Monmouth County Court Records Search
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Monmouth County stretches across a large portion of central New Jersey’s coastline, taking in 53 municipalities from the borough of Freehold inland to beach communities along the Atlantic. The county seat is Freehold, where the Monmouth County Courthouse sits as the hub of the local judicial system. Three types of courts operate within the county: the Superior Court, which has broad jurisdiction over criminal, civil, and family matters; the Surrogate’s Court, which administers probate and adoption proceedings; and 54 Municipal Courts that handle traffic offenses, ordinance violations, and lesser criminal charges. Each court maintains its own records, and knowing which one handled a particular matter is the starting point for any search.
Locating court records in New Jersey involves a combination of statewide online databases, individual clerk’s offices, and public-access terminals available at courthouses. The New Jersey Judiciary provides several electronic case-lookup tools covering criminal, civil, and municipal matters, and clerk’s offices accept written and in-person requests for copies of filed documents. NewJerseyCourts.us may also assist users in identifying publicly available court case data across the state’s judicial system.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Monmouth County?
Monmouth County court cases can be searched online, requested electronically, or accessed in person at the courthouse in Freehold. The approach depends on the case type and the court that heard the matter.
Online Case Search Tools
The New Jersey Judiciary offers free public databases through its Find a Case page:
- PROMIS/Gavel Public Access — Search indictable (felony) criminal cases statewide. Visit the PROMIS/Gavel portal, accept the disclaimer, select Monmouth from the county dropdown, and search by defendant name, indictment number, or complaint number.
- Criminal Judgments Public Access — Look up criminal judgments of conviction, acquittal, and dismissal from June 2017 onward through the Criminal Judgments database.
- Civil and Foreclosure Public Access — Search civil, special civil, and foreclosure dockets via the NJ Civil Case Public Access portal. Registration is required; searches can be done by party name or docket number.
- Municipal Court Case Search — Search traffic tickets and municipal complaints by name, ticket number, complaint number, or driver’s license number at the NJMCdirect portal.
The Electronic Access Program (EAP) also gives subscribers expanded remote access to judiciary case systems.
Requesting Copies of Records
- Download the Records Request Form (CN 10200).
- Complete the form, choosing the correct processing location — for open Monmouth County cases, select the appropriate division (Civil, Criminal, or Family) and then Monmouth County; for closed or archived cases, select SCCO (Superior Court Clerk’s Office).
- Submit the completed form through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system.
- Documents are sent electronically to the email address you provide.
For civil division record requests specifically in Monmouth County, you may also email the completed form directly to MonCivRecReq.Mailbox@njcourts.gov.
In-Person Access
The Monmouth County Superior Court is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at:
Monmouth County Courthouse
71 Monument Park
Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: (732) 358-8700
Public-access terminals are available for on-site case searches. Walk-in visitors may inspect non-confidential records or request copies through the appropriate division’s clerk’s office.
Are Court Records Public in Monmouth County?
Public access to court records in New Jersey is governed by Court Rule 1:38, which establishes the framework for inspecting and copying records maintained by the judiciary. The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) applies broadly to government records held by state and local agencies, though court records are primarily controlled by the judiciary’s own rules.
What Is Open to the Public
Under Rule 1:38, the following court records are presumptively available for public inspection:
- Civil Division records (including general equity and foreclosure)
- Special Civil Part records (small claims, landlord-tenant)
- Criminal Division records
- Family Division records (with notable exceptions)
- Municipal court records
- Tax Court records
Records Excluded from Public Access
Rule 1:38-3 lists categories of court records that are confidential and may not be disclosed without a court order:
- Juvenile delinquency records
- Adoption records (sealed under N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 52)
- Domestic violence records (temporary restraining orders and related filings)
- Medical, psychiatric, and psychological records
- Drug and alcohol dependency records
- Grand jury proceedings
- Records involving minor victims of sexual assault or abuse
- Expunged criminal records
- Pre-sentence investigation reports
Redaction of Personal Identifiers
New Jersey law requires that certain personal information be redacted from publicly accessible court filings, including Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, active financial account numbers, insurance policy numbers, vehicle plate numbers, and unlisted telephone numbers. Filers bear responsibility for removing this information before submission.
