Ocean County is the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area and is situated along the Jersey Shore in the south-central region of New Jersey. It is the largest in the state by total area and borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east, where it got its name. Toms River is the county seat, while Jackson Township is its most populated municipality. Its population of 637,229, as of the 2020 census, makes it the sixth most populous county in the state.
Courts in Ocean County
The Ocean County Superior Court in Toms River has broad jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters but typically hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. It has different divisions based on the type of case, such as civil, criminal, family, general equity, and probate.
The Ocean Country Surrogate's Court handles uncontested probate matters, such as admitting wills to probate, appointing personal representatives and estate administrators, and appointing guardians for minors. Contested probates are transferred to the Ocean County Superior Court Probate Division.
Municipal courts handle the majority of motor vehicle and traffic offenses, most "disorderly person" charges, the majority of fishing, gaming, and boating statute violations, and preliminary hearings in criminal cases. In addition, offenses punishable by less than a year in jail can be heard in municipal courts. Ocean County has 33 municipal courts, each serving a different municipality.
Where to find Public Court Records in Ocean County
Public records in Ocean County can be accessed through various clerk offices and online portals. The Ocean County Clerk's Office provides property records, deeds, and mortgages. Estate, probate, and will records are available at the Ocean County Surrogate's Court. The Clerk of the Superior Court manages criminal, family, civil, and other court records. Online, the Ocean County Clerk's Public Records Search website provides access to a wide range of public court records. In addition, criminal court records can be searched on the New Jersey Courts Public Access portal. Similarly, members of the public can find civil records on the New Jersey Courts Civil Case Public Access portal after registering to use the portal, while municipal courts' public records are on the New Jersey Courts Municipal Court Case Search portal. These websites make it easier for members of the public to find non-confidential court records.
Types of Public Court Records in Ocean County
The public has access to a variety of public court records in Ocean County, New Jersey. Usually, these consist of:
- Civil Case Records: court orders, settlement agreements, and court proceedings
- Criminal Case Records: Details about charges, warrants, court proceedings, and verdicts for criminal cases
- Family Court Records: Family law matters, including divorce, child custody, and maintenance
- Probate Records: pertains to documentation of guardianships, wills, and estates
Confidential Court Records
Certain court records in Ocean County are sealed to preserve privacy, sensitive information, or the interests of justice. Unlike open court documents, which are accessible to the public, confidential court records are not. Confidential court records include all or parts of the following:
- Juvenile records, unless those about serious criminal offenses
- Adoption records
- Mental health records
- Records involving abuse or neglect
- Confidential settlements
- Grand jury proceedings
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Witness protection records
- Certain financial records (e.g., trade secrets or sensitive financial data)
- Expunged records
- Certain misdemeanor and felony cases after some specified years
- Arrest records of dismissed or acquitted cases
Juvenile Delinquency in Ocean, NJ
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Ocean 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 935 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Ocean County. Of that total, 87% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 812 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Ocean County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Ocean County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 7,664 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 1,066 |
Government of Ocean County, NJ
| County Seat: | Toms River |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1850 |
| Total Square Miles: | 915 |
| 2019 Population: | 597,943 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |
| County Contact: | 101 Hooper Ave
County Administration Building Toms River , NJ 08753-7605 http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/ |