| Superior Court (vicinage) | Passaic Vicinage, Superior Court of New Jersey |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Passaic County Clerk |
| Clerk address | Passaic County Courthouse (New Courthouse), 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505 |
| Phone | (973) 653-2910 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.05 per letter-size page; $0.07 per legal-size page |
| Certified copy fee | $15 per document (plus $10 for the court seal, or $50 for an exemplified copy) |
Passaic County is its own Superior Court vicinage, based at the courthouse the Judiciary lists as the "New Courthouse" at 77 Hamilton Street in Paterson. The vicinage's Civil, Criminal, and Family Divisions hold the county's Superior Court files — indictable criminal cases, civil and Special Civil Part suits, foreclosures and general equity matters, and family cases — behind one switchboard (973-653-2910). The Criminal Division publishes a dedicated Records Requests extension, and the Civil and Family Divisions each have a main line.
The Passaic County Clerk is a separate, non-judicial elected office in the Passaic County Administration Building at 401 Grand Street, a few blocks from the courthouse. It records deeds and mortgages, registers trade names and notaries, processes passports, and runs elections; it does not hold any Superior Court case file. Wills and estates are with the Passaic County Surrogate, a third separate office.
Municipal tickets from Paterson, Clifton, Passaic City, Wayne, and the county's other municipalities are handled by each town's municipal court and searched through the statewide Municipal Court Public Portal, not through the vicinage or the County Clerk.
Search Passaic County court records online
Superior Court (vicinage)
Passaic Vicinage, Superior Court of New Jersey
- Cost
- Free to search civil/foreclosure cases online; standard Superior Court copy fees apply
- Coverage
- Superior Court Law Division (civil, Special Civil Part, criminal) and Chancery Division (family, general equity/foreclosure) case records for Passaic County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Vicinage page fetched 2026-09-13 with a browser user-agent (njcourts.gov returns 403 to plain automated requests). The Offices/Divisions subpage lists a Criminal Division Records Requests line at 973-653-2910 ext. 24330, the Civil Division main line at ext. 24220, and the Family Division main line at ext. 24390.
County Clerk
Passaic County Clerk
- Cost
- Fees for copies, recording, and passport services
- Coverage
- Land records (deeds, mortgages), trade-name and notary filings, election services, and U.S. passport applications — not Superior Court case records
passaiccountynj.org refuses automated requests (403 to both plain and browser-agent fetches), so the page could not be content-checked. The URL is the destination the county's own passaiccountyclerk.org domain redirects to, and it appears as the official Passaic County Clerk page in search results. Confirm hours and services on the page directly. Does not keep court case files.
What is available online
Passaic County does not run its own case search. Superior Court civil and foreclosure dockets are on the statewide Civil and Foreclosure Public Access portal after a free registration. New Jersey does not publish a public statewide criminal case search, so criminal records requests go to the vicinage's Criminal Division Records Requests line. Family case detail is largely confidential under Rule 1:38. Municipal tickets are on the separate Municipal Court Public Portal. The vicinage also posts its civil arbitration and trial calendars on its Offices/Divisions page.
Which clerk has your record
In New Jersey, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the New Jersey page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court, Appellate Division | Appeals from the Superior Court trial divisions; Appeals from the Tax Court; Review of state agency decisions | Clerk of the Appellate Division (Superior Court Clerk's Office) |
| Superior Court, Law Division | Felony and indictable criminal cases; Civil suits above the Special Civil Part limit; Landlord-tenant and small claims within Special Civil Part | Superior Court Clerk's Office / vicinage Civil and Criminal Case Records divisions |
| Superior Court, Chancery Division | Divorce, custody, and support (Family Part); Domestic violence restraining orders; Foreclosures and other general equity matters | Superior Court Clerk's Office / vicinage Family and Civil (foreclosure) Case Records divisions |
| Tax Court of New Jersey | Property tax assessment appeals; State tax disputes | Tax Court Management Office (Superior Court Clerk's Office) |
| Surrogate's Court (per county) | Probate of wills; Estate administration; Guardianship of minors' estates | County Surrogate |
| Municipal Courts | Traffic tickets; Municipal ordinance violations; Minor disorderly persons offenses | Municipal Court Administrator / Violations Clerk for that municipality |
Request records in person or by mail
Passaic County clerk offices
Passaic County Courthouse (New Courthouse), 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505
Phone: (973) 653-2910
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Criminal cases. Call the Passaic vicinage Criminal Division's Records Requests line at 973-653-2910 ext. 24330, or visit the courthouse at 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson. Have the defendant's name, the docket or indictment number, and the approximate year.
