venue for major criminal cases and civil litigations. Essex County Superior Court has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases and cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. Surrogate Courts have jurisdiction over probate matters, such as validating wills and appointing administrators for those who die without wills, and reviewing and assisting with the documentation surrounding adoption and adult guardianship. Municipal Courts such as Belleville Municipal Courts and those in Bloomfield, and Caldwell handle a wide variety of minor criminal and civil cases. Minor criminal and civil cases, such as matters related to disorderly person offenses, petty disorderly person offenses, municipal and county violations, traffic violations, construction violations, and health code violations. Tax Courts resolve disputes involving local property taxes, state income taxes, homestead rebates, and sales and business taxes.

Every year, Essex County courts hear and process many cases. In a standard year, these courts handle about 10,000 cases. The county's crime rate is 36.64 per 1000 residents. The Superior Court Clerk's Office manages several statewide functions such as court record storage and retrieval, uncontested foreclosures, judgment liens, and the annual attorney registration and payment process. The Clerk's Office also administers the electronic access program for online access to the Judiciary's case management systems. Most records are available to the public to promote transparency. There are some cases though, due to the sensitivity of the information held, that will be sealed and otherwise considered confidential without open access to the public. Such cases do require special permission from authorized personnel only or an additional court order to access the information in the sealed records.

In summary, the court system in Essex County is important to the county's administration and is dedicated to preserving law and order. With an organized court system that includes Superior Courts, Surrogate Courts, Municipal Courts, and Tax Courts, the county is properly structured to handle its legal matters. The accessibility of court records through an electronic system is an indication of openness in the judicial system. Essex County presents itself as a worthy example of legal governance in New Jersey by carefully upholding its court system with transparency.