New Jersey court system like all other state court systems are the pillars of the judicial system of the country. According to available statistics, every year about seven million new petitions are filed in the various New Jersey courts. The New Jersey court system is said to be one of the most comprehensive systems in the country. The different courts at the different levels of the judiciary include the state Superior court, the Municipal courts, the Appellate division of the courts, the tax courts and these are headed by the New Jersey Supreme Court that lies at the top of the legal pyramid.
The judges of the Superior Court decide the cases that concern family law, criminal and civil matters. These are also referred to as the trial courts. There are a total of twenty one counties in New Jersey and each of these have a Superior Court of their own. As many 360 judges form a part of the jury at the Superior courts across the state. A jury that comprises twelve citizens hears the criminal trials at the New Jersey Superior Court. They represent the community as a whole. There are some criminal cases that are heard on the basis of a plea bargain. As far as civil cases are concerned some of them are even solved before the actual trial begins as a mutual settlement is agreed upon. New Jersey Superior courts also decide on family cases that involve child custody, adoption, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency and divorce.
Another New Jersey court that lies at the base of the judicial system are the tax courts. These courts have a jurisdiction over the decisions made by the county boards of taxation. The tax courts can also review the verdict passed by the State Division of Taxation as these involve business tax, state income tax and sales tax.
The New Jersey Court of Appeals appears next in the judicial hierarchy. If any of the parties involved is not happy of the outcome of the case in any of the lower courts can seek a review of the decision by filing a petition in the New Jersey Court of Appeals. There are a couple of appellate courts in the state. One of them is the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.
The maximum number of cases that are registered in the courts of New Jersey are mostly decided in the Municipal courts of the state. These may range from instances of driving while intoxicated to that of over speeding and even illegal parking. Minor criminal offences like shoplifting, disputes between neighbors, trespassing, fishing, boating and hunting laws and assaults are decided over by the municipal courts.
As in other states of the country, the New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest legal authority in the country. It is basically an appellate court where appeals from the lower courts are heard if a party to the case demands a review of the decision. The Supreme Court comprise of a Chief Justice and six other Associate Justices. No new evidence is entertained and the court only reviews the legal steps that were undertaken by the lower courts to determine whether they were fair and appropriate.
All New Jersey Court Records and electronic versions of New Jersey Court Files have been made public by the US judicial system. This has been facilitated by the maintenance of websites like PACER or Public Access to Court Electronic Records that provide all relevant information to people who are looking for the same. Websites like PACER are trusted domains for people who are searching for old court records. This holds true especially for legal professionals.
