How to Search Burlington County Court Records
New Jersey runs court searches at the state level, not through a county clerk. The main tools live on the NJ Courts website. Before you start, decide what kind of case you have. Civil and foreclosure cases, criminal cases, and municipal tickets each use a different search. Picking the wrong one is the most common mistake. Most searches let you look by party name or by docket number. A docket number is more exact because common names can return many results.
Have your details ready. A name, a county, and a case or ticket number will cover most searches.
- Decide the case type: civil or foreclosure, criminal, or municipal traffic.
- Open the matching search tool on the NJ Courts site.
- Enter a party name, or a docket, complaint, or ticket number if you have one.
- Filter by Burlington County where the tool gives you that option.
- Review the case summary, then request a copy through the court if you need a certified version.
The NJ Courts municipal page is the state hub for traffic and local complaint tools, including NJMCDirect and Municipal Court Case Search.
For your own civil lawsuit, landlord-tenant case, or foreclosure, you may be able to request direct eCourts access. Public name searches show less than party access does.
The Burlington County Judicial System
Burlington County is Vicinage 3 in the New Jersey court system. The state does not use a local "district court" for trial work. The Superior Court of New Jersey is the trial court, and it sits in each county by vicinage. The Burlington County Court Facility in Mount Holly handles civil, criminal, family, chancery, probate litigation, and other trial matters through its divisions. Municipal courts handle traffic, local ordinance, and disorderly persons cases.
The Assignment Judge for Burlington County is Terrence R. Cook. The Trial Court Administrator is Alba R. Rivera. Most appeals from the Superior Court go to the Appellate Division, and the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court.
Case flow: Municipal Court › Superior Court, Burlington Vicinage › Appellate Division › Supreme Court of New Jersey
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court of New Jersey | Highest state court | Final appeals, certified questions |
| Superior Court, Appellate Division | Intermediate appeals | Appeals from trial courts and state agencies |
| Superior Court, Burlington Vicinage | Countywide trial court | Civil, criminal, family, chancery, probate litigation |
| Tax Court | Statewide tax court | State tax and assessment cases |
| Municipal Courts | Limited jurisdiction | Traffic, ordinance, disorderly persons |
Recovery Court also runs inside the Superior Court for non-violent, drug-related cases, with treatment and close probation supervision.
Burlington County Courthouses
The court hub sits in Mount Holly, near the county government complex. The main court facility shares ground with the County Administration building, while the County Clerk and Surrogate sit just next door. Many people end up close to the right place but in the wrong office, so check the address before you go. The county facilities list confirms the court complex address and main county phone line.
That facilities page, hosted by the county at co.burlington.nj.us, is a good way to confirm building locations before a court date.
Burlington County Surrogate's Court
50 Rancocas Road, 1st Floor
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
609-265-5005
Types of Court Records Available in Burlington County
Court records in Burlington County come in several types, and each can sit in a different division. The Superior Court holds the big trial files. Municipal courts hold traffic and local matters. The Surrogate handles probate. The County Clerk records land documents but is not a court office at all.
Knowing which court made the record tells you where to search and what fields you can use.
- Criminal records - indictable cases in Superior Court; disorderly persons and traffic in municipal court.
- Civil records - lawsuits, landlord-tenant, foreclosure, and special civil cases.
- Family and divorce records - divorce, custody, support, and domestic violence matters.
- Probate records - wills, estate administration, and guardianship through the Surrogate.
- Traffic records - tickets and municipal complaints handled by local courts.
Note: divorce and family files are court records, so the County Clerk does not keep them.
What Burlington County Court Records Show
A New Jersey case record holds a set of standard fields. The electronic Case Jacket shows a case summary, the parties, the docket entries, and many e-filed documents. Criminal case jackets show less, since discovery, presentence reports, and older paper filings are often left out. Personal data like Social Security numbers stays redacted even in public files.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Docket Number | The unique case ID used to pull the file. |
| Filing Date | When the case was opened with the court. |
| Parties | Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent and their roles. |
| Division / Part | Civil, Criminal, Family, Chancery, or Probate. |
| Disposition | The outcome of a case or a charge. |
| Judgment | The final decision, money owed, or sentence. |
More on this is on the Burlington County court records page and the court dockets page.
Public Access Laws for Burlington County Court Records
New Jersey splits access into two tracks. Government records held by county offices fall under the Open Public Records Act, or OPRA. Court records fall under the court rules, mainly Rule 1:38, not under the County Clerk. So a request for a county agency record uses an OPRA form, while a court file follows NJ Courts procedures. Mixing the two is a common reason a request stalls.
Key Statutes:
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. - the Open Public Records Act, which sets public access to county and state agency records.
New Jersey Court Rule 1:38 - the baseline rule for public access to court records, with listed exceptions.
N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 - defines expungement as the sealing or isolation of arrest and case records.
