NJ eCourts is the New Jersey Judiciary’s online system for filing documents, searching case records, and paying court fees, and it connects to several sister portals depending on what you need to do. Attorneys file through eCourts itself. Self-represented litigants file through JEDS. Traffic tickets are paid on NJMCDirect, probation obligations run through the Probation Client Portal, and criminal case lookups use a separate site called PROMIS/Gavel. Knowing which door to walk through is half the battle.
Which Portal Handles Which Task
The NJ Courts website is the starting point for case searches in civil, foreclosure, and Tax Court matters, and those searches are free.1NJ Courts. Find a Case Filing a new case or documents in an existing one happens in eCourts if you are an attorney, or in the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission system (JEDS) if you are representing yourself. Paying a ticket goes through NJMCDirect. Paying court-ordered probation fines, fees, or restitution goes through the Probation Client Portal. Criminal records have their own public lookup tool.
Tax Court is the one place where the lines blur in a helpful way: both attorneys and self-represented litigants can file directly through eCourts for local property and state tax matters.2NJ Courts. eCourts
Searching for a Case
Civil and foreclosure case jackets can be searched by party name or docket number, and Tax Court cases can also be searched by block and lot number.1NJ Courts. Find a Case Results show case status, filed documents, filing dates, and the parties and attorneys involved.
Not everything is public. Under New Jersey Rule 1:38-3, some records are kept confidential by statute, court rule, or court order, so a case you expect to find may simply not appear.3NJ Courts. Amendments to Rule 1:38-3 Court Records Excluded from Public Access
Criminal records are not in the main case search at all. Use PROMIS/Gavel Public Access instead.4NJ Courts. Criminal Cases PROMIS/Gavel Public Access You complete a CAPTCHA before each search session, the system caps you at eight searches before it makes you enter another one, and pop-up blockers have to be turned off or the site will refuse to load. Juvenile cases, expunged records, probation records, and impounded cases will not appear in results.
Filing Documents Through eCourts and JEDS
Attorneys in good standing use eCourts to file in civil, criminal, Tax Court, and appellate matters. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in special civil, foreclosure, and non-emergent appellate cases.2NJ Courts. eCourts
Self-represented litigants file through JEDS, which covers most case types. Appellate Division and Supreme Court cases are the exception: if you are representing yourself at that level, you still file by mail or email.5NJ Courts. Can Self-Represented Litigants File Electronically in eCourts Appellate
Registering an Account
Before you can file through JEDS, register with the New Jersey Courts. You will need your full name, at least one email address for electronic notifications, and a mobile number that can receive texts.6NJ Courts. Self Represented Litigants Access to Restricted Cases
The first time you log in after registering, you complete a one-time certification and participation agreement. Checking those boxes means you agree to accept electronic service, so court documents and filings from other parties will come to you by email rather than paper mail.7NJ Courts. SRL Associate to Case Your email address becomes part of the public case record, so pick one you are comfortable with others seeing, and keep your contact information current. A missed email can mean a missed deadline.
Uploading Your Documents
Log in, search for the existing case or open a new one, and pick the correct filing type. Documents must be in PDF, DOCX, or JPG format, with a maximum file size of 35 MB per document.8NJ Courts. Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) Upload each document separately. A motion and its supporting brief are two files, not one combined PDF.
If a filing fee applies, JEDS prompts you to pay before it completes the submission. Anything submitted by 11:59 p.m. is filed as of that same day.8NJ Courts. Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) You will get a confirmation email once the filing goes through — save it, because that is your official record.
A handwritten signature is not required. New Jersey’s Rules of Court allow electronic signatures in eCourts and JEDS.9NJ Courts. Is a Handwritten Signature Required for E-Filing
Redacting Personal Information Before You File
This is where filers most often get burned. Under New Jersey Rule 1:38-7, you are responsible for redacting confidential personal identifiers from every document before it goes into the system. The clerk will not do it for you, and once a filed document is public, unringing that bell is difficult. The identifiers you must remove:
- Social Security numbers
- Driver’s license numbers
- Vehicle plate numbers
- Insurance policy numbers
- Active financial account numbers
- Active credit card numbers
There is one narrow exception. If a financial account is the subject of the lawsuit and cannot be identified any other way, you may include the last four digits.10NJ Courts. Public Access to Court Records Personal Identifiers Redaction A statute, court rule, or court order that specifically requires the full identifier also overrides the redaction rule. Otherwise, black it out before you upload.
