Essex Court Offices/Divisions

Most civil cases that are heard in the Superior Court involve disputes in which a plaintiff claims that they have been hurt by the actions of the defendant and seeks monetary compensation. Examples of such cases are those involving automobile accidents, medical malpractice, breaches of contracts and landlord/tenant disputes.

Civil cases in which the amount in controversy is more than $20,000 are heard in the Civil Division of Superior Court. Cases in which the amount in controversy is over $5,000 up to $20,000 are heard in the Special Civil Part of the Civil Division. Those in which the amount in controversy is $5,000 or less are also heard in the Special Civil Part and are known as small claims cases. In all, about 460,000 cases are heard in the Civil Division and Special Civil Part.

Civil cases in which monetary damages are not being sought are heard in the General Equity Division of Superior Court. General Equity judges handle non-jury cases such as those involving trade secrets, labor matters, foreclosures and other disputes in which court relief, often in the form of restraining orders, is sought on an emergency basis.

The Criminal Division is responsible for processing and managing all indictable criminal cases involving adult offenders. In rare instances, juveniles may be waived to adult court based on the severity of the offense. The office handles all pre-adjudicatory functions of the Superior Court, Criminal Division, as well as Post Conviction Motions. Disorderly persons, petty disorderly person’s offenses and motor vehicle violations are normally heard in the Municipal Courts. Typical clients of the Criminal Division would be those:

• Arrested and charged with a criminal offense;
• Applying for pretrial intervention (PTI);
• Convicted of a criminal offense and needing a pre-sentence investigation completed;
• Having a question under pretrial monitoring;
• Seeking legal representation by the Office of the Public Defender;
• Inquiring about a criminal public record;
• Having questions concerning public access terminals;
• Appealing a Municipal Court sentence (pro se kit available);
• Applying for an expungement of a criminal record (pro se kit available); and
• Applying for recovery court

Family Court is responsible to hear all actions in which the principal claim is unique to and arises out of a family or family type relationship. Family Court has jurisdiction over matters involving divorce, child support, paternity, custody, parenting time, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, family crisis, foster care placement, kinship legal guardianship, abuse and neglect, termination of parental rights and adoption.

The Division of Finance manages all aspects of the Court's financial operations including the collection of fines, restitution, child support, bail and fees which are due to government agencies and individuals.

The Division of Human Resources is responsible for a variety of programs and services for employees and applicants. The division administers all Human Resources related functions for the New Jersey Superior Court in each vicinage. The division is responsible for personnel management, labor and employee relations, Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action, training, payroll, health benefits, administration and volunteer programs.

The Superior Court employs individuals in a wide variety of types of positions. We have career opportunities for individuals in direct court services functions (i.e., Probation Officers, Criminal, Family and Civil case management, support staff, etc.) and in support services functions (i.e., Human Resources, Finance, Facilities, Purchasing, etc.).

See employment opportunities.

Municipal courts have jurisdiction over various matters, including motor vehicle and traffic violations, ordinance violations, disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses and certain penalty enforcement actions, such as fish and game violations. The municipal courts also play a vital role in the indictable charges that ultimately end up in Superior Court. These charges are filed first in the municipal court, where a determination of probable cause is made, conditions of pretrial release are set, and preliminary arraignments are held. The complaints are then forwarded to the county prosecutor’s office for possible grand jury action. Many indictable charges are downgraded to disorderly persons offenses and are heard in the municipal court.

Municipal courts have very limited juvenile jurisdiction such as jurisdiction to handle motor vehicle complaints involving minors and curfew violations. In addition to assessing fines and revoking various privileges, municipal court judges may imprison defendants for up to six months. There are no jury trials in municipal court.

Questions or comments concerning court operations in any of the municipal courts may be directed to the attention of the Municipal Division Manager or visit the Municipal Court within the Superior Court of New Jersey page. 

The Probation Division, as part of the Judiciary, plays a vital role in accomplishing the mission of the Court.

The role of Probation Division is to promote the welfare and safety of children, families and communities in New Jersey by enforcing court orders, supervising offenders, monitoring behavior, and intervening to produce positive outcomes.