Divorce records are public in New Jersey, but only in part. Anyone can confirm that a divorce happened, see the names of the spouses, and obtain a copy of the final judgment. The financial disclosures, custody evaluations, medical records, and settlement details filed inside the case are automatically confidential under the court rules and are not available to the public.
What Anyone Can Find
New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, effective July 8, 2002, sets a strong presumption that government records are open and directs that any limits “shall be construed in favor of the public’s right of access.”1Government Records Council. New Jersey Open Public Records Act Court records sit inside that framework.
In practice, a member of the public can learn that a divorce case was filed, see the parties’ names, and get the final judgment of divorce. That judgment is the core public document. It confirms the divorce was granted, states the date, and typically recites the broad terms of the settlement or order. Divorces are filed in the Family Division of the Superior Court in the county where the case was brought, and that court holds the active file.2New Jersey Department of Health. Divorce Decrees
What Stays Confidential
New Jersey Court Rule 1:38-3(d) automatically excludes several categories of family court filings from public access. In a divorce, the shielded documents usually include:
- Family Case Information Statements and Financial Statements in Support Actions, with all attachments — the detailed income, expense, asset, and debt disclosures.
- Custody evaluation reports, parenting plans, and any psychological or psychiatric evaluations relating to custody or parenting time.
- Medical, psychiatric, psychological, and drug or alcohol dependency records submitted in connection with child support, custody, or parenting time.
- Confidential Litigant Information Sheets, which collect Social Security numbers and other personal identifiers.
- Domestic violence reports and the names and addresses of victims or alleged victims of domestic violence.
Settlement agreements incorporated into a judgment or order are also treated as confidential and are available only to the parties and their attorneys. So a background check can turn up the fact of a divorce and the date it was finalized, but not the property division, support numbers, or custody arrangements behind it.
Paternity Records
If paternity was part of the case, those records have stricter protection. Under N.J.S.A. 9:17-42, paternity proceedings are held in closed court, and all papers, records, and information that could reveal a party’s identity are confidential. Only the final judgment and the birth certificate are open. Anyone else needs consent from the court and all living parties, or must show a judge a “compelling reason clearly and convincingly shown.”3Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 9-17-42 – Closed Court
How to Request a Copy
For a recent case, contact the Family Division of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. For older archived cases, the Superior Court Records Center in Trenton handles retrieval and can be reached at 609-421-6100.2New Jersey Department of Health. Divorce Decrees
To request a certified copy of a Final Judgment of Divorce, you need the docket number (an “M” or “FM” number), the case title, and, if possible, the date of the judgment. The Judiciary provides a Records Request Form that can be submitted through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system, by mail, or in person. A Certificate of Divorce from the Superior Court Clerk’s Office costs $10.4NJ Courts. Copies of Court Records
Subscribers can also use the Electronic Access Program for remote online searching, though records covered by the confidentiality rules will not appear through any public portal.5NJ Courts. Electronic Access to Court Records
Asking a Judge to Seal More
If you want protection beyond what the rules already give you, you can file a motion asking a judge to classify specific documents as confidential or to seal them. The Judiciary publishes a self-help packet for this process.6NJ Courts. How to File a Motion Before a Judge to Classify a Record as Confidential
Common grounds are that a filing improperly contains personal identifiers like Social Security numbers or financial account numbers, that the records are already protected under Rule 1:38-3 or Rule 1:38-5, or that a prior sealing or protective order applies. Judges weigh the public’s right of access against the privacy interest at stake. Sealing beyond the default is not automatic, and a general preference for privacy is not enough — you need a concrete, specific reason tied to the document.