What are Mercer County Public Records?
Under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, Mercer County public records include any information created or obtained by a government officer or entity in the course of a public function. The characteristics or format that the record takes is irrelevant, hence physical and electronic documents can be considered public records. Mercer public records include information that is written or printed in books, papers, drawings, maps, photographs, and plans. The following documents are however not considered part of Mercer County public records:
- Records of a criminal investigation;
- Records of the victim of the crime;
- Proprietary commercial or financial information and trade secrets;
- Any record obtained under attorney-client privilege;
- Administrative and technical information concerning computer hardware, software, and network, that would potentially jeopardize the computer’s security if disclosed;
- Information made confidential by court order;
- Medical examiner records;
- Building security information;
- Correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports, or any other communication prepared by, or for, the specific use of a member of the Legislature in the course of the member’s official duties;
- Personal identifying information;
- Other confidential records.
Mercer County Crime Statistics
In 2016, Mercer County recorded a total of 8,114 crimes. This figure represents an 18.1% decline in the overall crime rate between 2012 and 2016. A closer look at the 2016 crime statistics for the county shows that there were 26 murders, 107 rapes, 587 robberies, and 775 aggravated assaults. Reported incidences of property crimes include 1,592 burglaries, 4,486 larceny-thefts, and 541 motor vehicle thefts. The five-year crime trend for Mercer County reveals that the murder rate remains the same in 2012 and 2016. However, reported cases of rape grew by 114%, partly due to the expanded definition of the crime. In the same period, the county recorded fewer robberies (23%), aggravated assaults (5.7%), burglaries (34.6%), larceny-thefts (12.1%), and arson (24.4%).
Are Mercer County Criminal Records Public?
Mercer County criminal records are not considered public records because there are only a few persons and entities that can obtain these records. Only the registrant, law enforcement agents, and other authorized persons for employment purposes can get copies of Mercer criminal records.
The New Jersey State Police offers background checks to individuals, businesses, and government agencies. It requires scheduling a fingerprinting appointment to provide criminal history reports to requesters. Make your appointment with this live scan fingerprinting provider by calling the toll-free line (877) 503-5981. When online scheduling is always available, a requester can only call the service provider between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday or between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. For more inquiries or information about obtaining criminal records, contact the New Jersey State Police Criminal Information Unit at:
New Jersey State Police
P.O. Box 7068
West Trenton, NJ 08628
Phone: (609) 882-2000, extension 2918
Email: CIU@gw.njsp.org
How to Obtain Mercer County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office maintains copies of Mercer County arrest records and various types of police reports, like incident reports and accident reports. To obtain incident and accident reports written by the officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, call (609) 989-6111 or visit:
Mercer County Sheriff’s Office
Mercer County Courthouse
175 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08650
The various police departments of the cities, boroughs, and townships of the county also provide police reports through their record sections. Contact these law enforcement agencies to obtain incident and accident reports for events that occurred within their jurisdictions.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Mercer County?
In accordance with the state’s Megan’s Law, the New Jersey State Police maintains a central database of registered sex offenders living in the county and makes this resource available to the public. The New Jersey Sex Offender Registry available to the public provides information about Tier 3 (most likely to re-offend) and Tier 2 (moderate risk) offenders. Use its search tools to find registered offenders by name and email address. To find offenders living in Mercer County, enter street addresses, city names, and zip codes in the county into the search tool.
How to Find Mercer County Inmate Records?
The Mercer County Correction Center serves as the county jail. The short-term jail facility can be contacted at:
Physical Address
1750 River Road
Lambertville, NJ 08530
Phone: (609) 583-3545
Fax: (609) 583-3560
Mailing Address
640 South Broad Street
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
Contact the facility to enquire about an inmate incarcerated there. A Mercer County Inmate Search can offer inquirers information about a detainee, their offense, their sentence and related penalties.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Mercer County Jail?
Inmates at the Mercer County Correction Center can receive a maximum of two visitors for one hour. To visit an inmate, contact the corrections center and check the visitation rules on their page.
Mercer County Court Records
In Mercer County, the Superior Court of Mercer County has separate courthouses for its Civil and Criminal Divisions. There is also a Surrogate Court with nine offices spread all over the county. The jurisdiction of this court includes the probate of Wills, qualifying of Trustees, and appointment of administrators of estates. There are also 12 Municipal Courts in Mercer County. Mercer County court records are made available to interested parties upon request by these courts and their clerks.
