Bergen County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Bergen County is the most populous county in New Jersey and one of the state's original four counties. Its county seat is Hackensack, which also houses the Bergen County court system charged with resolving civil disputes, punishing criminal offenses, and guaranteeing the safety of the 953,243 residents living in the county. Bergen County court system comprises the Superior Court and its Divisions. The Bergen County Superior Court is the only trial court in the county, and it is divided into eight divisions, including the Criminal Division, Family Division, Finance Division, Human Resources Division, IT Division, Municipal Division, Operations Division, and Probation Division. The Criminal Division deals with civil cases where the amount in question is more than $20,000, cases between $5,000 and $20,000, and small claims disputes of $5,000 or less. The Criminal Division handles all serious criminal cases involving adult offenders and, on rare occasions, may transfer juveniles to adult court for serious offenses. The Family Division hears cases pertaining to divorce, child support, custody, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, family crisis, foster care, and adoption. The Finance Division oversees the Court's financial operations, including collecting fines, restitution, child support, bail, and fees. The Municipal Division handles various matters, including motor vehicle and traffic violations, ordinance violations, and disorderly offenses.

The Superior Court in Bergen County plays a crucial role in promoting social order as the crime rate in the county continues to decrease. The remarkable decline in the county's crime rate from 100 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2014 to 84 incidents per 100,000 in 2022 attests to the importance of the court and other law enforcement agencies in the county. The Bergen County Superior Court routinely manages a substantial caseload, with its civil division alone having heard over 460,000 cases. The Clerk of Superior Court is the custodian of court records in Bergen County. These records are public information and available on the statewide Find a Case portal. Note that court records that involve child victims of sexual abuse, trade secrets, and records in any case that a judge has ordered to be sealed are exempt from public view.

The comprehensive court system in Bergen County, which is made up of the Superior Court and its various Divisions including, but not limited to, the Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate Divisions, ensures that a wide array of cases, ranging from civil disputes to criminal offenses and family matters, are adjudicated effectively in the county. The superior court's divisions cater to the specific legal needs of the community, providing a fair and efficient judicial process for all residents of Bergen County.