With a population of 863,162 residents as of 2020, Middlesex County is the third most populous county in New Jersey. Within the same period, the county had a median household income of $102,400 and an employment rate of 63.6%. New Brunswick is the county’s seat.
Courts in Middlesex County
The Middlesex County court system is made up of the Middlesex Superior Court, the New Jersey Tax Court, and the Municipal Courts. The Superior Court is organized into the criminal, civil, and family divisions.
The criminal division handles cases relating to crimes committed by adults in the county. Although the court does not hear criminal cases involving juveniles, in certain severe cases, it may do so. Meanwhile, the civil division handles non-criminal cases arising from the county. Civil cases may be monetary or non-monetary. Monetary claims of more than $20,000 are heard by the general civil division, while claims of lower amounts are heard by the special civil part. The special civil part also handles small claims of $5,000 or less. Non-monetary claims, such as cases involving trade secrets, labor matters, and foreclosures, are handled by the general equity division of the court. However, family matters like divorce, custody, paternity, and juvenile delinquency are within the jurisdiction of the family division. Also, cases involving tax laws fall within the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Tax Court.
Finally, the Municipal Courts hear limited criminal cases, including motor vehicle violations, ordinance violations, and juvenile curfew violations.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Middlesex County
Residents of Middlesex County can access public records by requesting them from the office of the Superior Court Clerk. To do so, submit a completed record request form online for all records apart from those of the Tax Court which should be submitted via email. Alternatively, interested residents can access Middlesex County Court records online through the New Jersey Electronic Access Program (EAP).
Types of Public Court Records in Middlesex County
Court records in Middlesex County refer to details about cases handled by the courts of the county. This includes information like
- Documents filed in the case
- Judgment of the court
- Exhibits
- Pleadings of the parties
These records are generally open to public access unless otherwise ordered by law or by the order of a court.
Confidential Court Records in Middlesex County
Confidential court records in Middlesex County are records of cases that are protected from public access either by law or by court order. Some examples of such records are
- Records containing trade secrets
- Juvenile case records
- Probation records
- Records containing personal identifying and sensitive information
- Records of child victims of sexual abuse
Juvenile Delinquency in Middlesex, NJ
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Middlesex County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in New Jersey often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 1233 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Middlesex County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1231 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Middlesex County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Middlesex County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 6,789 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 53 |
Government of Middlesex County, NJ
| County Seat: | New Brunswick |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1683 |
| Total Square Miles: | 323 |
| 2019 Population: | 842,798 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |