Cumberland County Family Court Records Lookup

Cumberland County family court records are filed at the courthouse on West Broad Street in Bridgeton. This county is part of Vicinage XV, which also includes Gloucester and Salem counties. The Family Division handles divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, guardianship, adoption, and paternity cases for all Cumberland County residents. You can look up family court records online through the NJ Courts website or go to the Bridgeton courthouse to search in person and request copies.

Cumberland County Family Court

The Family Division for Cumberland County is at the Cumberland County Courthouse, 60 West Broad Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. The main phone number is 856-878-5050. Amanda Batiz serves as the Family Division Manager at ext. 15871. Cumberland County is part of the Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem Vicinage, also known as Vicinage XV. Each county in this vicinage has its own courthouse.

The courthouse is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Family Division has units for divorce, custody, domestic violence, and child welfare. Each unit has its own phone extension for direct questions about Cumberland County family court records.

The vicinage website has details on all three counties in this group.

How to Search Cumberland County Family Court Records

The Find a Case tool on the NJ Courts website is free to use. You can search civil cases by party name or docket number. Cumberland County uses code "06" in its docket numbers. A typical format is FM-06-07500-08. If you do not know your docket number, call 609-421-6100 for help finding it.

You can also go to the courthouse at 60 West Broad Street in Bridgeton. Bring a photo ID. The clerk can search family court records by name or case number. You may also submit an OPRA request for Cumberland County records through the Government Records Council website. The court has seven business days to respond to an OPRA request.

Cumberland County has the oldest archive cutoff year in New Jersey. Divorce cases filed up to 2008 are stored at the Records Imaging Center in Trenton. Cases after 2008 are at the courthouse in Bridgeton. This means more of Cumberland County's family court records are in the Trenton archive than most other counties.

Note: Allow 4 to 6 weeks for archived records stored at the Records Imaging Center in Trenton.

Types of Family Cases in Cumberland County

Cumberland County family court records come from many types of cases. Divorce filings follow N.J.S.A. 2A:34-2, which allows fault and no-fault grounds. At least one spouse must have lived in New Jersey for 12 months before filing on no-fault grounds under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-10.

Child custody and support cases set terms for how children are raised and who pays. Domestic violence cases produce restraining orders. Juvenile delinquency cases involve minors and are sealed under N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60. Guardianship cases assign a legal protector. Adoption records are sealed under N.J.S.A. 9:3-52. Paternity actions set the legal father. The child support statewide hotline is 877-655-4371.

Cumberland County Filing Fees

A new divorce complaint in Cumberland County costs $300 to file. The pro se surcharge is $25. Motions cost $15, and post-judgment motions are $30. Appeals cost $200.

Copies of family court records in Cumberland County cost $0.05 per letter-size page for plain copies. Certified copies are $15 per document. The court seal is $10 extra. A certified divorce judgment is $25 for the first copy, with each extra at $2 when ordered at the same time. Pay by check or money order to "Treasurer-State of New Jersey." Cash is accepted in person at the Bridgeton courthouse. Low-income filers can ask for a fee waiver.

Note: Call the clerk to confirm current fees before filing your case in Cumberland County.

Public Access to Cumberland County Records

Family court records in Cumberland County are mostly public under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1. Anyone can request to see them. But some types are sealed or restricted. Domestic violence records stay closed under N.J.S.A. 2C:25-33. Juvenile records are sealed. Adoption files need a court order to open. Financial details in divorce cases may be blacked out in public copies.

Divorce documents in Cumberland County go only to a party, their lawyer, or someone with a court order. Rule 1:38 of the New Jersey Court Rules spells out all the access rules and lists 38 specific exceptions. If you need a sealed record, you can file a motion. The judge uses the "good cause" test from Rule 1:38-11 to decide.

Getting Copies of Cumberland County Family Court Records

For cases filed after 2008, contact the Family Division at the Cumberland County Courthouse in Bridgeton. For cases from 2008 or earlier, submit a request to the Superior Court Clerk's Office in Trenton. Use the Records Request Form (CN 10200). Mail it to P.O. Box 967, Trenton, NJ 08625-0967.

Include the full names of both parties, the docket number if known, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Email SCCORecordReq.Mailbox@njcourts.gov with questions about your request status. Processing for recent cases takes 10 to 15 business days. Archived records from Trenton may take 4 to 6 weeks. Because Cumberland County has the earliest archive cutoff (2008), more requests will go to Trenton than to the local courthouse.

Legal Help in Cumberland County

Legal Services of New Jersey provides free help for low-income residents at (888) 576-5529. The NJ State Bar Association runs a referral service at 1-800-792-8315. The first meeting is up to 30 minutes.

The NJ Courts Self-Help Center has all the forms you need for family court cases in Cumberland County, including divorce, custody, child support, and domestic violence. Forms must be opened with Adobe Reader. The Vicinage XV Ombudsman can also help with court procedures. Vineland, the largest city in Cumberland County, is served by the same courthouse in Bridgeton for all family court matters.

Divorce Certificates for Cumberland County

The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics issues divorce certificates. A certificate is a short document that confirms a divorce took place. It does not include the full terms. Mail your request to P.O. Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370. The fee is $25 for one copy, with extra copies at $2 each. Walk-in service is at 140 East Front Street in Trenton.

For the full divorce judgment with property, custody, and support terms, contact the court in Cumberland County or the Records Imaging Center in Trenton.

Cities in Cumberland County

Cumberland County has several municipalities. All file family court cases at the courthouse in Bridgeton.

Other places in Cumberland County include Millville, Bridgeton, and Commercial Township. All family court cases go through the Cumberland County Courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Cumberland County. File your family court case in the right county based on where you live.