Union County Criminal Court Records
Union County criminal court records are maintained at the Superior Court in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The county is one of the most populous in the state and was formed in 1857 from Essex County. Criminal court records in Union County include case files, dispositions, and documents from the Criminal Division. You can search for these records in person at the courthouse, by mail, or through New Jersey's online court portals. The Union County Clerk also offers a satellite office in Westfield with extended hours.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Criminal Court Office
The Union County Superior Court is at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, NJ 07207. The main phone number is 908-787-1650. The court handles all indictable criminal cases for the county. Criminal court records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and are available to the public upon request.
The Self-Help Center is at 1143 East Jersey Avenue, 1st floor, Elizabeth, NJ 07201. The phone is 908-787-1650, extension 22300. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Court staff at this center provide guidance on procedures for accessing criminal court records. They cannot give legal advice, but they can help you understand the process.
The Union County Vicinage page lists all division contacts and services. Union County operates as its own vicinage within the New Jersey court system. This means it does not share court administration with other counties.
View the NJ Courts Union Vicinage page for criminal court records information.
The official NJ Courts page above shows the Union County Superior Court contact details and Self-Help Center information.
| Court |
Union County Superior Court Criminal Division 2 Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07207 Phone: (908) 787-1650 |
|---|---|
| Self-Help | 1143 East Jersey Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Phone: (908) 787-1650 ext. 22300 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Self-Help Center) |
Search Union County Criminal Records
Criminal court records in Union County are public under New Jersey law. The Superior Court Clerk provides copies of non-confidential court records to anyone who asks. You can search in person, by mail, or online. Each method gives you access to criminal court records from the Union County Superior Court.
For in-person visits, go to the Superior Court at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. Fill out a Records Request Form. Give the defendant's name, case number, or date range. Show a valid photo ID. Pay the applicable fees. Letter-size copies cost $0.05 per page. Legal-size copies cost $0.07 per page. Certified copies are $15 each.
The PROMIS/Gavel Public Access system provides online search for Superior Court criminal cases. Search by defendant name, indictment number, or complaint number. Only cases with convictions and sentences appear in the results. The NJ Courts Find a Case page is another free tool for searching criminal court records statewide, including Union County.
Note: The Union County Self-Help Center closes at 3:30 PM, which is earlier than the standard 4:30 PM courthouse hours in most other New Jersey counties.
Union County Clerk Records Office
The Union County Clerk is Joanne Rajoppi. The main office is at Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 115, Elizabeth, NJ 07207. The phone is 908-527-4787. The fax is 908-558-2589. The Clerk's Office handles land records, property documents, business certificates, and other public records.
The Elizabeth main office has these hours. The Business Office and Veteran IDs are open Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with appointments required. Call 908-527-4966. The Passport Office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The Recording Office runs Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The Election Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with no appointments needed.
Visit the Union County Clerk website for records and services information.
The Union County Clerk website provides details on office hours, locations, and available services.
A satellite office is in Westfield at 300 North Avenue East, NJ 07090. The phone is 908-654-9859. This office has extended hours. It is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On Tuesday and Thursday it stays open until 7:30 PM. Saturday hours are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If a holiday falls on the prior Friday, the Saturday office is closed.
Union County Land Records Search
The Union County Clerk operates an online land records search tool. This database contains records from June 1, 1977 through the present. While land records are not criminal court records, they are part of the broader public records available in Union County.
Search Union County land records online from 1977 to present.
The Union County land records portal provides free access to property documents recorded since 1977.
A recording surcharge increase took effect on January 1, 2020. The fee went from $3 to $5 for each deed or mortgage recorded. The $2 increase helps fund Code Blue Alert plans in Union County. These plans protect vulnerable residents during severe winter weather. The surcharge applies to all deed types and all mortgage types.
Union County Property Fraud Alert
Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi offers a free Property Fraud Alert system for property owners. This program sends alerts when someone records a document using a registered name. It helps property owners catch unauthorized or fraudulent activity quickly. Seniors are often targets of property fraud, and many victims do not know their rights have been compromised until it is too late.
Property owners can register online at propertyfraudalert.com/NJUnion or call 1-800-728-3858. Choose to get alerts by phone or email. The system notifies you when any recording activity uses your registered name in the Union County Clerk's Office. This is a free service that requires no subscription fee.
Union County Court Record History
Union County was formed on March 19, 1857, from Essex County. Elizabeth became the county seat. The New Jersey State Archives holds historical records totaling 100 cubic feet of paper records and 259.5 reels of microfilm.
The State Archives collection includes Road Applications and Agreements from the 1860s through the 1920s, Index to Miscellaneous Records from 1857 to 1940, Supreme Court Case Papers from 1860 to 1933, Lis Pendens from 1860 to 1904, Naturalization Records from 1845 to 1945, and Coroner's Office Inquests from 1857 to 1914. The Miscellaneous Records Index covers coroner's inquests and Circuit Court cases, which are early criminal court records.
For current criminal court records, contact the Union County Superior Court. For historical records dating before the modern court system, the State Archives is the best source. The Archives can be reached at the address listed on the current Clerk's Office page: Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 115, Elizabeth, NJ 07207, phone 908-527-4787.
Note: Union County has over 259 reels of historical microfilm, making it one of the more extensively documented counties in the State Archives system.
Cities in Union County
Union County has many municipalities. All indictable criminal cases are processed at the Superior Court in Elizabeth. Each town has its own municipal court for minor offenses and creates its own criminal court records for those cases.
Other municipalities in Union County include Westfield, Scotch Plains, Cranford, Linden, Rahway, Summit, Roselle, Roselle Park, Clark, Fanwood, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Mountainside, New Providence, Springfield, and Berkeley Heights. All serious criminal court records go to the Superior Court in Elizabeth.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Union County. Criminal court records are filed in the county where the offense took place. Check the arrest location to determine which county holds the records you need.