Morris County is home to 509,285 people and 194,141 families as of the 2020 census. It is considered one of the wealthiest in the United States, with a median household income of $131,795. Its county seat, Morristown, is widely popular for its strategic role in the War of Independence.
Courts in Morris County
Morris County is home to a branch of the Superior Court of New Jersey. The court hears most matters arising from the county through its law and chancery divisions. The law division is further classified into the criminal part, the civil part, and the special civil part. The criminal part hears cases involving allegations of crimes, while the civil part hears non-criminal cases in which more than $20,000 is claimed. The jurisdiction of the special civil part is limited to monetary claims between $5,000 and $20,000 and small claims of $5,000 or less.
On the other hand, the chancery division hears non-monetary civil claims. It is further classified into the general equity part, which hears equitable claims; the probate part, which hears cases on wills and guardianships; and the family part, which hears family and juvenile matters like divorce, custody, and domestic violence. The Morris County Surrogate Court also has jurisdiction over probate matters when they are uncontested. Also, the New Jersey Tax Court exercises authority over tax matters in the county.
Furthermore, Morris County cities and towns have municipal courts that have jurisdiction over cases on traffic, ordinance, and game violations. The courts may also handle limited juvenile matters like curfew violations and motor vehicle complaints.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Morris County
The New Jersey Superior Court Clerk’s Office maintains and grants public access to court records in Morris County. Interested persons can access these records by completing the records request form and submitting it online. Note that record requests for the Tax Court should be submitted via email. The Clerk’s office also grants online access to Morris County court records through the New Jersey Electronic Access Program (EAP). Similarly, residents may access the county’s probate records by contacting the county’s Surrogate or by using the county’s probate search system.
Types of Public Court Records in Morris County
In Morris County, most records of cases handled by the courts are accessible to members of the public upon making the appropriate requests. Examples of public court records include
- Civil division records
- Special civil part records
- Criminal division records
- Family division records
- Municipal court records
- Tax Court records
Confidential Court Records in Morris County
Certain court records are protected from public view due to the sensitivity of the cases or to protect the parties from unnecessary attention. Some examples of confidential court records in Morris County include
- Records sealed by court order
- Records relating to child victims of sexual abuse
- Records of guardianship proceedings
- Juvenile case records
- Adoption records
- Records of name change cases of minors
Juvenile Delinquency in Morris, NJ
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Morris 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 685 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Morris County. Of that total, 82% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 562 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Morris County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Morris County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 10,142 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 1,111 |
Government of Morris County, NJ
| County Seat: | Morristown |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1739 |
| Total Square Miles: | 482 |
| 2019 Population: | 499,693 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |