Atlantic County Court Records

Atlantic County court records are kept at the Superior Court in Mays Landing, New Jersey. The county seat sits in the southern part of the state and serves a wide range of towns and shore communities. Residents who need to look up court records in Atlantic County can start at the courthouse or search from home. The County Clerk and the Superior Court each hold different types of records. Civil case files, criminal dockets, and land records are all part of the public record system in Atlantic County. This guide covers where to search and how to get the records you need.

Atlantic County Clerk Records Office

The Atlantic County Clerk's Office holds land records, liens, and other filed documents. County Clerk Edward P. McGettigan leads this office. All deeds, mortgages, and related papers go through this office for recording. The main office is at 5901 Main Street in Mays Landing. You can call them at 609-625-4011. A satellite office is also open at 1333 Atlantic Ave in Atlantic City at 609-343-2358.

The Atlantic County Clerk's website shows key details about how the office works and what records are on file. Below is a view of the clerk's homepage.

The Records Room is open to the public. All documents filed from March 1, 2000 forward can be viewed on the web at no cost. The office holds over 1.7 million documents in its index. Staff can help you search in person or point you to the right online tool. If you need older records that are not yet on the computer, hard copy searches are still an option at the Atlantic County Clerk's Office.

Note: Checks for recording fees should be made out to "Atlantic County Clerk's Office."

Searching Atlantic County Records Online

Atlantic County offers a public records search tool through its Clerk's Office. The system at atlantic.newvisionsystems.com lets you look up documents from 2000 to the present. You can search by name, document type, or date range. The system works best when you try all spelling variations of a name. Results show up fast and include links to document images.

The online tool is free to use. Keep in mind that the county does not guarantee the accuracy of records shown on the site. Always confirm what you find with the Clerk's Office if you plan to use it for legal matters. You can also visit in person and use the public access computers at the Atlantic County records room in Mays Landing.

Under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, the Open Public Records Act gives the public a right to access government records in New Jersey. This law applies to court records in Atlantic County. You can file an OPRA request to get copies of specific documents from any county office.

Atlantic County Superior Court Filings

The Atlantic County Superior Court is part of the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage. This court handles civil, criminal, family, and chancery cases. The courthouse is at 4997 Unami Blvd. in Mays Landing. The phone number is 609-402-0100. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The vicinage page on the New Jersey Courts website shows how the court system serves both Atlantic and Cape May counties. Below is a screenshot of that resource.

The Criminal Division handles all indictable offenses in Atlantic County. The Family Division covers custody, support, and domestic matters. Civil cases over $20,000 go to the Civil Division. Smaller claims are heard in Special Civil Part. The Chancery Division deals with equity and foreclosure cases. All of these create court records that the public can access under New Jersey Rule 1:38, which governs public access to court records.

Atlantic County Property and Land Records

The County Clerk also serves as the Register of Deeds and Mortgages for Atlantic County. This means all property transfers, mortgage filings, and federal tax liens pass through the Clerk's Office. The Atlantic County property records portal provides another way to search for these documents.

You can look up deeds, mortgages, discharges, and lien records. The office also offers a Property Alert Service. After you register, you can set up alerts for when a document is recorded with a matching name or parcel. This helps protect against fraud. Register your name in all variations to make sure you catch every filing in Atlantic County.

Historical Court Records in Atlantic County

Older Atlantic County court records may be held at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton. The Archives keeps historical clerk records, old court files, and surrogate office records for counties across the state. For Atlantic County, this includes deeds, mortgages, early marriage returns from 1795 to 1878, and tavern licenses.

Naturalization records from before 1948 were handled by the former Courts of Common Pleas. These are also at the State Archives. Probate records, guardianship files, and adoption records from the Surrogate's Office are available too. You can visit the Archives at 225 West State Street in Trenton or search their online databases first.

Under N.J.S.A. 2C:52, some criminal records in Atlantic County may be expunged. Once a record is expunged, it is removed from public access. This affects what you can find in court record searches.

Note: The State Archives is open for in-person research by appointment only on most days.

How to Get Atlantic County Court Records

There are a few ways to get court records in Atlantic County. Each method has its own steps.

• Search online through the Clerk's public records system for documents from 2000 forward
• Visit the Records Room at 5901 Main Street in Mays Landing during business hours
• Call the Clerk's Office at 609-625-4011 to ask about a specific record
• Submit an OPRA request in writing for any government record
• Contact the Superior Court at 609-402-0100 for case-specific filings
• Check the NJ Courts website for statewide electronic case access

Standard copy fees apply. Letter-size pages cost $0.05 each. Legal-size pages cost $0.07 each. Certified copies cost more. The fee depends on the office and the type of record you need. Always call ahead to confirm what forms of payment Atlantic County accepts.

Public Records Requests in Atlantic County

The Open Public Records Act lets you ask for records from any Atlantic County government office. You fill out a request form and send it to the records custodian for that office. The office has seven business days to respond. They can give you the records, deny the request with a reason, or ask for more time if the request is large.

If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Government Records Council. This council reviews disputes between the public and government agencies over record access. You can also file a complaint in Superior Court. The OPRA statute spells out what records are public and what exceptions apply. Most court records in Atlantic County are open to the public unless sealed by a judge.

Note: OPRA requests must be specific enough for the office to find the records you want.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Atlantic County. Court records are filed in the county where the case was heard. If you are not sure which county has the records you need, check the address or municipality involved.