Union County Court Records Search
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Union County is located in northeastern New Jersey and encompasses 21 municipalities, including the county seat of Elizabeth, as well as Plainfield, Westfield, Linden, Rahway, and Summit. The county’s court system processes a broad range of legal matters through its Superior Court, Surrogate’s Court, and more than two dozen municipal courts. Court records generated by these bodies include docket entries, pleadings, motions, judgments, orders, transcripts, and witness testimony, all of which play an essential role in maintaining judicial transparency and supporting public access to legal information.
Residents and other interested parties searching for New Jersey court records may begin by consulting official Judiciary resources, local clerk offices, and public-access terminals at the courthouse. The statewide portal operated by the New Jersey Judiciary offers free case-search tools for criminal, civil, and municipal matters. Additional information about courts throughout the state is available through NewJerseyCourts.us. Individual case documents and certified copies are obtainable from the relevant court division or the Superior Court Clerk’s Office in Trenton, following the procedures and fee schedules described below.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Union County?
Union County court cases can be located through several channels, depending on the type of case and the level of detail required.
Online search tools (free)
The New Jersey Judiciary maintains several no-cost public databases accessible through its Find a Case page:
- PROMIS/Gavel Public Access — search indictable criminal cases by defendant name, date of birth, or indictment/accusation number. Select “Union” as the county.
- Criminal Judgments Public Access — view judgments of conviction entered from June 2017 onward.
- Civil and Foreclosure Public Access — search civil case jackets by party name or docket number (free registration required).
- NJMCdirect — look up municipal court traffic and parking tickets and make payments.
Electronic Access Program (EAP)
The Electronic Access Program provides subscriber-based remote access to five Judiciary case management systems: PROMIS/Gavel, the Automated Case Management System (ACMS) for civil cases, the Civil Judgment and Order Docket, the Family Automated Case Tracking System (FACTS) for divorce matters, and the Automated Traffic System (ATS). The service costs $4 per minute and requires a Judiciary Account Charge System (JACS) account with a minimum balance. It is available from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week.
Requesting copies of records
To obtain physical or electronic copies of court documents, complete the Records Request Form (CN 10200) and submit it through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) portal. Processing location depends on case status:
- Open cases — Select the appropriate Superior Court division (Civil, Criminal, Family, Special Civil) and choose Union County on the form.
- Closed cases — Select “SCCO” (Superior Court Clerk’s Office) as the processing location.
- Archived records — Also select “SCCO”. For questions about archived requests, email SCCORecordReq.Mailbox@njcourts.gov.
Records are delivered electronically to the email address provided on the form. Fees for certified, exemplified, or sealed copies can be paid by credit card. For general questions, contact the Superior Court Clerk’s Office at (609) 421-6100 or email SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov.
In-person access
Visit the Union County Courthouse during regular business hours. Public access terminals are available at the Criminal Division for reviewing case information.
Union County Superior Court
Address: 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 787-1650
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Are Court Records Public in Union County?
New Jersey Court Rule 1:38 establishes a presumption that court records are open to public inspection. The rule covers records across all Superior Court divisions — civil, special civil, criminal, family, and general equity — as well as municipal and tax court files.
Records open to the public include:
- Civil complaints, answers, and motions
- Criminal docket sheets, indictments, and judgments of conviction
- Special civil part filings (landlord/tenant, small claims)
- Foreclosure case records
- Statewide judgment lien records
- Municipal court case information (traffic violations, ordinance matters)
Records excluded from public access under Rule 1:38-3:
- Medical and mental health records
- Juvenile delinquency records
- Adoption records (sealed per N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 9:3-52)
- Domestic violence proceedings (certain filings)
- Grand jury materials
- Civil commitment proceedings
- Name change records
- Expunged records
- Pretrial Services Program records
The rule also mandates redaction of personal identifiers — Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, driver’s license numbers, and unlisted telephone numbers — before records are made available to the public. Confidential records may be accessible to the named parties, their attorneys of record, and other authorized persons who present valid government-issued identification. Anyone else seeking access to sealed or restricted records must generally obtain a court order.
Union County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Union County are divided between the Superior Court and the municipal courts. The Superior Court’s Criminal Division handles all indictable offenses (felonies), while municipal courts adjudicate disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and motor vehicle violations.
