Mercer County Court Records
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Mercer County sits in central New Jersey and serves as home to the state capital of Trenton. Its court system produces a substantial volume of records across criminal, civil, family, and probate matters, generated by the Mercer County Superior Court, the Surrogates Court, and twelve municipal courts spread throughout the county. Whether you need to verify a case outcome, get a copy of a judgment, or track down a probate filing, knowing how the system is organized is the best place to start.
Court records in Mercer County can include judgments, orders, motions, summonses, court dates, litigant and attorney names, filing dates, case numbers, subpoenas, testimonies, hearing transcripts, and final dispositions. Many of these documents are used as admissible evidence in other legal proceedings and are routinely relied upon by attorneys, title searchers, employers, and members of the public.
You can search for case information through official clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and several online tools run by the state judiciary. NewJerseyCourts.us may also help you locate publicly available court case information across New Jersey counties, including resources relevant to the Mercer vicinage.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Mercer County?
Where you start depends on the type of case and whether it is still open or has been closed and archived. The New Jersey Judiciary maintains several electronic databases for public case lookups.
Online Case Search Options
- Criminal Case Search (PGPA): The Criminal Case Public Access portal lets you search Superior Court criminal cases by defendant name or county. You can pull up charges, case status, and dispositions.
- Civil Case Public Access: The Civil Case Public Access system covers civil filings including general equity matters, landlord/tenant cases, and special civil part actions. First-time users need to register for an account before searching.
- Municipal Court Case Search (MCCS): Use the Municipal Court Case Search portal to look up traffic tickets and municipal complaints handled by any of Mercer County's local courts.
Requesting Copies of Court Records
To get copies of specific court documents, follow these steps:
- Download the Records Request Form and save it to your computer.
- Fill in all required fields, including the case docket number, party names, and the division where the case was heard.
- For open cases, select the appropriate division (Civil, Criminal, Family, or Special Civil Part) and then select Mercer County.
- For closed or archived cases, select the Superior Court Clerks Office (SCCO) as the processing location.
- Submit the completed form electronically through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system.
- Records will be delivered electronically to the email address on your form.
Fees for certified, exemplified, and sealed copies can be paid by credit card. If you have questions about a submitted request, contact the SCCO by email at SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov or by phone at (609) 421-6100.
In-Person Requests
You can also visit the courthouse where a case was heard in person, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
| Court Facility | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Mercer County Civil Courthouse | 175 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08650 | (609) 571-4200 |
| Mercer County Criminal Courthouse | 400 South Warren Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 | (609) 571-4200 |
| Superior Court Clerks Office | 25 Market Street, P.O. Box 971, Trenton, NJ 08625 | (609) 421-6100 |
Older records may also be available through the New Jersey State Archives, which holds historical filings from courts across the state.
Are Court Records Public in Mercer County?
New Jersey's Open Public Records Act (OPRA) establishes a strong presumption that government records — including court records — are open to the public. Custodians of public records are generally required to make them available for inspection and copying upon request, subject to specific exceptions.
For court records specifically, Court Rule 1:38 controls public access. Under this rule, the following categories are open for inspection:
- Civil division records, including general equity
- Special civil part records
- Criminal division records
- Family division records (with significant exceptions)
- Municipal court records
- Tax court records
Restricted and Confidential Records
Rule 1:38 also lists categories that are not publicly accessible:
- Juvenile records: Proceedings involving minors in the family court are generally sealed from public view.
- Adoption records: All judgments of adoption and related proceedings are sealed under N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 52. Opening these records requires a court order from a Superior Court judge.
- Sealed records: Cases sealed by court order, including certain expunged criminal records.
- Witness protection records: Any information that could compromise the safety of a protected witness.
- Medical and mental health records: Clinical information submitted as part of court proceedings.
- Certain domestic violence records: Specific filings in restraining order cases may have restricted access.
When filing court documents, parties are required to redact personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and financial account numbers.
Mercer County Criminal Court Records
Criminal records in Mercer County are generated at two levels. The Superior Court's Criminal Division handles indictable offenses — felonies and serious misdemeanors — while the county's municipal courts handle disorderly persons offenses, traffic violations, and local ordinance matters.
