Search Bergen County Felony Records
Bergen County felony records are managed by the Superior Court Criminal Division at the Justice Center in Hackensack. As the most populous county in New Jersey, Bergen County processes a high volume of indictable offense cases each year. The criminal case management office maintains files for all felony matters heard in Bergen County courts. Whether you need to look up a specific docket or confirm case details, the court provides several paths to access these public records. This guide covers where to search, what to expect, and how to obtain copies of Bergen County felony records.
Bergen County Justice Center
The Bergen County Justice Center stands at 10 Main Street in Hackensack. This is where all felony cases in Bergen County are heard. The building holds the Superior Court Criminal Division along with other court divisions. You can reach the main line at 201-221-0700. The Criminal Case Management office is in Room 119. Its direct line is (201) 795-6701.
The Bergen County Superior Court website has court calendars, contact details, and general information about how the court works. Criminal cases in Bergen County follow the same process as in all New Jersey counties. A grand jury reviews the evidence. If they find enough, they issue an indictment. The case then moves through the court system until it reaches a plea or trial. Each step produces records that become part of the public court file.
Bergen County is part of the Bergen Vicinage within the New Jersey court system. This means it operates as its own judicial district. All felony records from Bergen County stay within this vicinage unless a case is transferred.
How to Find Bergen County Criminal Records
You have two main options for finding felony records in Bergen County. You can search online or visit the courthouse in person. Both methods are free for basic lookups.
The NJ Courts Find a Case tool lets you search criminal records from any New Jersey county. Type in a name or docket number. The system returns case details like charges, hearing dates, and outcomes. This works for Bergen County felony records going back many years. The tool is free and runs around the clock. It covers all indictable offenses filed in Bergen County Superior Court.
For an in-person search, go to Room 119 at the Bergen County Justice Center, 10 Main Street, Hackensack. Bring a valid photo ID. The clerk can pull up cases by name or docket number. You can view the file at the counter. If you need copies, the fees are set by state law. Letter-size pages cost $0.05 each. Legal-size pages cost $0.07. A certified copy costs $15. If you need a court seal on the document, that adds $10. An exemplified copy runs $50.
Note: The Criminal Case Management office in Bergen County can get busy, so arrive early for the shortest wait.
Bergen County Court Vicinage Records
New Jersey splits its court system into fifteen vicinages. Bergen County is its own vicinage. This means the county has its own assignment judge, its own criminal calendar, and its own set of court staff. All felony records created in Bergen County courts stay here unless a higher court takes over on appeal.
The vicinage structure matters when you search for records. If a crime happened in Bergen County but the defendant lived elsewhere, the case still gets filed in Bergen County. The location of the crime controls where the indictment is filed, not where the person lives. So if you are looking for a specific felony case, search in the county where the offense took place. For Bergen County, that means all records are at the Hackensack courthouse.
Appeals from Bergen County felony cases go to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court. Those records are held separately. The Appellate Division sits in multiple locations across New Jersey. If a Bergen County felony case was appealed, the trial court file stays in Hackensack, but the appeal file is with the Appellate Division.
Public Records Requests in Bergen County
The Open Public Records Act, codified at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, gives the public a right to access government records in New Jersey. This applies to felony records held by Bergen County offices. You can file an OPRA request with any county agency that holds the records you want. The agency has seven business days to respond.
Court records follow a slightly different path. The New Jersey judiciary has its own rules for public access to court files. Under Rule 1:38, most criminal case records are public. You can view them at the courthouse or get copies. Some records are sealed by court order or by statute. Juvenile records, grand jury transcripts, and pre-sentencing reports are typically sealed. Everything else in a Bergen County felony file is open to the public.
For non-court records like arrest reports or sheriff records, file an OPRA request with the Bergen County Sheriff at 160 South River Street in Hackensack. The phone number is (201) 336-7100. The jail can be reached at (201) 336-3500. These offices hold booking records, warrant information, and inmate data that may relate to felony cases in Bergen County.
Indictable Offenses in Bergen County
New Jersey does not use the word "felony" in its criminal code. Instead, the state calls serious crimes "indictable offenses." These are grouped into four degrees under N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6. A first degree crime carries 10 to 20 years in state prison. Second degree brings 5 to 10 years. Third degree means 3 to 5 years. Fourth degree carries up to 18 months.
All four degrees of indictable offenses produce felony records in Bergen County. Common charges include drug possession with intent to distribute, burglary, aggravated assault, theft over a certain dollar amount, and weapons offenses. Each case goes through the grand jury process before trial. The resulting court records show the charges, the degree of the offense, and the outcome.
Less serious crimes in Bergen County are called disorderly persons offenses. These are handled in municipal court, not Superior Court. They do not produce felony records. If you are looking for municipal court records in Bergen County, contact the local municipal court where the case was heard.
Note: A fourth degree indictable offense in Bergen County still counts as a felony-level record even though the maximum sentence is under two years.
Bergen County Clerk Office
The Bergen County Clerk sits at One Bergen County Plaza, Room 122, in Hackensack. The phone number is (201) 336-7000. The clerk handles recorded documents like deeds, mortgages, and liens. Criminal court files are not kept here. However, if a felony case in Bergen County results in a judgment or lien, it may appear in the clerk's records.
The clerk also manages elections, notary commissions, and passport applications. For felony records specifically, the clerk will direct you to the Superior Court Criminal Division in Room 119 of the Justice Center. The two buildings are close to each other in downtown Hackensack, making it simple to visit both offices on the same trip.
Clearing a Felony Record in Bergen County
New Jersey allows expungement of certain felony records. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-2, a person convicted of one indictable offense may petition to have the record expunged after six years. Recent changes to the law have also created an early pathway for some offenses. If the petition is granted, the Bergen County felony record is sealed from public view.
To start the process in Bergen County, file a petition for expungement with the Superior Court. The court sends notice to the prosecutor, the arresting police department, and other agencies. A hearing date is set. If no one objects and you meet the legal requirements, the judge signs an order. All Bergen County agencies must then remove the record from their public files. The felony record will no longer appear in background checks or court searches.
Some crimes cannot be expunged. Murder, sexual assault, robbery, and other serious offenses are permanently excluded. If you have questions about whether your Bergen County felony record qualifies, talk to a lawyer or contact the court clerk at (201) 795-6701.
Bergen County Sheriff and Jail Records
The Bergen County Sheriff operates from 160 South River Street in Hackensack. The main number is (201) 336-7100. The county jail is at the same location. Its direct line is (201) 336-3500. An inmate lookup portal is available for checking who is currently held at the Bergen County jail.
Jail records in Bergen County include booking information, charges at the time of arrest, bail amounts, and release dates. These records are separate from court files. They provide a different view of a felony case. While the court file tracks the legal process from indictment to sentencing, jail records track the physical custody of the defendant. Both sets of records are public in Bergen County, subject to certain security exceptions.
Nearby Counties
Bergen County shares borders with several other New Jersey counties. Felony records are kept in the county where the case was filed. If you need records from a different county, contact that county's Superior Court directly.