Camden County Divorce Filings

Camden County divorce records are kept at the Superior Court, Family Division in the city of Camden. If you need to search for a past divorce case, the court clerk can help you find it by name or docket number. Records for Camden County go back many years and include complaints, answers, settlement terms, and final judgments. You can search online through state court tools or visit the Hall of Justice in person. This guide walks through how to get divorce records in Camden County and what to expect from the process.

Camden County Court for Divorce Records

The Camden County Hall of Justice is where the Family Division of the Superior Court holds all divorce cases. It sits at 101 South 5th Street in the city of Camden. The Family Division is on the second floor. This court handles divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and guardianship for all towns in Camden County. Staff at the clerk's office can look up divorce records and provide copies of filed documents.

Camden County uses the docket prefix "FM-04" for all family matters, including divorce. If you have a docket number that starts with FM-04, the case was filed here. You can call the records line at (856) 650-9100 ext. 43480 to ask about a specific case. The main court phone number is (856) 379-2200. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-ins are welcome, but calling first can save you a trip if the file you need is not on site.

Note: The Camden County Clerk does not maintain divorce records. Only the Superior Court clerk has these files.

Searching Camden County Divorce Records

There are a few ways to search for divorce records in Camden County. The right method depends on what you need and how old the case is. Online tools work well for finding basic case details like filing dates and docket numbers. For full documents, you may need to visit the courthouse or send a written request. Both paths give you access to Camden County divorce records going back decades.

The state courts offer a free tool called Find a Case on the New Jersey Courts website. You can search by the name of one spouse or by a docket number. This tool covers cases across all 21 counties, including Camden County. It shows basic case data like the filing date, case type, and status. It does not show the full text of judgments or agreements. For those, you need to contact the court clerk or use the Judgment Entry and Dissemination System, known as JEDS.

To search in person, go to the Hall of Justice in Camden. Bring a valid photo ID. You can ask the clerk to look up a case by name or docket number. Older divorce records in Camden County may take more time to pull from storage. If you want copies, the clerk will charge a per-page fee for plain copies and a higher rate for certified ones.

Note: You can also file an OPRA request under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 to get copies of Camden County divorce records by mail.

Camden County Divorce Record Retention

Camden County has one of the most recent retention dates in the state. Divorce records filed up to 2021 have been sent to the Records Information Center, also called the RIC. The RIC is the central storage site for older court files in New Jersey. Once a file moves there, it may take a few extra days to get a copy because the clerk has to request it from the warehouse.

Cases filed after 2021 are still held at the Camden County Hall of Justice. These are easier to access. You can walk in and ask to see a file, or call the records line to have copies made. The clerk can tell you right away if a case is still on site or if it has been sent to the RIC. For files at the RIC, you can request them through the Superior Court Clerk's Office page on the state courts website.

What Camden County Divorce Records Show

A divorce record in Camden County is not a single document. It is a full case file with many papers inside. The first document is the complaint for divorce. This states the grounds for the split and what the person filing wants from the court. The other spouse may file an answer, a counterclaim, or both. All of these go into the Camden County court file.

The most important paper in the file is the final judgment of divorce. This is the court order that ends the marriage. It spells out who gets what in terms of property and debts. It lists custody terms, parenting time, child support, and alimony if any. Many people who search for Camden County divorce records are looking for this one document. You can get a plain copy or a certified copy from the clerk.

Other papers you might find in a Camden County divorce file include:

• Marital settlement agreements signed by both sides
• Motions and court orders filed during the case
• Financial disclosure statements
• Proof of service showing papers were delivered
• Post-judgment modifications to support or custody

Most of these records are public under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1. Anyone can request to view or copy them. Some parts, like detailed financial data or information about minor children, may be sealed or redacted in public copies. But the bulk of a Camden County divorce record is open to view.

Camden County Divorce Court Resources

Several online resources can help you find divorce records or start a case in Camden County. The Camden County court records portal lets you look up cases by name or number. The Camden County courts page has contact details, forms, and directions to the Hall of Justice. Both sites are free to use and updated on a regular basis.

If you plan to file for divorce on your own, the New Jersey Courts Self-Help Center has all the forms and step-by-step guides you need. The Family Division in Camden County promotes amicable solutions when possible. Mediation and early settlement panels are used to help couples reach agreements without a full trial. This can make the process shorter and less costly for both sides.

Note: Court Rule 1:38 governs public access to court records in New Jersey. It allows access to most divorce records in Camden County with some limits on sealed or confidential files.

Divorce Certificates vs. Court Records

There is a key difference between a divorce certificate and a divorce record in Camden County. A certificate is a short form issued by the New Jersey Department of Health. It confirms that a divorce took place and shows the names, date, and county. It does not include any terms of the settlement. A divorce record from the court has the full file with all documents, orders, and the final judgment.

Which one you need depends on the situation. A certificate works for name changes, remarriage, or proving your marital status. A court record is what you need if you want to see the terms of the split, like property division or custody arrangements. For Camden County divorce records with full case details, go to the Superior Court clerk. For a certificate, contact the Office of Vital Statistics in Trenton.

Filing for Divorce in Camden County

To start a divorce case in Camden County, you file a complaint with the Superior Court clerk at the Hall of Justice. The filing fee is $300. If you do not have a lawyer, there is an added $25 surcharge. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-10, at least one spouse must have lived in New Jersey for 12 months before filing. You file in Camden County if either spouse lives here.

After you file, you must serve your spouse with the papers. The Camden County Sheriff can do this, or you can hire a private process server. Certified mail is also an option in some cases. Once the other side is served, they have 35 days to respond. If they do not respond, you may be able to get a default judgment. If both sides agree on all terms, the case is uncontested and can move through the Camden County court faster.

Contested cases take longer. The Family Division in Camden County will schedule mediation or an early settlement panel to try to resolve disputes. If that fails, the case goes to trial before a judge. Each step along the way creates more documents that become part of the Camden County divorce record. The final judgment of divorce is entered once all issues are resolved, either by agreement or by the court's decision.

Grounds for Divorce Records in Camden County

New Jersey law under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-2 lists the grounds for divorce. The most common one used in Camden County is irreconcilable differences. This is a no-fault ground. It means the marriage has broken down and there is no reasonable chance of fixing it. You do not have to prove that your spouse did anything wrong.

Fault-based grounds also exist. These include adultery, desertion, extreme cruelty, and separation for 18 or more months. Fault grounds are less common but they do show up in Camden County divorce records. The ground you choose is listed in the complaint and becomes part of the public record. Most lawyers in Camden County advise using irreconcilable differences because it is simpler and avoids the need to prove fault in court.

Cities in Camden County

Camden County has 37 municipalities. All of them file divorce cases at the Superior Court in the city of Camden. No matter which town you live in, the Hall of Justice on South 5th Street handles your case.

Other towns in Camden County include Gloucester Township, Winslow Township, Voorhees, Haddonfield, Collingswood, Pennsauken, and Lindenwold. All file divorce cases at the same courthouse in Camden.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Camden County. You must file for divorce in the county where you or your spouse lives. If you are not sure which county covers your address, check with the court clerk before you file.