Superior Court Criminal Records
The Criminal Division of the Mercer County Superior Court is located at:
Mercer County Criminal Courthouse
400 South Warren Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 571-4200
Criminal case files here typically include complaints, indictments, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and judgments of conviction. Search through the Criminal Case Public Access portal or contact the criminal division records room directly.
Arrest Records and Criminal History
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office and local police departments throughout the county maintain arrest records. You can reach the Sheriff's Office at:
Office of the Sheriff
175 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 989-6111
For a full criminal history report, the New Jersey State Police administers the state's criminal records repository. Two types of searches are available:
- Fingerprint-based requests: If you're seeking your own criminal history, you must submit fingerprints. The processing fee is $45.73, payable by credit/debit card or electronic fund transfer. Submit your request through the Personal Records Request portal.
- Name-check searches: Available to employers, licensed private investigators, licensed attorneys, and government agencies. The fee is $20 per search.
Municipal Court Criminal Records
Minor criminal matters — disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, traffic violations, and municipal ordinance violations — are handled by Mercer County's municipal courts. Records from these courts can be searched through the Municipal Court Case Search portal. Key municipal courts in the county include:
| Municipal Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Trenton Municipal Court | 225 North Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08609 | (609) 989-3700 |
| Hamilton Township Municipal Court | 1270 Whitehorse Avenue, Hamilton, NJ 08619 | (609) 581-4071 |
| Ewing Township Municipal Court | 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ 08628 | (609) 883-2900 |
| Lawrence Township Municipal Court | 2207 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 | (609) 844-7159 |
| Princeton Municipal Court | 400 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 | (609) 924-5042 |
| East Windsor Municipal Court | 80 One Mile Road, East Windsor, NJ 08520 | (609) 448-3228 |
Additional municipal courts operate in Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Pennington, Robbinsville, Hightstown, and West Windsor. Municipal court fines and penalties can often be paid through NJMCdirect.
Expungement
If you have an eligible criminal record, you may be able to petition to have it expunged under New Jersey law. The New Jersey Judiciary provides expungement resources and forms for self-represented individuals.
Mercer County Civil Court Records
The Civil Division of the Mercer County Superior Court handles a broad range of non-criminal disputes: contract disagreements, personal injury lawsuits, foreclosure actions, construction litigation, and similar matters where the amount in controversy exceeds $20,000. Cases involving amounts between $5,001 and $20,000 go to the Special Civil Part, and small claims matters — disputes of $5,000 or less — are also processed there.
Searching Civil Records
Start with the Civil Case Public Access portal. Registration is required to use the system. Once you're in, you can search by party name, docket number, or other identifying information. The system shows filing dates, assigned judges, case status, and entered judgments.
Civil court records are filed and maintained at:
Mercer County Civil Courthouse
175 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08650
Phone: (609) 571-4200
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Copy and Authentication Fees
The Superior Court Clerks Office charges the following fees for copies of court documents:
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy letter size | $0.05 per page |
| Plain copy legal size | $0.07 per page |
| Certified copy | $15.00 |
| Seal of the Court | $10.00 |
| Exemplified copy (plus plain copy fees) | $50.00 |
| Triple exemplified copy | $60.00 |
| Certificate of statewide judgment lien | $10.00 |
Payment is accepted by check or money order payable to Treasurer State of New Jersey. Cash is accepted for in-person transactions only. Attorneys may use their Superior Court Attorney Collateral Account.
Property Records
Property records aren't traditional court records, but many civil proceedings involve real estate, and the Mercer County Clerk's recording portal offers a free public search for deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded land documents. You can search by party name, document type, date range, instrument number, or book and page number. The County Clerk's Office is at 209 South Broad Street, Trenton, and can be reached at (609) 989-6473 or (609) 890-9800.
Mercer County Family Court Records
The Family Division of the Mercer County Superior Court handles divorce, child custody and support, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect, adoptions, and guardianship of minors.
Accessing Family Court Records
Family court records carry more restrictive access rules than most other types. While Rule 1:38 generally favors public access, many family case categories are either non-public or available only to the parties, their attorneys, and certain close family members. Here's how the main categories break down:
- Divorce records: The case file in a dissolution action is generally accessible to the parties and their attorneys. Others typically need a court order to obtain copies of the file contents. The Superior Court Clerks Office can issue a Certificate of Divorce for $10.00 or a certified copy of a Final Judgment of Divorce for $25.00 without requiring a court order.