Superior Court Criminal Division
The Criminal Division manages cases from arrest through post-conviction proceedings. Key contact numbers at (908) 787-1650:
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Customer Service / Records Requests | ext. 21250 |
| Expungements | ext. 21250 |
| Pretrial Intervention Program (PTI) | ext. 21350 |
| Recovery Court | ext. 21200 |
Persons seeking to expunge a criminal or juvenile record can use the Judiciary’s expungement pro se kit. Those wishing to appeal a municipal court decision may use the municipal court appeal kit.
Sheriff’s Office
The Union County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest records and booking information. Inquiries about criminal records or warrants may be directed to:
Union County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 527-4450
Fax: (908) 527-4455
The Sheriff’s Corrections Division operates an online inmate lookup tool that displays current inmate information for the Union County Jail.
State-level criminal history checks
A person’s Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) can be requested through the New Jersey State Police using the SBI 212B form. The process requires fingerprinting at an approved vendor and payment of applicable fees (approximately $40–$46 depending on the service). Results are typically available for download from my.nj.gov within 24 to 72 hours. Detailed instructions are available on the NJ State Police criminal history page.
Municipal courts in Union County
Union County has more than 20 municipal courts. A selection of major courts and their contact details:
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Municipal Court | One Police Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07201 | (908) 558-6800 |
| Plainfield Municipal Court | 325 Watchung Ave, Plainfield, NJ 07060 | (908) 753-3064 |
| Linden Municipal Court | 301 North Wood Ave, Linden, NJ 07036 | (908) 474-8429 |
| Westfield Municipal Court | 425 East Broad St, Westfield, NJ 07090 | (908) 789-4060 |
| Rahway Municipal Court | 1 City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ 07065 | (732) 827-2039 |
| Union Township Municipal Court | 981 Caldwell Ave, Union, NJ 07083 | (908) 851-5400 |
| Cranford Municipal Court | 8 Springfield Ave, Cranford, NJ 07016 | (908) 709-7242 |
| Hillside Township Municipal Court | 1409 Liberty Ave, Hillside, NJ 07205 | (973) 926-1881 |
| Scotch Plains Municipal Court | 430 Park Ave, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 | (908) 322-6700 ext. 216 |
A complete directory of all New Jersey municipal courts is available as a PDF listing from the Judiciary.
Union County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Union County is processed through three tiers within the Superior Court, based on the monetary amount at stake.
Jurisdictional thresholds:
- Law Division (Civil Part) — claims exceeding $20,000
- Special Civil Part — claims between $5,000 and $20,000
- Small Claims (within Special Civil Part) — claims of $5,000 or less
Non-monetary disputes — such as trade secret cases, labor matters, and foreclosures — are heard in the General Equity Division, which also handles requests for injunctive relief and restraining orders.
Civil Division contacts at (908) 787-1650:
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Civil Division Manager | ext. 21490 |
| General Equity | ext. 22140 |
| Special Civil / Landlord-Tenant | ext. 22160 |
| Arbitration | ext. 22130 |
Copy and authentication fees (Superior Court Clerk’s Office):
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy — letter size | $0.05 per page |
| Plain copy — legal size | $0.07 per page |
| Certified copy | $15 |
| Seal of the Court | $10 |
| Exemplified copy (plus plain copy fees) | $50 |
| Triple exemplified copy | $60 |
| Certificate of Statewide Judgment Lien | $10 |
Payment is accepted by check or money order (payable to “Treasurer, State of New Jersey”). Cash is accepted only in person. Attorneys may use a Superior Court Attorney Collateral Account.
Property records
The Union County Clerk’s Office maintains land records, deeds, mortgages, and other property-related instruments. The office’s online Public Land Records Search contains documents recorded from 1977 to the present and can be searched by name, book and page, instrument number, or date range.
Union County Clerk’s Office — Elizabeth
Address: 2 Broad Street, Room 115, Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 527-4787
Fax: (908) 558-2589
Recording Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (over-the-counter recording until 3:30 p.m.)
Union County Clerk’s Office — Westfield
Address: 300 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: (908) 654-9859
Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Tue/Thu 8:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Sat 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Union County Family Court Records
The Family Division of the Superior Court resolves disputes arising from family and domestic relationships. Case types handled by this division include divorce (matrimonial), child custody, child support and parenting time, paternity, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect, foster care, kinship legal guardianship, termination of parental rights, and adoption.
