Established in 1838, Mercer County was named in honor of General Hugh Mercer, a hero of the American Revolutionary War who died at the Battle of Princeton. Situated in central New Jersey, Mercer County has a population of approximately 387,000 residents and covers a landmass of about 229 square miles, making it one of the smaller counties in New Jersey by land area. Mercer County's seat is in Trenton City, which is also the capital city of New Jersey.
Courts in Mercer County
Mercer County's judicial system comprises various court types, including Superior, Surrogate, and Municipal Courts. The Mercer County Superior Court has jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. The court is divided into the following divisions:
- Criminal Division: Preside over felonies, including robbery, drug trafficking, murder, and homicides
- Civil Division: Handling civil cases involving substantial monetary claims, personal injury, contract disputes, and property issues
- Family Division: Matters related to family law, including divorce, child custody, domestic violence, and juvenile cases
- Chancery Division: Presiding over cases involving equity matters, including injunctions, foreclosures, and corporate disputes
The Surrogate Court presides over probate and deceased estates, including wills, guardianship for minors, and appointment of administrators. The Mercer County Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction and primarily handle cases involving traffic violations, disorderly persons offenses, and local ordinance violations.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Mercer County
Public court records are available at the Superior Clerk of Court Offices. The office requires record seekers to download and submit the online request forms to access public court records. In addition, the office grants access to public court records at the courthouses. Interested persons may use the self-service public terminals to view and obtain copies of public court records.
Types of Public Court Records in Mercer County
Access to court records promotes transparency in the county’s judicial system, allowing the public to monitor and review the judicial process and decisions. The following court records are public documents and open to the public in Mercer County:
- Civil Court Records: Contract disputes, business litigations, employment disputes, personal injury claims, and small claims
- Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including arson, homicide, simple assaults, and disorderly conduct
- Probate Records: Guardianships, conservatorship, trust, and wills
- Family Court Records: Annulments, legal separation, divorce, child custody, and child and spousal support
- Traffic Records: Red light violations, reckless driving, suspended license, speeding ticket, and driving under the influence records
Confidential Court Records in Mercer County
Confidential court records in Mercer County are the documents and information from the courts that are excluded from public view, inspection, or copying. Confidential court records are sealed to prevent privacy invasion and further injury to the person named on the court document. Confidential court records include:
- Juvenile Court records
- Trade secrets
- Grand jury proceedings
- Medical and mental health records
- Adoption records
Likewise, some information within a public court record is confidential and restricted from public access. Personal information within court records is redacted to protect the record holder from identity theft and fraud. Examples include:
- Social Security numbers
- Tax identification numbers
- Medical records
- Crime victim personal details
- Driver’s license numbers
Juvenile Delinquency in Mercer, NJ
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Mercer County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in New Jersey often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 1787 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Mercer County. Of that total, 49% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 879 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Mercer County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Mercer County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 8,545 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 5,147 |
Government of Mercer County, NJ
| County Seat: | Trenton |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1838 |
| Total Square Miles: | 229 |
| 2019 Population: | 374,733 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |