New Jersey Court Information, Location and Rules

The legal authorities of New Jersey are aware of the fact that you might need to file a legal suit with any court for various reasons. Before you can do so, you need to know which court you should approach because there are a number of courts in the state. For this you will need to know the regulations and of course the jurisdiction.

The legal system in the state is divided into federal courts and state courts, much like the other states of the country.

Contact the New Jersey Court Authorities

In the State of New Jersey, you can get all the legal information that you require from the official court website at http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us. Apart from naming the different types of courts serving the residents of New Jersey, the website also discusses the nature of the tasks they perform and the opinions they issue.

As is the case with the legal system in most other U.S. states, the authorities at New Jersey have also opted for various courts, and they are at different levels with different jurisdictions.

New Jersey Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is present as the topmost legal body in the state. It has the sole power to supervise and monitor the work of lower courts, and can also hear appeals against the decisions passed by any of them. The Chief Justice is the main presiding officer in the Supreme Court, and (s)he is aided and assisted by six other assistant judges. Previously, the Supreme Court was known as the 'Error and Appeals Court.'

Under the authority of the Supreme Court are the other courts of New Jersey. These include:

•    The Superior Court (this includes an Appellate Division)
•    The Tax Court
•    The Municipal Courts

There are various different services that the above courts provide to the common people of New Jersey. The most notable among these legal services includes materials used as references for court cases, information regarding the state tort law, the vital figures of the New Jersey courts and the decisions and opinions that are issued by all the courts of the state.

In most cases, you will have to file an appeal at the Superior Court when you are unhappy with the judgment of the trial courts. If the appeal is decided against you, then you will need to take it to the Superior Court’s Appellate Division. Appeals can also be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court if they meet the following criteria:

•    It is an issue of the constitution as decided by the Appellate Division
•    The ruling was dissented by an Appellate Division judge.
•    It is a case involving capital punishment
•    It is a case involving political boundaries

Legal Directives Influencing the Functions of the Courts of New Jersey

The Judiciary Mission statement lays out the basic legal framework which is to be abided by all the courts present in New Jersey. The statutes of New Jersey, together with the federal constitution (and the U.S. Code), the Body of Common Law and the administrative directives of the state governmental agencies – all participate in framing the legal regulations in this state.

The judicial wing of the state also has several significant administrative tasks, and it is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who is in charge of carrying out these functions. The rules that govern the way in which the NJ courts function can be broadly classified as:

a)    Code of Judicial Conduct
b)    The Code Of Conduct for the employees in the judicial department
c)    Rules of Professional Conduct
d)    The professional conduct laws for the legal interpreters, translators and court transliterators

There are separate rules prevalent in the state regarding the appointment of jury panels. Jurors can broadly be of two types – those dealing with civil cases, and the ones selected in criminal proceedings.

The court system of New Jersey is available for reference and help at all times for the residents of the state. The system of working of the legal institutions here is quite transparent, and is been explained on the official website.