Somerset County court records in New Jersey are available through several channels. SomersetNJCourt.us allows you to quickly view public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, you can use the state's official online court system tools, contact the court clerk's office in person or by phone, and use public terminals directly in the courthouse.
Somerset Court System & Jurisdictions
In New Jersey, there are no separate county courts in the traditional sense — instead, there is a single Superior Court divided into divisions. Somerset County is part of Vicinage 13 (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren). Here's how cases are distributed:
- Criminal Division — criminal charges at the level of indictable offenses (analogous to felonies), including robberies, drug offenses, and assaults.
- Civil Division — civil lawsuits over $15,000, debt collection cases, contract disputes, and foreclosure actions.
- Family Division — divorces, child custody, alimony, protective orders, and juvenile cases.
- Special Civil Part — small claims (up to $3,000 in the Small Claims Section) and civil cases up to $20,000.
Traffic violations and minor offenses (disorderly persons offenses) are handled by the municipal courts of the respective towns in the county, not the Superior Court. Probate matters are handled by the Somerset County Surrogate's Court.
Somerset Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
To find out the schedule of hearings for today, tomorrow, or this week, start with the state's online court system resources.
- Go to the NJ Courts case search page and enter the case number or party name — the system will show the scheduled hearing dates.
- Call the court clerk's office at 908-332-7700 to confirm the specific time and courtroom.
- Visit the courthouse in person — the schedule is usually posted near the courtrooms and available on public terminals.
The courthouse is located at:
Somerset County Courthouse
Criminal cases involving prosecutor's charges can also be tracked through the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office. To check for existing court judgments, use the Judgment Search portal, where you can select "SOMERSET" from the list of counties.
How to Get a Copy of a Somerset Court Document
Need a copy of a court decision, transcript, or other case document? There are three main ways.
Online Request
Through the Copies of Court Records page on the NJ Courts website, you can request copies of documents from civil, criminal, and family cases. You will need the case number (docket number) or the full name of the party and the approximate date of filing.
In Person or by Mail
Contact the Superior Court Clerk's Office. To obtain documents by mail, send a written request specifying:
- the full name of the party in the case
- the case number (if known)
- the type of document needed
- payment of the appropriate fee (check or money order)
Mailing address for requests:
Superior Court Clerk's Office
Certified and Uncertified Copies
A certified copy has the court's official seal and is suitable for legal purposes — filing in another court, immigration procedures, etc. An uncertified copy is suitable for informational purposes. Note: Family and juvenile case records are typically restricted in access.
For closed divorce cases, contact the Superior Court Clerk's Office at 609-421-6100. Copies of divorce decrees can also be requested through the State Department of Health.
Somerset Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees for copies and searches are set by the administrative rules of the New Jersey court system. Below are the main rates:
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Regular copy of a document (per page) | $0.75 |
| Document certification fee | $15.00 |
| Judgment search | $25.00 |
| Copy of the entire case file (depending on volume) | From $0.75 per page |
Payment is typically accepted in the form of a money order or check made payable to "Treasurer, State of New Jersey." Some clerk's offices also accept credit cards for in-person requests — confirm in advance by phone. Free case information viewing is available through the online case search and on public terminals in the courthouse, but printed copies incur a fee as per the table above.
If you are looking for inmate information, the State Department of Corrections provides a separate online search that does not require payment.