Location of Courts in Mercer County
Mercer County Superior Court
Mercer County Civil Courthouse
175 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08650
Phone: (609) 571-4200
Mercer County Superior Court
Mercer County Criminal Courthouse
400 South Warren Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 571-4200
Mercer County Surrogate’s Courts
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Mercer County Courthouse
175 South Broad Street
Room 420
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650
Phone: (609) 989-6331
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Lawrence Township Senior Citizen Center
30 East Darrah Lane
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Ewing Township Municipal Building
2 Jake Garzio Drive
Ewing Township, NJ 08628
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
East Windsor Senior Center
40 Lanning Boulevard
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Bernice C. Muha Center
409 Cypress Lane
Hamilton Township, NJ 08619
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Pennington Municipal Building
30 North Main Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Princeton Township Municipal Building
400 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Robbinsville Senior Center
1117 US Route 130
Robbinsville, NJ 08691
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Surrogate’s Office
Hopewell Township Municipal Building
201 Washington Crossing Road
Titusville, NJ 08560
Phone: (609) 989-6336
Mercer County Municipal Courts
East Windsor Municipal Court
80 One Mile Road
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Phone: (609) 448-3228
Ewing Township Municipal Court
2 Jake Garzio Drive
Ewing, NJ 08628
Phone: (609) 883-2900
Fax: (609) 883-1746
Hamilton Township Municipal Court
1270 Whitehorse Avenue
Hamilton, NJ 08619
Phone: (609) 581-4071
Fax: (609) 581-4198
Hightstown Municipal Court
1117 Route 130
Robbinsville, NJ 08691
Phone: (609) 259-3522, extension 2
Fax: (609) 208-2563
Hopewell Borough Municipal Court
88 East Broad Street
Hopewell, NJ 08525
Phone: (609) 466-0968
Fax: (609) 466-8511
Hopewell Township Municipal Court
201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road
Titusville, NJ 08560
Phone: (609) 737-1035
Fax: (609) 818-0991
Lawrence Township Municipal Court
2207 Lawrenceville Road
P.O. Box 6006
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: (609) 844-7159
Fax: (609) 844-7156
Pennington Municipal Court
30 North Main Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (609) 737-1016
Fax: (609) 737-9780
Princeton Municipal Court
400 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 924-5042
Fax: (609) 924-5902
Robbinsville Township Municipal Court
1117 US Route 130
Robbinsville, NJ 08691
Phone: (609) 259-3522
Fax: (609) 208-2563
Trenton Municipal Court
225 North Clinton Avenue
Trenton, NJ 08609
Phone: (609) 989-3700
Fax: (609) 989-4247
West Windsor Municipal Court
271 Clarksville Road
West Windsor, NJ 08550
Phone: (609) 799-0915
Are Mercer County Court Records Public?
Mercer County court records are generally open records that are accessible to interested members of the public. Residents of the county can request copies of Mercer court records. There are some Mercer County court records that are however exempted from public access. They include:
- Court records and documents sealed off by court order;
- Confidential information in court records;
- Internal records;
- Records of case proceedings to select a guardian for a minor;
- Juvenile records;
- Records of family court proceedings;
- Records of alternative dispute resolution proceedings;
Can You Look Up a Mercer County Court Case Online?
To access the records of these courts, visit the Public/Media page of the website of the New Jersey Courts and follow the links under the Find a Case section. Civil court case records of civil cases can be accessed online through the eCourt Civil Case Jacket. Users are required to login to use the portal. Criminal court records are available on the Convictions and Judgements portals. Users can search for the case records with the name of a party, the accusations, or the CDR number. Interested persons can also search through Judgement Liens and Tax Court Cases.
How to Obtain Mercer County Civil Court Case Records?
