Union County Public Records /Union County Court Records

Union County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Union County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Union County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. UnionCountyRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records that may assist individuals in locating case data. Court records in Union County, New Jersey, may include information from civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic proceedings, subject to applicable access restrictions under state law and court rules.

Records that may be found through official sources include:

Civil case filings and judgments
Criminal case dockets and disposition records
Family court orders and domestic relations filings
Probate records and estate proceedings
Traffic and municipal court records
Small claims court filings

Court records may be searched through the following five methods:

1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Union County Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains official case files for Superior Court matters. Requestors may appear in person, provide a case number or party name, and request access to available public records. Staff can assist in locating case files, though they are not authorized to provide legal advice.

Office of the Union County Superior Court Clerk
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 787-1650
New Jersey Courts – Union County

2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the courthouse for in-person case searches. These terminals allow members of the public to search docket entries, case status, and hearing schedules without charge during regular court hours.

3. Online Court Search The New Jersey Judiciary provides the New Jersey Courts Case Search portal, which allows users to search publicly available Superior Court case information by party name or docket number. Access to certain case types and document images may be restricted based on court rules.

4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The New Jersey Judiciary website offers statewide access to court information, including case search tools, court calendars, and self-help resources. Municipal court records are maintained separately by each municipality and are not included in the statewide portal.

5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the clerk's office for certified copies or specific case documents. Requests should include the case number, party names, and the type of document sought. Fees apply for copies and certified records.

Are Court Records Public In Union County

Court records in Union County are subject to the public access provisions established under the New Jersey Court Rules, Rule 1:38, which governs public access to court records across the state judiciary. Under current law, the general rule is that court records are open to public inspection unless a specific exemption applies.

Records that are at present considered publicly accessible include:

Case docket entries and case status information
Party names and attorney information
Filed pleadings, motions, and orders in civil and criminal matters
Hearing dates and court calendars
Final judgments, sentences, and dispositions

Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:

Juvenile delinquency and family crisis records
Adoption proceedings
Mental health commitment records
Expunged criminal records
Sealed filings pursuant to court order
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth, which are subject to redaction under Rule 1:38-7

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While many records may be inspected in person at the courthouse, electronic access through online portals may be more limited. Certain document images are not available remotely and require an in-person visit to the clerk's office or a public access terminal.

What Are Court Records in Union County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything filed with or generated by the court from the initiation of a case through its final disposition and any subsequent appeal.

A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents associated with those entries. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings in which the state prosecutes an individual for an alleged offense. Filed pleadings are the initial documents that establish the claims and defenses in a case, whereas final judgments represent the court's ultimate resolution of those claims.

Public filings are documents available for inspection by any member of the public, while sealed or restricted filings have been removed from public access by court order or operation of law. Trial court records are maintained at the court where the case was originally heard, while appellate records are held by the appellate division and reflect the review proceedings.

In Union County, the Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains trial court records for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. The New Jersey Appellate Division maintains records for appeals arising from Union County proceedings. Municipal courts maintain their own records for matters within their jurisdiction, including traffic and ordinance violations.

Court records are created when a party files an initial document, such as a complaint or indictment, and are updated continuously as motions are filed, hearings are held, and orders are entered. The record is considered complete upon final disposition, though post-judgment filings may be added thereafter.

What's Included in a Union County Court Record?

A court record in Union County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type and applicable public access rules. The following information may appear within a publicly accessible court record:

Case number assigned at filing
Court name and division, such as Civil Part, Criminal Part, Family Part, or Probate
Filing date and case initiation information
Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
Case type and current status
Docket entries reflecting all actions taken in the case
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, orders, judgments, notices, minute entries, decrees, and similar filings
Outcome information, such as dismissals, judgments, guilty pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, or appellate decisions
Administrative and financial information, including filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown

Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile delinquency files, adoption records, and protected personal data are not available for public inspection. Exhibits containing sensitive information, medical records, and financial account details are subject to redaction or restricted access under Rule 1:38-7 of the New Jersey Court Rules.

Types of Courts in Union County

Union County is served by the New Jersey Superior Court, which is the court of general jurisdiction in the state, as well as by municipal courts operating within each municipality in the county. The New Jersey Courts website provides a full explanation of the state's court structure.