Civil, Special Civil Part, and foreclosure cases. Search the Civil and Foreclosure Public Access portal online after registering. For copies or files not shown online, contact the Civil Division main line at 973-653-2910 ext. 24220 (General Equity has its own extension listed on the vicinage page).
Family cases. Contact the Family Division main line at 973-653-2910 ext. 24390. Most family case content is confidential, so be prepared to show you are a party or otherwise entitled to the record.
By mail or through JEDS. Send written requests to the appropriate division at the Passaic County Courthouse, 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505, with the docket number, party names, the documents wanted, whether certification is needed, and payment or a request for a fee quote. JEDS accepts records requests electronically.
Land records and passports. Contact the Passaic County Clerk at the Administration Building, 401 Grand Street, Paterson, a separate office. Wills and estates are with the Passaic County Surrogate.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.05 per letter-size page; $0.07 per legal-size page |
| Certified copy | $15 per document (plus $10 for the court seal, or $50 for an exemplified copy) |
Figures are from the Superior Court Clerk's Office "Copies of Court Records" fee table, re-checked 2026-09-13 (fetched with a browser user-agent; plain automated requests to njcourts.gov get a 403). The same table lists a triple exemplified copy at $60, a Certificate of Divorce at $10, and a certified copy of a Final Judgment of Divorce at $25. Confirm the current schedule with the clerk before sending payment, since court rules periodically update fees.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
New Jersey court records are governed by Rule 1:38 (Public Access to Court Records and Administrative Records), which lists categories excluded from public access — including most Family Part records (custody, domestic violence, adoption), juvenile matters, and cases a judge has ordered impounded.
The New Jersey guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Passaic County Superior Court records kept?
At the Passaic vicinage courthouse, 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, in the Civil, Criminal, and Family Divisions (973-653-2910). The County Clerk at 401 Grand Street does not hold court case files.
How do I request a Passaic County criminal record?
Call the Criminal Division's Records Requests line at 973-653-2910 ext. 24330 or visit the courthouse. New Jersey has no public statewide criminal case search.
Can I search Passaic County civil cases online?
Yes. The statewide Civil and Foreclosure Public Access portal covers Passaic County Superior Court civil and foreclosure dockets after a free registration.
Where do I find a Paterson or Clifton traffic ticket?
Municipal tickets belong to each town's municipal court. Search by name or ticket number on the statewide Municipal Court Public Portal rather than through the county.
Sources
- Passaic Vicinage, Superior Court of New Jersey — https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/vicinages/passaic
- Passaic Vicinage — Court Offices/Divisions — https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/vicinages/passaic/offices
- Passaic County Clerk — https://www.passaiccountynj.org/government/passaic-county-clerk
- NJ Courts — Civil and Foreclosure Public Access — https://www.njcourts.gov/public/find-a-case/civil-and-foreclosure-public-access
- NJ Courts — Municipal Court Public Portal — https://portal.njcourts.gov/webe41/MPAWeb/
- NJ Courts — Superior Court Clerk's Office — https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/superior-court-clerks-office
- NJ Courts — Vicinages (Superior Court locations) — https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/vicinages
- NJ Courts — Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) — https://www.njcourts.gov/self-help/jeds
- NJ Courts — Published Appellate Division Opinions — https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/opinions/published-appellate
- NJ Courts — Expunging Your Court Record (self-help) — https://www.njcourts.gov/self-help/expunge-record
- NJ Courts — Court Record Copy Fees — https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/superior-court-clerks-office/copies-court-records
- NJ State Police — Criminal History Records — https://njsp.njoag.gov/criminal-history-records/
- New Jersey Legislature — Statutes (search N.J.S.A. 2C:52 for expungement) — https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey — https://www.njd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all New Jersey counties.