Guide
New Jersey Expungement Research Resources
New Jersey courts take expungement petitions, and the State Police process the orders for the state record. The official New Jersey sources are listed below.
- NJ Courts, Expunging Your Court RecordCourt self help steps and forms for expungement
- NJ State Police, Expungement Intake and Processing UnitsHow State Police process expungement orders
- NJ Office of the Public Defender, ExpungementsPublic Defender Expungement Unit help
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in New Jersey
New Jersey closes the money documents in a divorce by rule and leaves the judgment open. Rule 1:38-3(d) lists the Family Part records excluded from public access, and item (d)(1) names the Family Case Information Statements required by Rule 5:5-2, the notices required by Rule 5:5-10 including the requisite financial, custody and parenting plans, the financial statements in summary support actions required by Rule 5:5-3 with all attachments, and settlement agreements incorporated into judgments. Rule 5:5-2(f) says the same of the statement, and the form carries the legend. Those records are available only to the parties and their counsel; the judgment of divorce and the orders stay public.
For any other record, Rule 1:38-11 applies. A party moves to seal, and the court may order information in a court record sealed for good cause, which exists when disclosure will likely cause a clearly defined and serious injury to a person or entity and the interest in privacy substantially outweighs the presumption that court records are open to public inspection. The moving party bears the burden. The Family Practice Committee recommended in January 2025 that all Family Part court records be excluded from public access, and the Supreme Court stated in July 2025 that it was continuing to consider the recommendation; the committee report, with the prior text of Rule 1:38-3(d), is at njcourts.gov.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state