To obtain copies of Mercer County civil court case records, complete the Records Request Form, include payment, and submit it to the Civil Division of the Superior Court at:
Mercer County Superior Court
Mercer County Civil Courthouse
175 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08650
Phone: (609) 571-4200
The Record Center of the Superior Court of New Jersey also maintains the records of Mercer County Municipal Courts and the Civil Division of the Mercer County Superior Court. To request copies of these records, complete the New Jersey Judiciary Records Request Form and send it to SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov or submit it to:
Administrative Office of the Courts
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
Trenton, NJ 08625-0037
The fees for plain copies of court records are 5 cents per page for letter-size records and 7 cents per page for legal-size documents. A certified copy costs $15 while applying the Seal of the Court on records costs $10. For Exemplified copies, requesters must pay $50 plus regular copy fees while a Triple Exemplified Copy costs $60.
Fees are payable with cash only for in-person requests. For requests submitted online or by mail, pay with a check or money order made out to the Treasurer – State of New Jersey.
To view or request copies of civil court case records, visit one of the Surrogate’s Offices.
How to Obtain Mercer County Criminal Court Records?
To get copies of Mercer County criminal court records, interested parties can fill out the Records Request Form. Enclose payment and submit the request to the Criminal Division of the Superior Court at:
Mercer County Superior Court
Mercer County Criminal Courthouse
400 South Warren Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 571-4200
The Record Center of the Superior Court of New Jersey keeps criminal court records of the Criminal Division of Mercer County Superior Court and the Municipal Courts in the county. To obtain copies of these records, fill out the New Jersey Judiciary Records Request Form and send it to SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov or submit it to:
Administrative Office of the Courts
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
Trenton, NJ 08625-0037
It costs 5 cents per page for plain copies of court records in letter size and 7 cents per page for legal-size documents. Certified copies of court records cost $15 each. It costs $10 to apply for the Seal of the Court on records. For Exemplified copies, it costs $50 plus regular copy while a Triple Exemplified Copy costs $60.
Fees are payable with cash only for in-person requests. For requests submitted online or by mail, pay with a check or money order made out to the Treasurer – State of New Jersey.
What are Mercer County Vital Records?
Mercer County vital records are the official documentation of vital events that occur within the county. These records include births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. The Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center maintains divorce records. At the same time, the New Jersey Department of Health keeps copies of marriage, birth, and death records from 1919 to date. Mercer vital records are restricted to qualified persons, usually the registrant, the registrant’s close relatives, and other lawfully authorized persons. Hence, to obtain copies of a vital record, a requester must be qualified with proof of identification. Marriage, birth, and death records in Mercer County are also available at the Municipality in Mercer County where the event was recorded. Here is a complete list of local registrars in the County:
East Windsor Township
East Windsor Health Department
16 Lanning Boulevard
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Ewing Township
Municipal Building
2 Jake Garzio Drive
Ewing, NJ 08628
Phone: (609) 883-2900, extension 7692
Fax: (609) 771-0480
Hamilton Township
P.O. Box 00150
2100 Greenwood Avenue
Hamilton Township Health Department
Hamilton, NJ 08609
Phone: (609) 890-3826
Fax: (609) 890-6093
Hightstown Borough
Municipal Building
156 Bank Street
Hightstown, NJ 08520
Phone: (609) 490-5100
Fax: (609) 371-0267
Hopewell Borough
88 East Broad Street
Hopewell, NJ 08525
Phone: (609) 466-2636, extension 13
Fax: (609) 466-8511
Hopewell Township
Municipal Building
201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road
Titusville, NJ 08560-1410
Phone: (609) 737-0120
Lawrence Township
2207 Lawrenceville Road
P.O. Box 6006
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: (609) 844-7089
Fax: (609) 896-0412
Pennington Borough
30 North Main Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (609) 737-0276
Fax: (609) 737-9780
Princeton
1 Monument Drive
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 497-7608
Fax: (609) 924-7627
Robbinsville Township
2298 Route 33
Robbinsville, NJ 08691
Phone: (609) 259-3600
Fax: (609) 259-3645
Trenton City
Maricarmen Barrientos
City Hall
319 East State Street
1st Floor
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 989-3241
West Windsor Township
271 Clarksville Road
P.O. Box 38
West Windsor, NJ 08550
Phone: (609) 936-8400, extension 250
Fax: (609) 799-2136
Where and How to Obtain Mercer County Divorce Records?
The Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center maintains all divorce records, including Mercer County divorce records, in the state. To request for copies of a Mercer County divorce decree or a divorce certificate, complete and send the New Jersey Judiciary Records Request Form to SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov or submit it to:
Administrative Office of the Courts
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
Trenton, NJ 08625-0037
Each certificate of divorce costs $10 while the fee for a certified copy of a final judgment of divorce is $25. Pay these fees in cash if submitting your request in person. Alternatively, send a check or money order payable to the Treasurer – State of New Jersey.