Monmouth County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases originating in Monmouth County follow a two-tier structure: indictable offenses (the New Jersey equivalent of felonies) are prosecuted in the Superior Court’s Criminal Division, while disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and motor vehicle violations are handled by Municipal Courts.
Searching Criminal Cases Online
Three statewide databases cover Monmouth County criminal matters:
- PROMIS/Gavel Public Access — for indictable criminal cases. Select Monmouth County and search by defendant name, indictment number, or complaint number.
- Criminal Judgments Public Access — for criminal judgments (conviction, acquittal, dismissal) entered from June 2017 forward. Select Monmouth in the county dropdown.
- Municipal Court Case Search — for traffic tickets, municipal complaints, and disorderly persons charges handled by any of Monmouth County’s 54 Municipal Courts.
Contacting the Criminal Division Directly
For in-person access or telephone inquiries about criminal records, contact the Criminal Division at:
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Criminal Division – Main Line | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87913 |
| Records Requests | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87370 |
| Expungements | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87350 |
| Pretrial Services | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87440 |
| Municipal Appeals | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87360 |
Self-help kits are available from the Judiciary for appealing a Municipal Court decision and for expunging a criminal or juvenile record.
Sheriff’s Office and Inmate Records
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, accident reports, and correctional facility data. An online Inmate Search tool allows the public to look up current inmates held at the Monmouth County Correctional Center. OPRA requests to the Sheriff’s Office must be submitted by email to opra@mcsonj.org. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For statewide criminal history background checks, the New Jersey State Police Criminal History Records Information unit processes fingerprint-based checks for individuals and organizations.
Monmouth County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Monmouth County is heard in the Superior Court’s Civil Division, which encompasses several parts organized by claim amount and case type.
Jurisdictional Structure
| Court/Part | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Law Division – Civil Part | Claims exceeding $20,000; personal injury; breach of contract; medical malpractice; product liability |
| Special Civil Part | Claims from $5,000.01 to $20,000; landlord-tenant disputes |
| Small Claims (within Special Civil Part) | Claims of $5,000 or less |
| General Equity | Non-monetary disputes; trade secrets; labor matters; foreclosures; injunctive relief |
Accessing Civil Records
The Civil and Foreclosure Public Access database allows registered users to search Monmouth County civil dockets by party name or docket number. For copies of civil case documents, submit a completed Records Request Form via JEDS or email it to MonCivRecReq.Mailbox@njcourts.gov.
Direct inquiries to the Civil Division:
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Civil Division – Main Line | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87590 |
| General Equity | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87751 |
| Arbitration | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87680 |
Copy and Authentication Fees
Fees established by the Superior Court Clerk’s Office apply to all record copies:
| 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 Divorce | $10.00 |
Payment is accepted by check or money order (payable to “Treasurer-State of New Jersey”), cash for in-person requests, or credit card for certified and exemplified copies.
Property Records
Real property documents — deeds, mortgages, liens, maps, and UCC filings — are maintained by the Monmouth County Clerk. The Clerk’s Office provides sixteen searchable online databases through its Archives division, including deed indexes dating from 1970 and mortgage indexes from 1976. The county’s Open Public Records Search System offers broader access to recorded documents and other public records.
The County Clerk’s main office is located at:
Monmouth County Clerk – Freehold Office
33 Mechanic Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: (732) 431-7324
Fax: (732) 761-9371
Email: CountyClerk@co.monmouth.nj.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Copies of property records are available at $0.05 per letter-size page and $0.07 per legal-size page.
Monmouth County Family Court Records
All family law cases in Monmouth County are heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court, which operates from the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold. The Family Division has jurisdiction over divorce, child support, custody, parenting time, paternity, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, family crisis, foster care, kinship legal guardianship, termination of parental rights, and adoption.
