Bergen County, New Jersey Court Records

Bergen County Court Records

Bergen County court records refer to the official documentation or records of criminal, civil, and other legal proceedings within the county's court system. These records are necessary for maintaining transparency and accountability within Bergen County's judicial system and are considered part of Bergen County Public Records.

The provisions for the management of Bergen County court records are enshrined in the New Jersey Rules of Court, and the power to create and maintain them at the state level lies with the New Jersey's Superior Court Clerk's Office. Specifically, the Bergen County Superior Court's Clerk's Office is the primary record keeper at the county level.

Are Court Records Public in Bergen County?

Yes. Per the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), court records are public documents. This means they are not confidential, and anyone can access, view, examine, copy, and obtain them at will. However, accessibility to court records must align with specific legal regulations, and thus, exceptions to the rule exist.

Per Rule 1:38-3 (C) (4) of the New Jersey Rules of Court, specific records about grand jury proceedings are exempted from public disclosure. These confidential records include:

Civil commitment records
Records regarding sexual abuse or assault of children
Expunged records
Search warrant documents
Records that have been deemed confidential by a rule, statute or case law
Records about drug court program participants
Pretrial services program records
Jury questionnaires
Specific medical records
Most family division records
Any file contained redacted information

The courts have the discretion to seal court records if they find a good cause that supersedes the need to maintain public availability of the document. Interested individuals are advised to contact the Bergen County Superior Court or speak with an experienced legal practitioner for more information about available court records.

What Do Bergen County Court Records Contain?

Per Rule 1:38 (2) of the New York Rules of Court, court records include:

Case information
Pleadings
Motions
Briefs
Evidentiary exhibits
Indices
Calendars
Dockets
Orders
Judgments
Opinions
Decrees
Official transcripts
Appeals

Numerous motives may inform a person's decision to locate or look up a Bergen County Court record. Besides accountability and transparency, as mentioned above, members of the public and legal practitioners may look up court cases in Bergen County for research purposes. Law students may also conduct a Bergen County court record lookup to understand legal principles better. Again, court case records are relevant in the media as they help journalists release accurate information to the public domain.

Other reasons for Bergen County case lookups include conducting background checks on a job application and checking for legal risks before closing a business deal (legal due diligence).

Where to Conduct a Bergen County Case Lookup

Individuals who wish to look up a Bergen County case can do so at the locations:

The Bergen County courthouse where the case was originally heard or filed in person
New Jersey Judiciary Electronic Documents Submission System (JEDS)
New Jersey's Electronic Access Program (EAP)

How to Conduct a Bergen County Case Records Search

Members of the public can conduct a Bergen County case records search by:

Visiting the Bergen County Courthouse where the Case Originated

Any member of the public who wishes to look up a Bergen County case record can do so by scheduling an in-person visit to the records room of the courthouse where the case was filed. The visit should be done during the court's official working hours.

Before visiting the court location, individuals are advised to confirm as many details as they can about the record they are requesting, including the names/addresses of the parties to the case, case numbers, and filing dates. This information may be necessary to facilitate the search.

Accessing the New Jersey Judiciary Electronic Documents Submission System

New Jersey Courts operate a Judiciary Electronic Documents Submission System (JEDS) that allows individuals to submit requests for copies of court records to the appropriate courts. This service is available to registered/authorized individuals (typically parties to a case, attorneys, court personnel, and others who are involved, in some way, in the legal process.) To access JEDS, individuals will have to register at the New Jersey Courts registration portal and log in to the system using their usernames, IDs, and other credentials.

Next, they are expected to download and fill out a records request form with accurate information and click on the "Submit Completed Form" icon on the "copies of court records" section of the New Jersey Courts website. The request will be processed, and copies of the court records will be sent to the user's email address provided on the form.

Note that request forms for tax court records should be sent to txctrecords.mailbox@njcourts.gov. Again, the fees for copying documents through JEDS depend on the pages per letter and legal size to be received. Individuals who have questions regarding this system can email SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov.

Accessing the New Jersey Electronic Access Program (EAP)

The New Jersey Electronic Access Program (EAP) gives users remote online access to specific criminal and civil court records maintained by the judiciary case systems. These case systems include the PROMIS/Gavel, Automated Case Management System (ACMS), and Automated Traffic System (ATS).

