Gloucester County Family Court Records

Gloucester County family court records are kept at the Justice Complex in Woodbury. The Superior Court, Family Division processes all family case types for county residents. This includes divorce, custody, child support, domestic violence, juvenile, guardianship, adoption, and paternity matters. Gloucester County is part of Vicinage XV, which it shares with Cumberland and Salem counties. The Family Division staff in Woodbury can help you search for records and get copies of court filings. You can visit in person or call ahead to ask about a case.

Gloucester County Family Court Office

The Family Division at the Gloucester County Justice Complex handles all family court records. Staff at this office file new cases, store court documents, and provide copies to the public. The Justice Complex sits at 70 Hunter Street in Woodbury and serves the full county. All towns and boroughs in Gloucester County file their family cases here.

Gloucester County shares Vicinage XV with Cumberland and Salem counties. Despite this shared structure, each county runs its own Family Division office. The Gloucester County clerk keeps local family court records at the Woodbury location. You can reach the Family Division main line at 856-878-5050. For divorce and matrimonial cases, use extension 15530. For domestic violence matters, call extension 15520. Children in Court cases use extension 15540. The Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem Vicinage page has more details about the court.

Visit the Gloucester County Clerk office for marriage licenses, property deeds, and other county records that may relate to your family court case.

The Clerk office also helps with OPRA requests for public records in Gloucester County.

Search Gloucester County Court Records

There are several ways to search for family court records in Gloucester County. You can look up cases online, visit the courthouse, or send a written request. The best method depends on what you need. Basic case details are free through the state system. Full file copies require a fee and may take longer to get from Gloucester County.

The New Jersey Courts eCourts system lets you search civil case jackets by party name or docket number. This tool covers all counties, including Gloucester County. You can find basic case information at no cost. For copies of the actual documents in your family court file, you will need to contact the clerk at the Justice Complex in Woodbury or submit a Records Request Form (CN 10200) to the Superior Court Clerk's Office.

To search Gloucester County family court records, bring or provide these details:

• Full name of one or more parties
• Year the case was filed
• Docket number if known
• Case type such as FM for matrimonial or FV for domestic violence

If you do not know the docket number, call the Customer Service Unit at 609-421-6100 for help.

Note: Gloucester County docket numbers use the format FM-08 for matrimonial cases, where 08 is the county code.

Family Court Case Types in Gloucester County

The Family Division in Gloucester County handles a wide range of case types. Each type creates its own set of records. Divorce and dissolution cases fall under the FM docket. Non-dissolution matters such as custody and child support use the FD docket. Domestic violence cases are filed under FV. Juvenile cases, guardianship, adoption, and paternity all have their own codes as well. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-2, New Jersey allows both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce.

Custody and parenting time cases are common in Gloucester County. These records include parenting plans, mediation reports, and court orders. Child support records show payment amounts, modifications, and enforcement actions. For child support questions, call the New Jersey Child Support hotline at 1-877-655-4371.

Domestic violence records in Gloucester County include temporary and final restraining orders. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:25-33, these records have special privacy protections and are not open to the general public. Juvenile records are also confidential under N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60.

Gloucester County Filing Fees

Gloucester County follows the standard New Jersey fee schedule for family court cases. The cost to file a new divorce complaint is $300. If you file without a lawyer, there is an extra $25 pro se surcharge. Motion fees are $15, and post-judgment motions cost $30. Call the Family Division at 856-878-5050 to confirm current fees before you file in Gloucester County.

Copy fees for Gloucester County family court records depend on the type of copy you need. Plain copies cost $0.05 per letter-size page and $0.07 per legal-size page. A certified copy costs $15 per document. The Seal of the Court adds $10. A certified copy of a final judgment of divorce costs $25 for the first copy and $2 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. A Certificate of Divorce costs $10.

If you have low income, you may apply for a fee waiver through the court in Gloucester County.

Public Access to Gloucester County Records

Most family court records in Gloucester County are public under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1). Anyone can request to view them. You do not need to be a party to the case. However, some records have limits on who can see them.

Rule 1:38 of the New Jersey Court Rules sets out 38 exceptions to public access. Thirty of these deal with family and criminal matters. In Gloucester County, records that are not public include confidential litigant information sheets, medical and psychological reports in custody cases, domestic violence records, juvenile delinquency files, and adoption records under N.J.S.A. 9:3-52. Divorce documents will only be released to a party or the attorney of record. Others must get a court order first.

You can file an OPRA request for records at the Gloucester County clerk office or through the Government Records Council.

Note: Custodians must respond to OPRA requests within seven business days, though archived records may take longer.

Getting Copies of Court Records

For open family court cases in Gloucester County, request copies from the Family Division at the Justice Complex in Woodbury. For closed cases, the process depends on when the case ended. Cases filed in 2016 or before are archived at the Records Imaging Center (RIC) at 171 Jersey Street in Trenton. Cases filed after 2016 are still at the Gloucester County courthouse.

To request records from the RIC, fill out the Records Request Form (CN 10200) and mail it to P.O. Box 967, Trenton, NJ 08625-0967. You can also email questions to SCCORecordReq.Mailbox@njcourts.gov. Allow extra time for archived records. Payment is by check or money order made out to "Treasurer-State of New Jersey."

The Gloucester County Surrogate Court handles guardianship and probate records that may connect to family court matters.

The Surrogate office can help with guardianship filings and estate cases in Gloucester County.

Legal Help in Gloucester County

Several groups provide legal help for family court cases in Gloucester County. Some offer free services based on income. Others charge a reduced rate for a first meeting. These groups can help you fill out forms, understand the law, or find a lawyer in Gloucester County.

Legal Services of New Jersey helps residents who qualify based on income. Call the LSNJLAWSM hotline at (888) 576-5529 to ask about help with family court cases in Gloucester County. South Jersey Legal Services also serves the Gloucester County area with free legal aid for low-income residents who need help with divorce, custody, or child support.

The New Jersey State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at 1-800-792-8315. The first talk is up to 30 minutes. They can match you with a family law attorney in Gloucester County. The NJ Courts Self-Help Center has all the court forms and guides you need to handle a family court case on your own.

Note: The Self-Help Center provides free kits for divorce, custody, child support, and domestic violence cases in Gloucester County.

Gloucester County Divorce Certificates

The New Jersey Department of Health issues divorce certificates as a shorter proof that a divorce took place. A certificate shows the names, date, and county but not the full terms of the settlement. Many people need one for a name change or to get married again.

You can order a certificate by mail from the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, P.O. Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy and $2 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. You can also visit the walk-in center at 140 East Front Street in Trenton for same-day service. The office has records from 1848 to the present day.

For the full divorce judgment with property, custody, and support terms, go to the Family Division clerk at the Gloucester County Justice Complex in Woodbury.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gloucester County. Make sure you file your family court case in the right county. You must file where you or the other party lives for the court to have proper jurisdiction.