Passaic County Criminal Records Search
Passaic County criminal court records are maintained at the Superior Court in Paterson, New Jersey. The county has more than 500,000 residents and covers 16 municipalities in the northeastern part of the state. To search criminal court records in Passaic County, you can visit the courthouse, submit a written request, or use state online tools. The Criminal Division processes requests for case files, dispositions, and other court documents tied to criminal proceedings in Passaic County.
Passaic County Quick Facts
Passaic County Criminal Court Office
The Passaic County Superior Court is at 77 Hamilton Street in Paterson. The Criminal Division phone number is 973-247-8344. The fax number is 973-247-8401. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. All criminal court records for indictable offenses in Passaic County are kept here.
The Mandak-Womack Resource Center is on the first floor at 71 Hamilton Street, Room 130. The phone is 973-653-2910, extension 24034. This center helps people find criminal court records and understand court procedures. Staff can give guidance but not legal advice. The center is open during regular court hours.
Key Criminal Division contacts include extension 24395 for criminal cases and pretrial services. For child support, call the state hotline at 1-877-655-4371. The Passaic County Vicinage page lists all division contacts and court information.
View the NJ Courts Passaic Vicinage page for criminal court records details.
The official NJ Courts page above provides contact details for each division of the Passaic County Superior Court.
| Court |
Passaic County Superior Court Criminal Division 77 Hamilton Street Paterson, NJ 07505 Phone: (973) 247-8344 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | njcourts.gov/courts/vicinages/passaic.html |
Request Passaic County Criminal Records
You can get criminal court records in Passaic County in person, by mail, or by email. Each method requires certain information and fees. The process is straightforward. Knowing what to bring or send will save you time.
For in-person requests, go to the Criminal Division Records Office at the Passaic County Courthouse, 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505. The phone number is 973-247-8600. Fill out a Records Request Form at the counter. Give the defendant's name, case number, and date of birth. Show your photo ID. Pay the fees. The cost is $5 per name search and $0.05 per page for copies of criminal court records.
You can also send a request by email to SCCO.Mailbox@njcourts.gov. Include a completed Records Request Form from the New Jersey Judiciary website. Criminal court records, along with civil, family, and municipal documents, can be sent back by email, regular mail, fax, or held for pickup.
The New Jersey Judiciary charges these rates for copies of Passaic County criminal court records:
- Letter-size copies: $0.05 per page
- Legal-size copies: $0.07 per page
- Court Seal on a copy: $10
- Certified copy: $15 per copy
- Exemplified copy: $50 plus copy fees
- Triple Exemplified copy: $60
Payment options include cash for in-person pickups, checks, and money orders. Make them payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey.
Note: For statewide criminal history information, you must submit fingerprints through an approved vendor and pay $41 to the New Jersey State Police.
Passaic County Court History
Passaic County was formed on February 7, 1837. It was carved from Bergen and Essex Counties. The county includes the former townships of Acquackanonk (now Clifton) and Paterson from Essex County, plus Manchester (Haledon) and Pompton (Bloomingdale) from Bergen County. Paterson became the county seat.
The New Jersey State Archives holds older Passaic County records. Their collections include Clerk's Office records, Court of Common Pleas records, and Court of Quarter Sessions records. These are historic court documents that cover the county's early criminal proceedings. For more recent criminal court records, contact the Passaic County Clerk's Office or the Superior Court.
Today the Passaic County Clerk's Office is at 401 Grand Street, Room 130, Paterson, NJ 07505. The phone number is 973-225-3690. The County Clerk is Danielle Ireland-Imhof. The office handles land records, business trade names, passports, and notary registrations. A satellite office is at 1237 Ringwood Avenue in Haskell, with the phone number 973-513-9900.
Passaic County Sheriff Criminal Records
The Passaic County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest and jail records. It is located at 435 Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne, NJ 07470. The phone number is 973-389-5900. Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office document the initial booking process and are separate from the criminal court records kept at the Superior Court.
Visit the Passaic County Sheriff's Office website for arrest records information.
The Passaic County Sheriff's Office website provides information about law enforcement services and records.
When a person is arrested in Passaic County, the Sheriff's Office creates a booking record. This includes the person's name, charges, and arrest details. The case then moves to the court system. At that point, the Superior Court begins building criminal court records that track the case through prosecution and sentencing.
Note: The Sheriff's Office is in Wayne, not Paterson, so plan your visit accordingly when seeking arrest records versus criminal court records in Passaic County.
Online Criminal Court Records Passaic
Several online tools let you search for criminal court records in Passaic County. The PROMIS/Gavel Public Access portal is the main resource for Superior Court criminal cases. Search by defendant name, indictment number, or complaint number. Only cases with a conviction and sentence appear in search results.
The Municipal Court Case Search tool covers minor criminal matters heard in Passaic County's 16 municipal courts. This free portal lets you look up traffic tickets, minor complaints, and disorderly persons offenses. Each of the 16 municipalities in Passaic County feeds data into this system.
Those municipalities include Bloomingdale Borough, Clifton City, Haledon Borough, Hawthorne Borough, Little Falls Township, North Haledon Borough, Passaic City, Paterson City, Pompton Lakes Borough, Prospect Park Borough, Ringwood Borough, Totowa Borough, Wanaque Borough, Wayne Township, and West Milford Township. Criminal court records for serious offenses from all of these towns are processed at the Superior Court in Paterson.
Passaic County Clerk Records
The Passaic County Clerk's Office handles property records and other public documents. While these are not criminal court records, they can be part of broader record searches. The office operates the Public Records Electronic Search System, known as PRESS. This online tool gives access to property transaction records across Passaic County.
The Clerk's Office requires appointments for most services. Arrive fully prepared or you may need to reschedule. The Registry Division handles land records and can be reached at 973-881-4777. For independent title searches, call 973-881-4769. The office also handles veteran discharge recordings and election administration.
Cities in Passaic County
Passaic County has 16 municipalities. All indictable criminal cases are filed at the Superior Court in Paterson. Each town also has a municipal court that handles minor offenses and creates its own criminal court records.
Other municipalities in Passaic County include Bloomingdale, Haledon, Hawthorne, Little Falls, North Haledon, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Ringwood, Totowa, Wanaque, and West Milford. All serious criminal court records are processed at the Superior Court in Paterson.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Passaic County. Criminal court records are filed where the offense happened. Check the arrest location to find the right county for your records search.