Where and How to Get Public Mercer County Marriage Records?
The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry of the New Jersey Department of Health provides copies of marriage records from 1919 to the present. Domestic partnership records from 2004 and civil union records from 2007 to the present are also available. To order Mercer County marriage records or any of these vital records from the agency’s Vital Records Online Service. A requester will need a credit card for payment, a government-issued photo ID to verify your identity, and scanned copies of required documents.
Alternatively, a requester can get copies of Mercer County marriage certificates by completing the Application for Certified Copy of Vital Record form. The completed form, along with payment, a valid ID, and evidence of a close relationship with one of the registrants, should be submitted to:
New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ
Copies of Mercer County marriage records are also available at the local registrar’s office.
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Mercer County?
All marriage records in Mercer County are considered public.
Where and How to Find Mercer County Birth Records?
The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry of the New Jersey Department of Health keeps copies of Mercer County birth records from 1919 to the present. Requests for Mercer County birth certificates can be made by using the Vital Records Online Service. A credit card for payment, a government-issued photo ID to verify your identity, and scanned copies of required documents will be required. Requests for Mercer County birth certificates may also be made by completing the Application for Certified Copy of Vital Record. Include a copy of valid ID, payment, and evidence of relationship with the record subject(s) with the completed form. Submit the request to:
Office of Vital Statistics & Registration
NJ Department of Health
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
Interested parties may also contact the local registrars to obtain copies of Mercer County birth records. The fee may vary based on the municipality.
Where and How to Find Mercer County Death Records?
The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry of the New Jersey Department of Health has copies of Mercer County death records from 1919 to the present. Death records can be requested online through the Vital Records Online Service. To make a request, a credit card for payment, a government-issued photo ID to verify your identity, and scanned copies of required documents will be needed. Requests for Mercer County death certificates can also be made in person or by mail by filling out the Application for Certified Copy of Vital Record. Attach a copy of a valid ID, payment, and evidence of relationship with the record subject(s) and submit them to:
Office of Vital Statistics & Registration
NJ Department of Health
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
Requests for copies of Mercer County death records can also be made at the local registrar’s office.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Mercer County?
Mercer County residents can view property records and request copies under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act. Interested requesters can obtain copies of property records by contacting the county's record keeper and submitting official requests.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Mercer County
The Mercer County Clerk's Office is responsible for the maintenance and issuance of property records in the county. Individuals may request by sending mail applications or visiting the Clerk's Office in person. Requestors should note that copies of desired Mercer County property records may cost varying fees. All interested persons should submit requests using the following details:
Mercer County Clerk's Office
209 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609) 989-6464
Fax: (609) 989-1111
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays except the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on other weekdays.
How to Look Up Mercer County Property Records
The Mercer County Clerk provides an Official Records Public Search for access to public records. As prerequisites to using the platform, interested persons need to install Crystal Reports Runtime and Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 or later. Both services can be downloaded from the public search page. The platform provides basic and advanced search applications where users may enter known details on the desired records. Interested persons can find records by party name, document type, date range, legal description, instrument number, as well as book and page numbers. Property address, receipt lookup, and exact name searches are also available.
Searchers may only obtain basic information from the search results without registering an account with the Clerk's Office. To register, individuals must complete the Public Search System Registration Request Form. On the form, each user must provide a login ID, password, contact name, phone number, fax number, email address, signature, and the requestor's name and physical address. Completed forms should be sent by email to pubsearchsysregstrtn@mercercounty.org or by fax to (609) 989-1111.
Requestors may also use the Mercer Property Information Portal, which contains information from the Clerk's Office, Board of Taxation, and other administrative departments. Although users can search for information without registering, creating an account offers more options. Records available include:
- Deeds and mortgages
- Assessors' property cards
- Sale history
- Tax records
- Tax appeal history
- Planning board decisions
Locations of Mercer County Property Assessors
Mercer County Board of Taxation
McDade Administration Building
640 South Broad Street
Room 317
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
Phone: (609) 989-6704
Fax: (609) 396-4510