The Superior Court in Union County is organized into the following divisions and parts:

Civil Part – handles civil disputes, contract claims, tort actions, and landlord-tenant matters above the jurisdictional threshold
Criminal Part – handles indictable offenses (felony-level crimes)
Family Part – handles divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, and juvenile matters
Probate Part – handles estate administration, guardianship, and related matters
Special Civil Part – handles smaller civil claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims matters

Municipal courts in Union County handle disorderly persons offenses, traffic violations, local ordinance violations, and certain other matters within their limited jurisdiction. Each municipal court maintains its own records, and those records are not accessible through the statewide Superior Court portal.

The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains the official record for all Superior Court matters. The New Jersey Appellate Division handles appeals from Superior Court decisions.

Union County Superior Court
2 Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 787-1650
New Jersey Courts – Union Vicinage

How to Search Union County Court Records for Free?

Several methods for searching Union County court records are available at no cost, while others involve fees for copies or certified documents.

Free methods include:

In-person inspection at the Superior Court Clerk's Office during business hours. Members of the public may review publicly available case files without charge.
Public access terminals at the courthouse, which allow free docket and case status searches.
Online case search through the New Jersey Courts Case Search portal, which provides free access to publicly available docket information for Superior Court cases.
Court calendars and hearing schedules available through the New Jersey Judiciary website at no charge.

Fees apply for the following:

Service	Approximate Fee
Plain copy of a court document	$0.05–$0.10 per page
Certified copy of a court document	$10.00 per document
Exemplified copy	$15.00 per document
Research fee (clerk-assisted)	Varies

Fee schedules are established under N.J. Court Rule 1:43 and the New Jersey Clerk of Court fee schedule. Fees are subject to change and should be confirmed with the clerk's office prior to submitting a request.

How Long Does Union County Keep Court Records?

The retention of court records in Union County is governed by the New Jersey Judiciary's records retention schedules, which establish minimum retention periods by case type and record category. The New Jersey Judiciary Records Retention Schedule provides the authoritative framework for how long different categories of court records are maintained.

Retention periods vary by case type:

Criminal indictable matters – case files are retained for a minimum of 20 years after disposition; records involving life sentences or capital matters may be retained permanently
Civil matters – case files are retained for a minimum of 10 years after final disposition
Family Part matters – records involving child support, custody, and domestic violence are subject to extended retention periods
Probate records – estate files and related documents are retained for extended periods, with some records kept permanently
Traffic and municipal court records – retention periods are shorter and vary by offense type
Docket books and minute records – retained permanently as part of the official court record

Some records are retained permanently, including judgment dockets, court minutes, and records of significant legal proceedings. Paper files may be destroyed after imaging or microfilming, provided the reproduced record meets archival standards. The destruction of a paper file does not constitute expungement or sealing; the record remains accessible in its reproduced form.

Expungement is a separate legal process under N.J.S.A. § 2C:52-1 et seq., through which certain criminal records are removed from public access by court order. Expungement differs from archival retention, sealing, and redaction, each of which affects access in distinct ways. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the New Jersey State Archives.

How To Find a Court Docket in Union County

A court docket is the official chronological record of all actions taken in a case, distinct from the full case file, which contains the actual documents filed. The docket serves as an index and log of proceedings, recording each filing, hearing, order, and status change from case initiation through final disposition.

Dockets for Union County Superior Court cases may be accessed through the following methods:

Online via the New Jersey Courts Case Search portal – The New Jersey Courts Case Search system allows users to search by party name or docket number to retrieve publicly available docket entries. Users should enter the full or partial party name or the assigned docket number to locate a case.
Public access terminals at the courthouse – Terminals located at the Union County Superior Court allow in-person docket searches at no charge.
In-person clerk request – The clerk's office can provide docket information for cases not accessible online, subject to applicable access restrictions.
Court hearing calendars – The New Jersey Judiciary publishes court calendars and hearing schedules that reflect upcoming proceedings by case type and courtroom.

A court docket at present contains hearing dates, continuances, motion filings, minute entries, order entries, and case status updates. A docket does not include full document images in all cases; access to filed documents may require an in-person visit or a formal copy request. Sealed entries, confidential attachments, and restricted filings do not appear on publicly accessible docket views.

Motion calendars and daily hearing rosters may be available separately through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. As noted by the New Jersey Judiciary, "the public has a right to access court records," subject to the exceptions established under Rule 1:38, which governs the balance between transparency and the protection of sensitive information in judicial proceedings.