Contacting the Family Division
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Family Division – Main Line | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87908 |
| Divorce (FM docket) | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87180 |
| Non-Dissolution (FD docket) | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87190 |
| Domestic Violence | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87210 |
| Juvenile | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87240 |
| Children in Court | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87220 |
| Records | (732) 358-8700, ext. 87160 |
| Child Support Hotline | (877) 655-4371 |
Searching Family Court Records
Some family case information is accessible through the NJ Civil Case Public Access portal for registered users. Record seekers may also visit the Family Division clerk’s office at the courthouse or submit a records request form via JEDS. Confidential family records — including juvenile delinquency files, adoption records, and domestic violence filings — are not publicly accessible and may only be released to authorized parties or by court order.
Divorce Records
Divorce cases in New Jersey carry an “FM” docket prefix. After a case is closed, the file is eventually transferred to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office Records Information Center (RIC) in Trenton for archival storage. For Monmouth County, dissolution files through case year 2009 are currently stored at the RIC. A Certificate of Divorce can be obtained from the SCCO for $10.00, while a certified copy of the Final Judgment of Divorce costs $25.00. For docket number assistance, call SCCO Customer Service at (609) 421-6100. Note that divorce documents are only released to a named party (with valid state ID) or the attorney of record; anyone else must obtain a court order.
Marriage Records and Vital Records
Marriage certificates are maintained by the municipal clerk’s office where the ceremony took place. Copies can also be obtained through the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry under the New Jersey Department of Health. Birth and death certificates are available through local vital records offices in Monmouth County or may be ordered online from the state. The fee is $25.00 for the initial certified copy, with additional copies of the same record at $2.00 each when ordered simultaneously. Under New Jersey law, birth records become publicly accessible after 100 years and death records after 40 years. Requests may also be directed to:
New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
Phone: (877) 622-7549
Monmouth County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Monmouth County are divided between two courts based on whether the case is contested or uncontested. The Monmouth County Surrogate’s Court handles routine, uncontested probate proceedings — including the probating of wills, granting letters of administration, appointing guardians, and processing adoptions. Contested probate matters and certain complex proceedings are heard by the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part.
Surrogate’s Court Location and Contact
Monmouth County Surrogate’s Court – Main Office
Hall of Records
One East Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: (732) 431-7330
Fax: (732) 303-7656
Email: Surrogate@Co.Monmouth.nj.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (arrive by 3:30 p.m.)
The Surrogate’s Court also operates satellite offices by appointment at libraries in Middletown (ext. 7337), Wall Township (ext. 7336), Oakhurst/Ocean Township (ext. 7335), and the Neptune County Connection (ext. 5767). All documents should be mailed to the Freehold main office.
Filing Options
The Surrogate’s Office accepts probate filings online, in person at the Freehold office, and by mail.
Key Surrogate Filing Fees (under N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate of will (up to 2 pages) | $100.00 |
| Each additional page of will | $5.00 |
| Probate of codicil (up to 1 page) | $25.00 |
| Letters of Administration (general) | $125.00 |
| Letters of Guardianship | $50.00 |
| Letters of Trusteeship | $50.00 |
| Certified copy of will with proofs (up to 2 pages) | $50.00 |
| Filing complaint and one page of accounting | $175.00 |
| Adoption – adults | $175.00 |
| Adoption – minors (one hearing) | $175.00 |
| Determination of incapacity / appointment of guardian | $200.00 |
| Short certificate | $5.00 |
| Search fee per estate | $10.00 |
| Plain copy of 2-page will | $10.00 |
A complete Surrogate fee schedule is available on the county website. Checks should be made payable to “Monmouth County Surrogate”.
Searching Probate Records
Current and recent probate case information may appear in the NJ Civil Case Public Access portal. In-person inspection is available at the Surrogate’s main office during business hours. The Surrogate’s records archive includes historical documents dating back over a century; for older research, the New Jersey State Archives also maintains Monmouth County surrogate records.
Adoption Records
All adoption judgments and related records are sealed under N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 52. They may only be opened by order of a Superior Court judge, Chancery Division, Family Part. The process typically requires filing a notarized petition with the Surrogate’s Court and paying applicable fees. Contact the Surrogate’s office at (732) 431-7330 for specific filing procedures.