Paying Filing Fees
Filing fees are paid at the time you submit your documents. Self-represented litigants paying through JEDS can use a credit card, debit card, or ACH transfer from a U.S. bank. Attorneys can also use their existing JACS collateral account.8NJ Courts. Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) Credit card payments carry a service fee of roughly 3% of the filing fee.11NJ Courts. List of Fees
Fee Waivers
If you cannot afford the fees, you can ask for a waiver in any New Jersey state court, including the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Superior Court, and Tax Court. To qualify, your household income must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, and you must have no more than $2,500 in liquid assets like cash or bank accounts.12NJ Courts. Court Fees and Fee Waivers
Submit the fee waiver form and required documents at the same time you file your case. Under Court Rule 1:5-6, the clerk cannot file your case without either the fee or an approved waiver, so filing them together prevents a delay.12NJ Courts. Court Fees and Fee Waivers One catch worth knowing about up front: if you win more than $2,000 in your case, you will have to pay the waived filing fee back.
You can also qualify if your attorney works for Legal Services of New Jersey, an associated regional program, or a public interest organization certified for fee waiver status by the Supreme Court under Court Rule 1:21-11. You may only apply for a waiver for yourself, not for someone else, even with a power of attorney.12NJ Courts. Court Fees and Fee Waivers
Paying Traffic Tickets and Municipal Fines
Traffic tickets, parking tickets, and other municipal court complaints are paid through NJMCDirect, which is separate from eCourts. To pull up your ticket you need the court ID number, the ticket number, and your license number. If you no longer have the ticket, call the municipal court that issued it, or call 609-421-6100 for help locating it using your driver’s license number.13NJ Courts. Municipal Court Self-Help – Section: Traffic and Parking Tickets
NJMCDirect accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and any card carrying those logos, and a percentage-based processing fee is added to each credit card transaction.14NJ Courts. Notice Municipal Courts Processing Fees for Credit Card Transactions The portal also lets you plead not guilty or request a different court date for traffic and parking tickets.
Do not let a ticket sit. New Jersey resumed enforcement of license and registration suspensions for unpaid parking violations as of October 1, 2024. If you have not appeared or paid, you will get a notice warning that penalties will follow if you do not respond.15NJ Courts. Resumption of Drivers License and Registration Suspensions for Parking Ticket Violations
Paying Probation Fines and Restitution
If you were sentenced to probation and owe court-ordered fines, restitution, or fees, those payments go through the Probation Client Portal, not NJMCDirect.16NJ Courts. Fines, Restitution and Community Service You log in with your unique client identification number.
Every payment has a transaction fee taken out of it. For adult cases, payments between $3.00 and $9.99 carry a $1.00 transaction fee, and payments of $10.00 or more carry a $2.00 fee.16NJ Courts. Fines, Restitution and Community Service That fee comes out of what you pay, so a $10.00 payment applies $8.00 to your balance. If you are making small incremental payments, that matters.
Technical Requirements and Deadline Safety
eCourts is a web application, so all you need is an internet connection and a current browser. The Judiciary’s published guidance references Internet Explorer 10 or higher, though that browser has been discontinued, and current versions of Chrome, Edge, or Firefox work in practice.17NJ Courts. What Is Technically Required to E-File Documents upload in PDF or Word format, JEDS also accepts JPG, and the file size ceiling is 35 MB.8NJ Courts. Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS)
If the system goes down close to a deadline, do not assume the court will extend your time automatically. During a 2020 outage the Judiciary issued a specific order tolling filing dates, but that was extraordinary. If a technical failure hits, file as soon as service is restored and be ready to explain the delay. Better yet, do not file in the last hours before a deadline.