Sussex County is located in the northern part of the State of New Jersey. It is the fourth-largest county by total area size, covering 535.54 square miles of the state. The county has over 140,000 residents, and the Town of Newton is the county seat.

Courts in Sussex County

The courts in Sussex County include the Superior Court, the Surrogate's Court, and the Municipal Courts.

The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in the county. The court is authorized to hear felony and misdemeanor criminal cases concerning minors or juveniles. The Superior Court is also responsible for handling civil lawsuits where litigants seek monetary compensation as relief. Additionally, the court conducts proceedings for family law cases, equity cases, and small claims matters not exceeding $5,000.

In Sussex County, the Surrogate's Court is a branch of the Superior Court that has the authority to handle probate matters. The court handles cases concerning wills, estates administration, guardianships for minors or incapacitated persons, and adoptions.

Several Municipal Courts serve different municipalities in Sussex County. These courts have limited jurisdiction over certain matters within the limits of the cities or towns they serve. They handle cases like the violation of local ordinances, violations of motor vehicle code and traffic regulations, disorderly person offenses, and violations of boating and fish and game laws.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Sussex County

Sussex County has Clerks of Courts that maintain case records and filings of all court proceedings. The Clerks also provide public court records to requesters for inspection or duplication. Such individuals can view open court records at the Clerks’ Offices or send written requests to obtain copies of the documents they want. Likewise, public access to court records in Sussex County is also available online.

Types of Public Court Records in Sussex County

In Sussex County, members of the public can access the following types of non-confidential court records:

• Criminal Court Records
• Traffic Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Probate Court Record
• Family Law Court Records
• Small Claims Court Records
• Municipal Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Sussex County

In Sussex County, public access to certain court records is restricted to keep some information private or comply with New Jersey laws. The courts may also seal case records in accordance with court regulations. Open court records are accessible to the general public, but confidential court records can only be accessed by individuals that the court permits.

In New Jersey, the following court records or information are inaccessible to the general public:

• Domestic violence records
• Expunged court records
• Grand jury proceedings records
• Juvenile records
• Mental health records
• Medical records
• Ongoing investigation records
• Records containing identifying information about sexual assault or abuse victims

Juvenile Delinquency in Sussex, NJ

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Sussex County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in New Jersey often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 402 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Sussex County. Of that total, 37% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 147 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Sussex County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Sussex County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Sussex County, NJ

https://www.nj.gov/

County Seat:	Newton
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1753
Total Square Miles:	536
2019 Population:	141,682
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	One Spring Street County Administration Center Newton , NJ 07860-2070 http://www.sussex.nj.us