Family Division contacts at (908) 787-1650:
| Office | Extension |
|---|---|
| Family Division Manager | ext. 21311 |
| Matrimonial | ext. 21320 |
| Domestic Violence | ext. 21270 |
| Non-Dissolution (custody, support, paternity) | ext. 21280 |
| Juvenile | ext. 21370 |
| Children in Court | ext. 21280 |
Requesting family court records
Family case records are requested using the same CN 10200 form and JEDS submission process described earlier. For open cases, select “Family Division” and “Union” on the form. For closed or archived cases, select “SCCO”.
Restrictions on divorce records: Dissolution case documents are confidential. Only the parties, their attorneys of record, or persons holding a court order may access them. Requesters who are parties to the case must include a valid state-issued ID. The Superior Court Clerk’s Office stores archived Union County divorce files through case year 2015. For more recent closed cases that have not yet been archived, contact the Family Division at the courthouse. If a docket number is unknown, call (609) 421-6100 for a search using the county, approximate year, and party names. A Certificate of Divorce (containing the county, docket number, party names, and judgment date) is available for $10 and may suffice in lieu of a full judgment copy, which costs $25 for a certified copy.
Marriage records
Marriage certificates can be obtained from the municipal registrar in the municipality where the ceremony occurred. Alternatively, the New Jersey Department of Health processes requests by mail or online. Certified copies require proof of relationship. Historical marriage records from 1931–1948 are held by the New Jersey State Archives.
Birth and death records
These vital records may be obtained from the registrar of the municipality where the event occurred or from the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics. Fees vary by municipality; the state typically charges $25 for the first certified copy. Certified copies require proof of identity and relationship to the record’s subject.
Union County Probate Court Records
Probate jurisdiction in Union County is shared between the Surrogate’s Court, which handles uncontested estates and guardianship of minors, and the Superior Court’s Chancery Division, which adjudicates contested probate matters.
Surrogate’s Court
The Union County Surrogate’s Court admits wills to probate, issues letters testamentary and letters of administration, processes guardianship-of-minor applications, and manages adoption filings. The office serves as a gateway for many estate-related proceedings and can schedule hearings for contested matters before the Superior Court.
Office locations — all by appointment only (call (908) 527-4280 or email UCSurrogate@ucnj.org):
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth (Main Office) | 2 Broad Street, Old Annex, 2nd Floor, Elizabeth, NJ 07207 |
| Westfield | 300 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ 07090 |
| Cranford (Satellite) | 220 Walnut Avenue, Cranford, NJ 07016 |
| Scotch Plains (Satellite) | 430 Park Avenue, Room 202, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 |
| Summit (Satellite) | 512 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901 |
| Union Township (Satellite) | 1976 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083 |
Hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last appointment accepted at 3:15 p.m.).
Selected Surrogate’s Court fees:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate of will (up to 2 pages) | $100 |
| Extra pages of will, each | $5 |
| Letters of administration | $135 |
| Administration CTA (will annexed) | $100 |
| Administration ad prosequendum | $50 |
| Letters of trusteeship (incl. 1 certificate) | $50 |
| Letters of guardianship (minor) | $50 |
| Exemplified will (2 pages + forms) | $84 |
| Filing complaint, Superior Court action | $175 |
| Filing complaint, adult incapacity guardianship | $200 |
| Short certificate | $5 |
| Search fee (per estate) | $10 |
| Service of process by Surrogate | $25 |
| Consent/Renunciation | $5 |
| Hearing | $10 |
Contact the Surrogate’s office at (908) 527-4280 for current fee quotes on any specific service, as fees may change.
Adoption records
All adoption judgments and related proceedings are sealed under New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 9:3-51 and 9:3-52) and Court Rule 1:38-3(16). Opening an adoption record requires a petition to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part. To learn about the specific filing procedure and fees, contact the Union County Surrogate’s Office.
Contested probate and guardianship
Disputes over wills, estate distributions, or the appointment of guardians for incapacitated adults are filed in the Superior Court’s Chancery Division. These case records can be searched through the Civil and Foreclosure Public Access portal or requested using the CN 10200 form. The filing fee for a Superior Court complaint in a contested probate matter is $175; adult incapacity guardianship filings cost $200.