N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60 - safeguards juvenile court and law enforcement records from public view.
When a county agency denies an OPRA request, the appeal can go to the Government Records Council or to court.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Some Burlington County records are closed by law. Juvenile delinquency files, adoption files, sealed and expunged matters, grand jury material, and many domestic violence records are not open like ordinary adult cases. Even in a public file, the court redacts personal identifiers such as Social Security and account numbers.
To view a sealed record, a person usually needs a court order or a statute that grants access. Expungement is a Superior Court process under Chapter 52 of Title 2C. A 2025 law added a free state portal so people granted an order can check its processing status.
Specialty Courts in Burlington County
Recovery Court is the main documented specialty court in the Burlington Vicinage. It runs inside the Superior Court and serves non-violent, drug-related cases. The program uses five phases of treatment, intensive probation, frequent drug testing, and regular court check-ins. A 2024 Burlington Vicinage graduation honored 10 participants.
Municipal courts also offer online case resolution for many traffic and local matters, which lets people plead, pay, or ask for a plea agreement without an in-person hearing in eligible cases.
Burlington County Sheriff and Jail
The Burlington County Department of Corrections runs the county jail, not the County Clerk. Its mission covers safe, humane custody plus rehabilitation programs. The public inmate roster lets you search by last and first name and shows a name, jail ID, facility, bail amount, and estimated release date. Some rows list the Burlington County Detention Center, and some list Atlantic County.
The Corrections page at co.burlington.nj.us links the jail's visiting, mail, and bail rules. For the full roster and how to read it, see the Burlington County inmate records page, and check warrant records for outstanding warrants.
Marriage, Divorce, and Surrogate's Court
Marriage licenses in New Jersey are issued at the municipal level, not by the county. The Burlington County Clerk can officiate ceremonies by appointment but does not keep the license or certified copies. Divorce records are court records through the Superior Court, Family Division. Probate runs through the Surrogate. See the marriage and divorce records and probate records pages for details.
The Surrogate page at co.burlington.nj.us explains that probate and record searches are by appointment.
- Testator
- A person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named in a will to settle the estate.
- Administrator
- A person the court appoints when there is no will.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will.
Burlington County Court Records Fees
Searching online is often free, but copies and certificates carry fees. County agency copies under OPRA cost a few cents per page. Surrogate certified copies run higher because they include proofs. The table below mixes county OPRA copy rates with selected Surrogate fees so you can see the range. The Surrogate fee schedule was current through August 29, 2022.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| OPRA copy, letter-size page | $0.05 |
| OPRA copy, legal-size page | $0.07 |
| Probate of a will, up to two pages | $100.00 |
| Certified copy of will with proofs, up to two pages | $50.00 |
| Plain extra copy of will, per page | $3.00 |
A deposit may be required when a county OPRA copy job is expected to cost more than $5.
How to Interpret Burlington County Court Records
Court files use shorthand that can confuse first-time readers. A charge is not the same as a conviction. A docket is the running list of filings and events. A disposition is the outcome. "Dismissed with prejudice" means a case cannot be refiled on the same claim, while "without prejudice" leaves room to refile.
Watch the difference between an arrest and a court result. An arrest record shows a charge, while the court record shows what happened to that charge. For criminal history used in employment or licensing, New Jersey State Police processes are separate from a public case search.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
Online records can lag behind the paper file. A case jacket may not show every document, and a roster row can change as charges or holds come in. NJDOC updates its offender data about every two weeks, and a county roster reflects a moment in time, not a final count.
Note: Confirm any name, date, charge, or bail figure with the court or office that holds the record before you rely on it.
History of Burlington County Courts
Burlington County is one of New Jersey's oldest counties, and Mount Holly has long served as the seat for its courts and county offices. The modern structure is statewide: Burlington County is part of the Superior Court as Vicinage 3, not a stand-alone county court. New Jersey's recording system traces back to a 1799 act that told county clerks to record deeds in bound books, which is why the County Clerk still holds land records today while the judiciary holds court files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Burlington County Clerk keep court records?
No. The County Clerk's own page says the office is not part of the judicial system. Summonses, jury duty, court documents, and divorce records go to NJ Courts, the Burlington Vicinage, or the right municipal court. The County Clerk records land documents and runs elections, passports, and notary services.
Where is the Burlington County courthouse?
The Burlington County Court Facility is at 49 Rancocas Road, Mount Holly, NJ 08060. The Burlington Vicinage phone is 609-288-9500, and hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Expect security screening at the door, so plan for extra time.
How do I find someone in the Burlington County jail?
Use the county inmate search and look up the person by last and first name. The roster shows name, jail ID, facility, bail amount, and estimated release date. It does not show charges or mugshots. If you cannot find the person, call the inmate information line at 609-265-5993.
More on the Burlington County Court Records FAQ page.