State of New Jersey Most Updated Online Public and Criminal Records Portal

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New Jersey Public Records Search
New Jersey's agencies operate separately with different policies for providing public records. With the expansion of online services, government departments offer instant license verification, criminal history and background check requests directly from the state police and over eighty individual agencies throughout New Jersey. About New Jersey Public Records

New Jersey Public Records and Court Information

New Jersey the "Garden State" is one of the original 13 colonies and became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and the first state to sign the Bill of Rights. Trenton is the state capital of New Jersey. The 1776 state constitution gave the vote to "all inhabitants" who had a certain level of wealth including women and blacks. New Jersey was known as the "Pathway of the Revolution" as over 100 battles were fought on New Jersey soil. The state motto is "Liberty and Prosperity".

With a population of over 8.7 million, New Jersey is the most populated state by area in the U.S. with over 1000 people per square mile. New Jersey has 21 counties. New Jersey is the only state where all its counties are classified as metropolitan areas. There are 566 municipalities or administrative entities which include boroughs, cities, towns, townships and villages. County government in New Jersey includes a Board of Chosen Freeholders, sheriff, clerk, and surrogate, all of which are elected officials.

The government of New Jersey was established by the New Jersey Constitution in 1947 and is comprised of three branches. The executive, the legislative and the judiciary. The state executive is the Governor who heads the executive branch. Constitutionally, New Jersey's chief executive is one of the most powerful governors in the United States. The legislative branch contains two houses, a 40-member Senate and an 80-member General Assembly. The judicial branch includes the state's supreme court, superior court, appellate division, tax court and municipal court.

The Open Public Records Act is the New Jersey law providing its residents access to public records. The state adopted the sunshine law in 2002, a great improvement over the prior public record laws. The OPRA works similarly to the federal information act (FOIA) in keeping the government transparent to its citizens. Residents of New Jersey do not need to show a reason to be able to order a record. These requests are made directly to the department where the information is sought. The law also requires the department where the request is being directed to provide records to be readily available to the public for viewing, ordering or copying.

Criminal history records inquiry can be obtained by the New Jersey state police with a simple request online. Many of the requests are by employers prior to hiring, a search of a person's own records to see what is available to others in N.J.

Access to such documents as official court records may be obtained via the New Jersey Courts online ACMS service. Available for inspection by the public are criminal cases, civil cases including divorces, trials in tax courts, decisions and municipal courts. Anyone with internet connection can conduct a free online search of property records by name in each New Jersey county and get instant results including owner information, updated assessed value with detailed description of the land and building. However certain records are not made available for public inspection due to Federal and State statutes and rules governing the courts. Vital records such as birth and death certificates are not considered public records and are protected by New Jersey law.

New Jersey Statewide Public Records

What is the process for someone who is arrested in New Jersey to go through the jail and court system?

If you are arrested in New Jersey, you will likely be taken to the local police station or county jail. Depending on the severity of the crime, you may be taken to the county jail or the state prison. The court you will appear in will depend on the county in which you were arrested.

What publicly accessible records can be obtained from the New Jersey Library?

Public records can be found in New Jersey libraries. The New Jersey State Library has a collection of public records, including state and local government documents, court records, and other documents. Additionally, many local libraries in New Jersey have collections of public records.

What are the requirements for obtaining vital records from New Jersey, and what information is provided in the records?

The New Jersey Department of Health is responsible for issuing vital records, such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce decrees. To obtain a vital record, you must submit a completed application form, along with the required fee, to the New Jersey Department of Health. The application form can be found on the Department of Health website. The vital records include the following information: -Name of the person on the record -Date and place of birth, death, marriage, or divorce -Names of parents or spouse -Address of the person on the record (if available)

Where is the best place to locate police reports in New Jersey?

Police reports in New Jersey can be obtained from the local police department or county sheriff's office. You can also request them from the New Jersey State Police Records Bureau.

What information is typically included in a New Jersey background check?

A New Jersey background check typically includes a search of criminal records, driving records, and sex offender registry records. Depending on the type of background check being conducted, additional searches may be included, such as credit reports, employment history, education verification, and professional license verification.

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