It costs $4 per minute to use EAP. However, individual court users who wish to use EAP for limited or personal searches can register for the program free of charge.

To access court records via EAP, Individuals must create a Judiciary Account Charge System (JACS) account and enroll in the program by mailing the completed subscriber agreement and subscriber enrollment forms to:

Electronic Access Program (EAP)
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
P.O. Box 971
Trenton, NJ 08625

Once their enrollment is finalized, they will receive login IDs and passwords, which they can use to log into the EAP portal and view court case information, including those entered in real-time. Note that individuals must have a minimum balance of $500 in their JACS accounts to access the program.

Bergen County Civil Court Case Records

Bergen County civil court case records refer to case information, pleadings, motions, court orders, exhibits, judgments, etc., that pertain to the proceedings of civil courts in Bergen County. Civil courts handle legal disputes between private persons, organizations, corporations, entities, etc. The clerks of the various civil courthouses are responsible for recording, processing, storing, and maintaining these records.

Individuals who wish to obtain civil court case records originating from Bergen County can do so by:

Visiting the courthouse where the case was filed to request a record
Filling and submitting a records request form
Accessing the "Find a Case" page from the New Jersey Courts website. On the page, individuals should click on "search civil and foreclosure cases," and navigate to the eCourts Civil Case Jacket to search civil case records by docket number or by party name.

Bergen County Criminal Court Case Records

As opposed to civil court case records, Bergen County criminal court case records refer to documents involving legal proceedings where a party (the defendant) has been accused of a degree of crime. In other words, they are documents of court cases involving indictable offenses, disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, traffic offenses, and municipal ordinance violations. These cases are filed in Bergen County courts with criminal jurisdiction, such as the Bergen County Superior Court and municipal courts. Just like civil court case records, criminal court case records are maintained by the courthouse clerks where the case originated.

Individuals can search for Bergen County criminal court records by:

Locating and visiting the clerk's office of the Bergen County criminal court where the case was tried
Submitting a records request form from the New Jersey Court's official website
Accessing the PROMIS/Gavel court management system to conduct a criminal court case search by name, indictment/accusations, or CDR number. After inputting the relevant data and clicking on "search," the system will display the available case information. Individuals can follow the prompts for more detailed records of the case.

How to Get Court Records Online for Free

Generally, documents emailed to individuals who fill a records request form are free of charge. However, individuals who want printed, certified, or sealed copies of court records will pay the stipulated fees for them.

Courts in Bergen County

These are the addresses and contact information of the various courts in Bergen County, New Jersey:

Bergen County Superior Court
Bergen County Justice Center
10 Main Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: (201) 221-0700

Bergen County Surrogate's Court
2 Bergen County Plaza
Suite 5000
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: (201) 336-6700

Allendale Municipal Court
500 West Crescent Avenue
Allendale, NJ 07401
Phone: (201) 652-0699

Alpine Municipal Court
100 Church Street
P.O. Box 0271
Alpine, NJ 07620
Phone: (201) 768-6866
Fax: (201) 784-1407

Bergenfield Municipal Court
198 North Washington Avenue
Bergenfield, NJ 07621
Phone: (201) 387-4055
Fax: (201) 387-7373

Bogota Municipal Court
215 Liberty Street
Little Ferry, NJ 07643
Phone: (201) 440-2111

Carlstadt Municipal Court
500 Madison Street
Carlstadt, NJ 07072
Phone: (201) 438-4306

Central Municipal Court
71 Hudson Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: (201) 336-6222
Fax: (201) 336-6212

Cliffside Park Municipal Court
525 Palisade Avenue
Room 321
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Phone: (201) 313-2018

Closter Municipal Court
295 Closter Dock Road
Closter, NJ 07624
Phone: (201) 784-0600
Fax: (201) 905-7777

Cresskill Municipal Court
67 Union Avenue
Cresskill, NJ 07626
Phone: (201) 569-7636
Fax: (201) 569-4201

Demarest Municipal Court
118 Serpentine Road
Demarest, NJ 07627
Phone: (201) 768-0167 ext. 9
Fax: (201) 768-0919

