Bergen County Criminal Case Records
Bergen County criminal records are maintained at the Bergen County Justice Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. The Criminal Division of the Superior Court handles all criminal case records, criminal filings, and criminal dockets for Bergen County. As the most populous county in the state, Bergen County processes a large number of criminal cases each year. The courthouse at 10 Main Street in Hackensack is the central location for criminal records in Bergen County. People looking for criminal records can access criminal case files through the court clerk, online criminal record tools, or a formal records request.
Bergen County Quick Facts
Bergen County Superior Court Criminal Division
The Criminal Division at the Bergen County Justice Center processes all indictable criminal offenses for the county. Room 119 is the Criminal Case Management Office where records are managed. Call 201-221-0700, extension 25054 or 25055 to reach case staff. The Bergen County Criminal Division Manager is at extension 25020 for questions about specific criminal records or court procedures.
The Bergen County Justice Center sits at 10 Main Street in Hackensack, NJ 07601. This courthouse holds all criminal case files, dockets, and court records for Bergen County. Staff can look up criminal records by name or docket number. Standard fees for copies of criminal records in Bergen County are:
- Letter-size page: $0.05
- Legal-size page: $0.07
- Certified copy: $15 per document
- Seal: $10 per document
- Exemplified copy: $50 per document
The Bergen County Vicinage page on the New Jersey Courts site lists contact details for every division, including criminal records.
| Court |
Bergen County Justice Center Criminal Division, Room 119 10 Main Street Hackensack, NJ 07601 Phone: (201) 221-0700 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | njcourts.gov - Bergen County Vicinage |
Searching Bergen County Criminal Records Online
The PROMIS/Gavel system is the main online tool for searching criminal records in Bergen County. This criminal record portal is run by the New Jersey Courts. It lets you search criminal cases by party name or criminal docket number. Visit the PROMIS/Gavel public access page to start your Bergen County criminal record search. The system is free for basic criminal case information like charges, hearing dates, and case status.
Third-party sites also provide criminal record data for Bergen County. The Bergen County Court public records page explains how to access criminal court files. The New Jersey Court Records page for Bergen County is another criminal record resource that covers how to obtain criminal records from Bergen County courts.
The Bergen County Court site offers guidance on criminal record searches and criminal court procedures in Bergen County. It covers what criminal records are available and how to request criminal case documents.
To search criminal records in person at the Bergen County courthouse, go to Room 119 at the Justice Center. Bring a photo ID. Criminal court staff will search criminal records for you by name or docket number. They can tell you which criminal records are available and which are sealed or restricted in Bergen County.
Note: Basic criminal case data on PROMIS/Gavel is free, but copies of criminal court documents require a fee at the Bergen County courthouse.
Criminal Record Access Rules in Bergen County
Court Rule 1:38 governs public access to criminal records in Bergen County. Under this rule, most criminal court records are open. You do not need to be part of the criminal case. You do not need a reason. The Bergen County clerk must provide access to criminal records unless a specific exception applies to that criminal case.
Restricted records in Bergen County include psychiatric evaluations, medical reports, adoption files, and juvenile arrest records. Sealed and expunged criminal records are also not available. If a judge has ordered a record sealed, the clerk cannot release it. All other criminal case documents are public in Bergen County. This includes complaints, indictments, plea agreements, sentencing records, conviction records, and judgment entries from criminal cases.
Under the Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1), you can file a formal OPRA request for criminal records held by any Bergen County government office. The records custodian must respond within 7 business days. Criminal record copies in Bergen County cost $0.05 per letter-size page and $0.07 per legal-size page under OPRA.
Bergen County Criminal Justice Agencies
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office is the chief law enforcement agency in Bergen County for criminal matters. Located at the Justice Center at 10 Main Street in Hackensack, call (201) 646-2300. The prosecutor handles all indictable offenses, grand jury proceedings, and appeals from municipal courts in Bergen County. Case records from the prosecutor become part of the criminal court file. Bergen County's prosecutor works with local police across all 70 municipalities on criminal investigations and arrests.
The Bergen County Sheriff's Office is at 2 Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack, NJ 07601. Visit the Bergen County Sheriff's Office page for details. The Sheriff serves criminal warrants, provides criminal court security, and transports criminal defendants in Bergen County. Criminal warrant records are kept by the Bergen County Sheriff.
The Office of the Public Defender at 2 Bergen County Plaza provides criminal defense to defendants who cannot afford a lawyer. The Bergen County Bar Association can also connect people with criminal defense attorneys who handle criminal cases in Bergen County.
Expunging Criminal Records in Bergen County
Bergen County handles criminal record expungement petitions through Room 124 at the Justice Center. The filing fee is $75 to expunge a criminal record. Expungement seals your criminal record from public view. Once granted, the criminal record no longer shows up in criminal record searches. Bergen County criminal records that are expunged are treated as if they do not exist under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1.
Waiting periods for expungement vary. Indictable convictions in Bergen County require a wait of 5, 6, or 10 years depending on the offense and number of convictions on your criminal record. Disorderly persons convictions have a 5 year wait. The Clean Slate Act allows automatic expungement of some older criminal records. Drug court graduates in Bergen County may petition sooner. The NJSP Expungement portal helps you check if your Bergen County criminal record qualifies.
The expungement process in Bergen County involves filing a petition, getting fingerprinted, and attending a court hearing. The prosecutor and any victims can object. A judge makes the final decision. If approved, all agencies that hold your Bergen County criminal record must seal it from public access.
Note: Fingerprinting is required during the criminal record expungement process in Bergen County to verify your identity and criminal history.
Bergen County Clerk and Criminal Records
The Bergen County Clerk's Office is at One Bergen County Plaza, Room 122, in Hackensack. Call (201) 336-7000. Visit the Bergen County Clerk's website for office hours.
The Bergen County Clerk does not manage criminal case files. Those records stay with the Superior Court Criminal Division. However, the County Clerk handles other public records in Bergen County that may connect to criminal cases. A criminal case that results in a fine or restitution order may produce a lien recorded at the Bergen County Clerk's office. If you need the full picture of a criminal matter in Bergen County, the Clerk is one more place to check alongside court records. Records available at the Bergen County Clerk include:
- Property deeds and transfers
- Liens from criminal judgments
- Civil judgment records
- Trade name certificates
Bergen County Drug Court and Criminal Diversion
Bergen County runs a drug court program for defendants with substance abuse issues. Drug court is an alternative to prison for certain criminal cases. Participants go through supervised treatment in Bergen County. If they complete the program, charges may be dismissed. This changes the criminal record. Instead of a conviction, the Bergen County record shows a dismissal.
A mental health court also operates in Bergen County for defendants with mental health conditions. The goal is treatment, not punishment. Both programs create criminal records that differ from standard case outcomes. Case files from drug court and mental health court still appear in the Bergen County court system. The records reflect program completion rather than a conviction. Contact the Bergen County Criminal Division at 201-221-0700 for information about these diversion programs and how they affect criminal records.
Cities in Bergen County
Bergen County contains 70 municipalities. All indictable criminal cases from these towns are filed at the Bergen County Justice Center in Hackensack. Major municipalities include Hackensack, Fort Lee, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood, Fair Lawn, Garfield, Bergenfield, Ridgewood, Lodi, and Cliffside Park. Each town has a municipal court for minor criminal offenses. Serious criminal matters and criminal records in Bergen County go through the Superior Court Criminal Division.
Nearby Counties
Bergen County sits in northeast New Jersey. Criminal records are kept in the county where the criminal offense occurred. Check the criminal case location before requesting criminal records from a neighboring county.