A New Jersey docket sheet is the court’s official, dated log of everything that has happened in a case, from the first filing to the final judgment, and you can look one up for free on the New Jersey Judiciary’s public access portals using either a party’s name or the docket number.1NJ Courts. Find a Case The portal you use depends on the type of case: Superior Court civil, criminal, tax, and municipal matters each have their own search tool.
What’s on a Docket Sheet
Think of the docket sheet as the case’s table of contents. It doesn’t give you the full text of every document, but it lists every event in order, with the date each one was processed. A typical sheet shows:
- The case caption (the parties’ names).
- The docket number.
- The assigned judge.
- The date the case was opened.
- A chronological list of entries: complaints, motions, appearances, orders, and the final disposition.
Read top to bottom, those entries give you the complete procedural history. The electronic version in the NJ eCourts system is called the “case jacket,” and it often includes the actual documents that were e-filed, such as complaints, motions, briefs, and signed orders.2NJ Courts. What Is the Electronic Case Jacket?
Criminal case jackets are less complete. They don’t yet include discovery materials, documents from filers who didn’t use eCourts, or paper filings from before eCourts went live. If something you expect is missing from the online jacket, you’ll need to ask the court clerk directly.2NJ Courts. What Is the Electronic Case Jacket?
How to Read a Docket Number
Every New Jersey case gets a docket number in a standardized format that tells you where and when it was filed.3NJ Courts. Directive 07-17 – Docketing, Uniform Docket Numbers The pieces are:
- A docket type code identifying the kind of case. “L” is a Law Division civil case, “CR” is criminal, “FJ” is juvenile delinquency.
- A two-digit county code for where the case was filed.
- A six-digit sequential case number unique to that case.
- A two-digit court year. The New Jersey court year runs July 1 through June 30, so a case filed in March 2026 carries the court year “26.”
If you have the full docket number, use it. A name search can turn up multiple matches, especially with common names or spelling variants, while a docket number lands directly on the case.
Searching for a Case Online
The Judiciary’s “Find a Case” page is the starting point. It links out to separate databases depending on the case type, and each has its own search fields.1NJ Courts. Find a Case Before you start, confirm two things: the county where the case was filed and the type of case. Searching the wrong portal returns nothing even when the case exists.
Civil, Foreclosure, and Tax Cases
The Civil and Foreclosure Public Access portal searches case jackets by party name or docket number. It covers the Law Division, Special Civil Part, General Equity Part, and Foreclosure matters. Tax Court cases use a separate portal that also lets you search by the block and lot number of the property involved.1NJ Courts. Find a Case
Criminal Cases
Criminal searches run through two tools. A general criminal search looks up cases by defendant name or county. The Criminal Judgments Public Access database allows more precise searches by defendant name, SBI number, complaint number, or indictment number, and it covers judgments of conviction, acquittal, dismissal, and related orders.4NJ Courts Public Access. Criminal Judgments Public Access – Welcome
Municipal Court Cases
Traffic tickets and municipal complaints live in a different system called NJMCDirect. You’ll need your ticket or complaint number to pull up the case. The system is built mainly for defendants to look up their own cases and pay fines, so it’s narrower than the Superior Court portals.1NJ Courts. Find a Case
When you search by name in any portal, use the exact legal name of the party. Nicknames and abbreviations will miss matches.
Getting Copies of Documents
Looking at docket information online is free. Getting physical copies costs money, and the Superior Court Clerk’s Office publishes a fee schedule:5NJ Courts. Copies of Court Records
- Plain copies: $0.05 per letter-size page, $0.07 per legal-size page.
- Certified copy: $15 authentication fee, in addition to the per-page copy cost.
- Seal of the Court: $10.
- Exemplified copy: $50 plus per-page copy fees.
- Certificate of Divorce: $10.
- Certified copy of Final Judgment of Divorce: $25.
Because the plain-copy charge depends on page count, the Clerk’s Office calculates the total after processing your request. If you need a certified copy for use in another state or in federal court, the exemplified copy carries the additional authentication that outside jurisdictions usually require. Requests go to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office, and prepayment is generally required.5NJ Courts. Copies of Court Records
Federal Cases Aren’t on the NJ Courts Site
This catches people out. If the case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, or any other federal court, it will not appear in any of the state portals. Federal records live in PACER, the federal judiciary’s electronic access system. PACER charges $0.10 per page to view documents, capped at $3.00 per document, and fees are waived in any quarter where your total stays under $30.6United States Courts. Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule You need a free registered account to use it, and you must be at least 18.
When a Case Doesn’t Show Up
New Jersey court records carry a presumption of public access, but Court Rule 1:38 sets out specific exceptions, and family matters account for most of them.5NJ Courts. Copies of Court Records Juvenile delinquency, domestic violence, adoption, child custody evaluations, and the financial statements filed in divorce and support cases are all restricted. A judge can also seal any record on a showing that disclosure would cause a clearly defined and serious injury that outweighs the public’s interest in openness. A sealed case may show up as a partial entry or not at all.
Expungement goes further. A sealed record still exists; an expunged record is removed from court files, law enforcement databases, and detention facility records.7NJ Courts. Expunging Your Court Record The expungement covers the arrest, all court proceedings, the conviction or adjudication, and the sentence. If you search for an expunged case through the public portals, you should find nothing. So if you’re running a background check and the search comes back empty, keep in mind that it may mean the person was never involved in that type of case, or it may mean the record was expunged. New Jersey has been expanding expungement eligibility in recent years, and empty results are increasingly common for that reason.