Dumont Municipal Court
80 West Madison Avenue
Dumont, NJ 07628
Phone: (201) 387-5032
Fax: (201) 387-5061

East Rutherford Municipal Court
117 Stanley Street
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Phone: (201) 438-0169
Fax: (201) 438-8214

Edgewater Municipal Court
Room 227
55 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Phone: (201) 943-1700 ext. 3123
Fax: (201) 943-2906

Elmwood Park Municipal Court
182 Market Street
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
Phone: (201) 797-1457 ext. 603
Fax: (201) 796-8132

Emerson Municipal Court
146 Linwood Avenue
Emerson, NJ 07630
Phone: (201) 262-6058

Englewood Cliffs Municipal Court
10 Kahn Terrace
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Phone: (201) 568-7860
Fax: (201) 568-3639

Englewood Municipal Court
73 South Van Brunt Street
Englewood, NJ 07631
Phone: (201) 569-0255
Fax: (201) 567-7083

Fairview Municipal Court
59 Anderson Avenue
Fairview, NJ 07022
Phone: (201) 943-3300
Fax: (201) 943-3534

Fort Lee Municipal Court
309 Main Street
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: (201) 592-3500 ext. 1509
Fax: (201) 585-1232

Franklin Lakes Municipal Court
480 DeKorte Drive
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
Phone: (201) 891-5480
Fax: (201) 891-2472

Garfield Municipal Court
111 Outwater Lane
Garfield, NJ 07026
Phone: (973) 340-2000
Fax: (973) 253-0546

Glen Rock Municipal Court
1 Harding Plaza
Glen Rock, NJ 07452
Phone: (201) 670-3950
Fax: (201) 670-3963

Hackensack Municipal Court
215 State Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: (201) 646-3971
Fax: (201) 646-0202

Harrington Park Municipal Court
85 Harriot Avenue
Harrington Park, NJ 07640
Phone: (201) 768-0500
Fax: (201) 297-7543

Hasbrouck Heights Municipal Court
248 Hamilton Avenue
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
Phone: (201) 288-3117
Fax: (201) 288-0939

Haworth Municipal Court
300 Haworth Avenue
Haworth, NJ 07641
Phone: (201) 384-4883
Fax: (201) 384-1607

Hillsdale Municipal Court
380 Hillsdale Avenue
Hillsdale, NJ 07642
Phone: (201) 666-4800
Fax: (201) 358-5067

Ho-Ho-Kus Municipal Court
333 Warren Avenue
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423
Phone: (201) 652-0699
Fax: (201) 652-2681

Leonia Municipal Court
312 Broad Avenue
Leonia, NJ 07605
Phone: (201) 592-5780
Fax: (201) 592-5767

Little Ferry Municipal Court
215-217 Liberty Street
Little Ferry, NJ 07643
Phone: (201) 641-9234

Lodi Municipal Court
Room 100
1 Memorial Drive
Lodi, NJ 07644
Phone: (973) 859-7450
Fax: (973) 473-1213

Lyndhurst Township Municipal Court
367 Valley Brook Avenue
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
Phone: (201) 804-2457

Mahwah Township Municipal Court
475 Corporate Drive
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: (201) 529-2862
Fax: (201) 529-2054

Maywood Municipal Court
1 West Jockish Square
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 265-2100 ext. 2320
Fax: (201) 265-6428

Midland Park Municipal Court
280 Godwin Avenue
Midland Park, NJ 07432
Phone: (201) 445-3838
Fax: (201) 445-9716

Moonachie Municipal Court
70 Moonachie Road
Moonachie, NJ 07074
Phone: (201) 641-5589
Fax: (201) 641-6089

New Milford Municipal Court
930 River Road
New Milford, NJ 07646
Phone: (201) 967-5646 ext. 8482
Fax: (201) 967-5766

North Arlington Municipal Court
214 Ridge Road
North Arlington, NJ 07031
Phone: (201) 991-6060
Fax: (201) 991-7028

Northvale Municipal Court
116 Paris Avenue
Northvale, NJ 07647
Phone: (201) 767-3330 ext. 211
Fax: (201) 767-6621

