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Hunterdon County, New Jersey State Court Records

Under NJ Court Rule 1:38-2, a court record is "any information maintained by the court in any form in connection with a case or judicial proceeding." This covers pleadings, motions, briefs, evidentiary exhibits, indices, calendars, and dockets. Court records do not include unfiled discovery materials that were shared privately between lawyers.

Court records in Hunterdon County are maintained by the court that handled the case. While these records are judicial, they also interact with records held by county executive and law enforcement agencies, demonstrating their usefulness beyond the judiciary.

Are Hunterdon County Court Records Public?

Yes. Hunterdon County court records are public; however, they are excluded from the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Public access to court records in Hunterdon County is instead established under NJ Court Rule 1:38-1. The court rule mandates that all case and administrative records in the judiciary's custody are open to the public, except for records specifically exempted from public disclosure. These exempted records are considered confidential in the eyes of the law. Examples include

  • Domestic violence complaint records
  • Child abuse and neglect records
  • Juvenile delinquency records
  • Paternity proceedings
  • Pre-sentence investigation reports
  • Divorce records
  • Confidential personal identifiers, such as Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, vehicle plate numbers, and insurance policy numbers

What Information is Available in Hunterdon County Court Records?

The following information is usually detailed in a Hunterdon County court record:

  • The case number and filing date
  • The names of the parties involved and their legal representatives
  • Documents filed, including petitions, complaints, and evidence
  • The docket sheet
  • Court orders and judgments

Hunterdon County Court Records Search

Hunterdon County court records are managed through the New Jersey Judiciary system rather than the local county government. Individuals can access a Hunterdon County court record through the following means:

Online Access

Individuals seeking access to a Hunterdon County court record online may visit the New Jersey Courts Find a Case Page. The page features several case search portals that can be used to access civil, criminal, and municipal court records. Users can also search Supreme Court cases, Tax Court cases, judgment liens, and court opinions. Searches can primarily be done using a name or case number. Individuals using these portals may access surface-level, non-confidential details about a case, but will not be able to view specific case documents. To view complete case documents, users must visit the courthouse or submit a mail request.

Individuals can also submit an online request to obtain copies of a court record. Interested persons may complete and download the New Jersey Records Request Form and then resubmit it on the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) Portal.

In-Person Access

Researchers can inspect or obtain copies of a court record by visiting the Hunterdon County Superior Court Clerk's Office at the Hunterdon County Justice Center during regular business hours. Municipal court records are to be obtained at the specific Municipal Court that handled the case. Inquirers should visit the courthouse with a copy of their valid ID card and relevant information about the case, such as the parties involved and the case number. Requestors may inspect the record for free or obtain copies for a fee.

Mail and Phone Requests

To request a Hunterdon County court record by mail, individuals may complete the New Jersey Records Request Form and, instead of submitting online, mail it to the Clerk of Superior Court or the appropriate Municipal Court. A check or money order for payment (made payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey) and a self-addressed stamped envelope should be included in the request. For Superior Court requests, the mail should be addressed in the following way.

Superior Court Clerk's Office

Attention: Customer Success

Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex

P.O. Box 971

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0971

Phone requests are generally not available; however, inquirers may call to verify how much obtaining copies of a record will cost or ask questions about the request process.

Fees for Court Records in Hunterdon County

Inspecting court records at the Hunterdon County courthouse or via the several case search portals is free. However, a fee is usually charged when individuals request copies of a record. The following fees apply to copy requests in the county.

  • Plain Copies: 5 cents for letter-size pages and 7 cents for legal-size pages.
  • Certified Copy: $15
  • Seal of the Court: $10
  • Exemplified Copies: $50 plus plain-copy fee
  • Triple Exemplified Copy: $60
  • Certificate of Statewide Judgment Lien: $10
  • Certificate of Divorce: $10
  • Certified Copy of Final Judgment of Divorce: $25

Hunterdon County Courthouse Locations

The court system in Hunterdon County comprises municipal courts and the Superior Court. The Hunterdon County Superior Court is the main trial court and is divided into several divisions, including Civil, Criminal, Family, Surrogate, and Valuation Divisions. Below are the addresses of the courts.

Hunterdon County Justice Center

65 Park Avenue

Flemington, NJ 08822

Superior Court Phone: (908) 824-9750

Surrogate Court Phone: (908) 788-1156

Raritan Township Municipal Court

One Municipal Drive,

Flemington, NJ 08822

Phone: (908) 782-8818

Readington Township Municipal Court

509 County Road 523

Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889

Phone: (908) 534-2414

East Amwell Township Municipal Court

1070 Route 202/31

Ringoes, NJ 08551

Phone: (908) 782-8536

Lambertville Municipal Court

25 South Union Street

Lambertville, NJ 08530

Phone: (609) 397-0110

Kingwood/Milford Municipal Court

599 Oak Grove Road

Frenchtown, NJ 08825

Phone: (908) 996-0799

Hampton Joint Municipal Court

134 Newton-Sparta Road

Newton, NJ 07860

Phone: (973) 306-0688

Franklin/Millstone Municipal Court

495 DeMott Lane

Somerset, NJ 08873

Phone: (732)-873-7285

Criminal Records Access in Hunterdon County

Hunterdon County criminal records are not exclusively maintained by the courts, but are also managed by local law enforcement agencies, such as the Hunterdon County Sheriff's Office and the New Jersey State Police. The New Jersey State Police maintains the criminal records of individuals arrested and tried in the state.

A criminal record maintained by the state police can be accessed through a background check. However, the State of New Jersey limits public access to these records, with only the subject of the record being allowed to submit a request. Requests are processed through a third-party vendor. Individuals may visit any of the vendor's physical locations to submit their fingerprints. The request may be tracked on the New Jersey Police Personal Records Request Portal.

While an official criminal history record may be obtained through the New Jersey Police Department, criminal court records are in the custody of the court that handled the case. Researchers may visit the court to inspect the record or search for the record online through the appropriate case search portal on the New Jersey Courts Find a Case Page.

Hunterdon County Probate Records

Hunterdon County probate records are court documents processed after an individual dies, relating to the settling of their estate. These probate documents include wills, codicils, letters of administration, estate inventories, and guardianship files.

Probate records in Hunterdon County are public records under NJ Court Rule 1:38-1. These records can generally be accessed by members of the public; however, certain details are only open to family members and beneficiaries listed in the deceased person's will or identified by the court.

Hunterdon County Family Court Records

Hunterdon County family court records are documents relating to domestic issues in the county. Family court records include divorce, adoption, juvenile delinquency, child visitation, domestic violence, and paternity files.

Family court records in Hunterdon County are managed by the Chancery Division of the Hunterdon County Superior Court and are considered public records. Members of the public may view a family court record in person at the Superior Court Clerk's Office, search for the record online, or submit a request by mail.

Federal Court Records in Hunterdon County

A federal court record is a document created and maintained by the federal judiciary. These records cover legal matters involving federal law and the United States Constitution. Federal court records arising from Hunterdon County are handled by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

There is no federal courthouse in Hunterdon County; residents who want to access a federal court record have to go outside the county or utilize the federal Public Access to Electronic Court Records (PACER) tool.

Hunterdon County Court