- Child custody and support records: Access is generally limited to the parties involved. The Judiciary provides self-help forms and information for people navigating custody and support proceedings.
- Domestic violence records: Restraining order filings under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act carry specific confidentiality protections. The Judiciary offers domestic violence resources and guidance for obtaining or responding to protective orders.
- Adoption records: Sealed by statute under N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 52. Opening adoption records requires filing a petition with the Surrogates Court and obtaining a court order from a Family Division judge.
- Juvenile records: Delinquency proceedings and child protective services records are generally closed to public access.
Divorce Records Retrieval
Mercer County divorce cases filed through case year 2023 have been transferred to the Superior Court Clerks Office Records and Information Center (RIC) in Trenton for archival storage. To locate a divorce case file at the RIC, you'll need the county where the case was filed and the docket number. The docket number carries an FM prefix followed by digits — the first two digits after FM indicate the county code (11 for Mercer), and the last two digits indicate the filing year.
If you don't have the docket number, customer service at (609) 421-6100 can conduct a search using the county, the approximate year of divorce, and the names of the parties.
The Family Division is at the Mercer County Civil Courthouse, 175 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08650. Requests are accepted weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Vital Records
Marriage certificates are held by the New Jersey Department of Health and local registrars. Mercer County vital records registrars are located in each municipality. You can also submit requests for marriage and birth certificates through the state's Vital Records Online Service. Be prepared to provide proof of identity and your relationship to the person named on the record.
Birth and death records in New Jersey are not public records. Access is restricted to the individual named on the birth certificate, parents, legal guardians, adult siblings, or grandchildren. The state Office of Vital Statistics maintains records from 1919 onward and can be reached at 140 East Front Street, Trenton, NJ. Marriage and divorce records older than 100 years are available through the New Jersey State Archives by appointment.
Mercer County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Mercer County fall under the Surrogates Court, which functions as the Probate Part of the Superior Court. The Surrogate holds wills, estate files, guardianships, and related filings. Diane Gerofsky serves as the Mercer County Surrogate.
Types of Probate Records Available
The Surrogates Office maintains a general index of estate records spanning from 1838 to the present, available in three formats: bound index books (1838–1956), microfiche (1956–present), and a computerized directory (mid-1991–present). Record categories in the general index include:
- Accountings
- Administrations
- Applications for probate
- Assignee bonds
- Dockets
- Guardianships
- Inventories
- Orders to limit creditors
- Releases and discharges
- Rules to bar creditors
- Wills
Searching and Requesting Probate Records
The Surrogates Office will search any estate file for a fee of $10.00 per search. Copies of documents cost $3.00 per page. The files in the general index are open to the public and may be viewed in person during regular business hours.
Mercer County Surrogates Office
175 South Broad Street, Fourth Floor, Room 420
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 989-6331
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
Email: dgerofsky@mercercounty.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (arrive no later than 4:00 p.m.)
Satellite Surrogate Offices
The Surrogate also maintains satellite offices throughout the county for community outreach, with locations in Lawrence Township, Ewing Township, East Windsor, Hamilton Township, Pennington, Princeton, Robbinsville, and Hopewell Township. Reach the satellite offices at (609) 989-6336.
Probate Contact Numbers by Service
| Service | Phone | Available Days |
|---|---|---|
| Probate | (609) 989-6330 | Monday, Wednesday |
| Probate | (609) 989-6321 | Wednesday, Thursday |
| Probate | (609) 989-6483 | Tuesday, Thursday |
| Probate | (609) 989-6039 | Tuesday, Friday |
| Adoptions | (609) 989-6483 | Tuesday, Thursday |
| Surrogate Court Matters | (609) 989-6327 | Monday, Tuesday, Friday |
| Surrogate Court Matters | (609) 989-6326 | Wednesday, Thursday |
| Minors Funds | (609) 989-6321 | Wednesday, Thursday |
For historical probate records predating the Surrogate's current holdings, the New Jersey State Archives maintains original estate records for Mercer County from the 1660s through approximately 1900. Contact the Archives in advance to confirm availability of specific records and to schedule an appointment for in-person access.