Norwood Municipal Court
455 broadway
Norwood, NJ 07648
Phone: (201) 767-7207
Fax: (201) 784-2963

Oakland Municipal Court
10 Lawlor Drive
Oakland, NJ 07436
Phone: (201) 337-8140
Fax: (201) 337-4662

Old Tappan Municipal Court
227 Old Tappan Road
Old Tappan, NJ 07675
Phone: (201) 664-1849 ext. 23
Fax: (201) 664-0331

Oradell Municipal Court
1 West Jockish Square,
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 265-2100 ext. 2320
Fax: (201) 265-6428

Palisades Interstate Court
1 Alpine Approach Road
Alpine, NJ 07620
Phone: (201) 768-8702
Fax: (201) 767-2165

Palisades Park Municipal Court
275 Broad Avenue
Palisades Park, NJ 07650
Phone: (201) 585-4115
Fax: (201) 944-6129

Paramus Municipal Court
1 West Jockish Square
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 265-2100 ext. 2320
Fax: (201) 265-6428

Pascack Joint Municipal Court
12 Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645
Phone: (201) 391-5701
Fax: (201) 391-6239

Ramsey Municipal Court
33 North Central Avenue
Ramsey, NJ 07446
Phone: (201) 825-0988
Fax: (201) 818-1848

Ridgefield Municipal Court
604 Broad Avenue
Ridgefield, NJ 07657
Phone: (201) 943-7155
Fax: (201) 943-8932

Ridgefield Park Municipal Court
234 Main Street
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
Phone: (201) 641-4950 ext. 502
Fax: (201) 440-3309

Ridgewood Municipal Court
131 North Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Phone: (201) 670-5544
Fax: (201) 670-5569

River Edge Municipal Court
705A Kinderkamack Road
River Edge, NJ 07661
Fax: (201) 262-1935

River Vale Township Municipal Court
406 River Vale Road
River Vale, NJ 07675
Phone: (201) 664-2346 ext. 1013
Fax: (201) 358-7757

Rochelle Park Municipal Court
151 West Passaic Street
Rochelle Park, NJ 07662
Phone: (201) 556-1053
Fax: (201) 556-0759

Rockleigh Municipal Court
116 Paris Avenue
Northvale, NJ 07647
Phone: (201) 767-6673
Fax: (207) 767-6621

Rutherford Municipal Court
176 Park Avenue
Rutherford, NJ 07070
Phone: (201) 460-3030
Fax: (201) 460-3032

Saddle Brook Township Municipal Court
93 Market Street
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663
Phone: (201) 843-7642
Fax: (201) 909-2392

Saddle River Municipal Court
100 East Allendale Road
Saddle River, NJ 07458
Phone: (201) 327-2132 ext. 294

South Hackensack Municipal Court
227 Phillips Avenue
South Hackensack, NJ 07606
Phone: (201) 440-1844
Fax: (201) 440-6017

Teaneck Township Municipal Court
818 Teaneck Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: (201) 837-4850
Fax: (201) 833-8047

Tenafly Municipal Court
100 Riveredge Road
Tenafly, NJ 07670
Phone: (201) 408-3613
Fax: (201) 541-6412

Teterboro Municipal Court
510 Route 46 West
Teterboro, NJ 07608
Phone: (201) 288-6215

Upper Saddle River Municipal Court
376 West Saddle River Road
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Phone: (201) 934-3972

Waldwick Municipal Court
63 Franklin Turnpike
Waldwick, NJ 07463
Phone: (201) 652-5300
Fax: (201) 652-4657

Wallington Municipal Court
500 Madison Street
Carlstadt, NJ 07072
Phone: (201) 438-4306
Fax: (201) 939-4648

Washington Township Municipal Court
350 Hudson Avenue
Washington Township, NJ 07676
Phone: (201) 664-2488

Westwood Municipal Court
101 Washington Avenue
Westwood, NJ 07675
Phone: (201) 666-8510
Fax: (201) 666-8561

Wood-Ridge Municipal Court
85 Humboldt Street
Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075
Phone: (201) 933-1414

Wyckoff Township Municipal Court
Scott Plaza
340 Franklin Avenue
Wyckoff, NJ 07481
Phone: (201) 891-7000
Fax: (201) 847-1398