Somerset County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Located in the north-central region of New Jersey, Somerset County covers a total area of 304.95 square miles. The population in the county population was 344,978 as of 2022. Among its 21 municipalities, Somerville Borough serves as the county seat. Somerset County's judicial structure comprises the Superior Court, Surrogate's Court, and several Municipal Courts that collectively resolve litigations within their jurisdictions. In addition to resolving legal disputes, these courts provide a range of judicial services that contribute to the efficient and effective governance of the county.

The Superior Court is Somerset County's only trial court of general jurisdiction and it adjudicates legal matters related to felonies, civil cases actions, family law disputes, and juvenile cases. This court also has appellate jurisdiction over finalized cases from the lower courts. The Superior Court has specialized divisions handling criminal, civil, and family law matters. Likewise, the Surrogate's Court Division handles probate matters related to wills, estates, guardianships and conservatorships, adoptions, and the welfare of minors.

Several Municipal Courts are located in towns such as Bridgewater, Franklin, Bedminster, Far Hills, and Hillsborough. These courts handle certain matters within the townships' limits, including motor vehicle code violations, traffic offenses, disorderly person offenses, animal complaints, and local ordinance violations.

Somerset County reported a crime rate of 806.4 per 100,000 residents in 2022, resulting in its courts' considerable number of caseloads. Based on New Jersey Judiciary Annual Reports, Somerset County Superior Court sees an average of 12,000 new cases within 12 months. Despite the substantial workload, the court processes and resolves about 8,000 civil, 700 criminal, and 4,000 family cases annually. Meanwhile, the Municipal Courts add an average of 60,000 new cases and resolve up to 80,000 cases annually. More than 70% of the Municipal Courts' depositions and filings involve traffic and parking violations. Public access to court records in Somerset County is available at the Clerks of Courts' offices. However, sealed records and confidential court information are inaccessible to the general public.

In summary, the judicial system in Somerset County comprises the Superior Court alongside its Divisions and the Municipal Courts. These courts manage various cases and equitably resolve different types of proceedings within their jurisdictions. Moreover, the court system includes programs like mediation and arbitration to expedite cases and reduce caseload. The Clerks of the Courts ensure that the public can access records maintained by their departments.