Hudson County Criminal Court Records
Hudson County criminal court records are held at the Superior Court Criminal Division in Jersey City. This is the most densely populated county in New Jersey. The Criminal Records Room at 595 Newark Avenue serves as the main place to search for criminal court records in Hudson County. Staff can help locate cases by name or docket number. Online search tools and in-person visits both provide ways to access criminal court records from courts across the county.
Hudson County Quick Facts
Hudson County Criminal Records Room
The Hudson County Criminal Records Room is at the Administration Building, 595 Newark Avenue, Suite 104, Jersey City, NJ 07306. The phone number is 201-217-5216. This room is the main place where all criminal case records from the Superior Court are stored. It covers both indictable offenses and disorderly persons offenses. The staff handle requests for case files, dockets, judgments, and sentencing records.
You can search for criminal court records in Hudson County by defendant name, docket number, complaint number, or indictment number. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. It is closed on weekends and state holidays. Staff give procedural help but cannot offer legal advice. For help with a case, speak to a lawyer.
The Hudson County Superior Court website provides more information about court services and records access.
| Court |
Hudson County Superior Court Criminal Division Records Room 595 Newark Avenue, Room 104 Jersey City, NJ 07306 Phone: (201) 217-5216 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Courthouse |
William J. Brennan Jr. Courthouse 583 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 Phone: (201) 748-4400 |
Searching Hudson County Criminal Cases
There are several ways to search for criminal court records in Hudson County. Online tools work well for quick lookups. In-person visits let you see the full file. The choice depends on what you need and how fast you need it.
The PROMIS/Gavel Public Access system is the main online tool for searching criminal cases in New Jersey. You can search by defendant name or docket number. The system is free and shows charges, court dates, and case status. For full documents, visit the Criminal Records Room in Jersey City. The NJ Courts Find a Case portal also covers Hudson County criminal court records.
The Hudson County court information portal gives details about court records access in the county.
This site covers viewing options, fees, and how to get copies of criminal court records from Hudson County courts.
At the Superior Court, you can review dockets and filings with help from the clerk. Viewing records is free. Copies cost $2 to $5 per document. Some records may be restricted for privacy reasons under Court Rule 1:38.
Note: Parking near the courthouse is limited, and the area has restricted parking zones that require a Zone 2 Permit.
Hudson County Clerk and Public Records
The Hudson County Clerk's Office is at Hudson County Plaza, 257 Cornelison Avenue, 4th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07302. The phone number is 201-369-3470. E. Junior Maldonado serves as the County Clerk. The office provides public terminals and staff help for people looking up court records. While the clerk focuses on property records, business licenses, and election records, the office also assists with some court record searches.
The Hudson County Clerk's website has more information about public records services.
Case types at the Clerk's Office include civil and small claims. Viewing is free. Downloads and copies cost $0.50 to $1 per page. For criminal court records in Hudson County, the Superior Court Criminal Division is the main source.
The Hudson County Register's Office is on the 2nd floor of the same building at 257 Cornelison Avenue. That office handles deeds, mortgages, and land records. The phone number is 201-369-4747.
OPRA Requests for Hudson County Records
The New Jersey Open Public Records Act gives the public the right to access government records, including criminal court records in Hudson County. OPRA is found at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1. You can submit an OPRA request to get copies of records that are not available online.
To file an OPRA request in Hudson County, you can use the official OPRA request form. Visit county offices during regular business hours. Search online databases. Contact municipal clerks for local records. You can also use the NJ OPRA Request Portal for centralized access to request forms. Records custodians must respond within seven business days. If a request is denied, they must state the legal basis for the denial.
Not all records are open to the public. Juvenile records, expunged records, sealed records, and records with personal identifiers are kept private. Grand jury proceedings and domestic violence records also fall outside public access in Hudson County.
Note: You do not need to be a resident of Hudson County or New Jersey to request criminal court records through OPRA.
Historical Criminal Records in Hudson County
The New Jersey State Archives holds a large collection of old court records from Hudson County. These go back to the mid-1800s. The holdings include Chancery Court Case Files from 1842 to 1908, Circuit Court Case Files from about 1855 to 1915, and Circuit Court Judgments from 1854 to 1927. The Circuit Court Judgments alone fill 141 cubic feet across 282 boxes.
Other collections include Court of Oyer and Terminer Lists of Indictments and Indexes from 1884 to 1924, Court of Common Pleas Case Files from 1873 to 1926, Naturalization Records from 1834 to 1920, and Coroner's Office Inquests from 1889 to 1910. The Naturalization Records contain 18 cubic feet of paper and 156 reels of microfilm. These records are at the State Archives, 225 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608. Email njarchives@sos.nj.gov to ask about Hudson County criminal court records from these collections.
Hudson County Criminal Division Office
The Criminal Division Manager for Hudson County is at the Administration Building, 595 Newark Avenue, Room 101, Jersey City, NJ 07306. The phone number is 201-217-5217. This office handles municipal appeals and other criminal case functions. The Presiding Judge of the Hudson County Superior Court is the Honorable Jeffrey R. Jablonski. The Clerk of the Superior Court is Marie L. Kerrivan, who can be reached at 201-748-4400 ext. 66604.
Criminal court records in Hudson County cover a wide range of case types. These include pretrial hearings, arraignments, trials, and sentencing records. The Criminal Division manages major criminal cases while municipal courts handle lesser offenses. If a municipal case is appealed, the records move to the Superior Court.
Note: The Criminal Division Manager's office and the Criminal Records Room are in the same building but in different rooms.
Cities in Hudson County
Hudson County has 12 municipalities. All criminal cases from these towns are filed at the Hudson County Superior Court in Jersey City. Each town also has a municipal court for minor offenses and traffic cases.
Other municipalities include Hoboken, Kearny, Secaucus, Weehawken, Guttenberg, East Newark, and Harrison. All file criminal cases at the Hudson County Superior Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hudson County. Make sure you search for criminal court records in the right county based on where the offense occurred.