Franklin Township Probate Records
Franklin Township probate court records are managed by the Somerset County Surrogate's Court in Somerville. Franklin Township is the largest municipality in Somerset County with about 68,000 residents. The township does not run its own probate court. All estate matters go through the county Surrogate. To search for a will, estate file, or guardianship record for a Franklin Township resident, you contact the Somerset County office. Records date back to 1688. This page covers how to find and file probate court records for Franklin Township estates.
Franklin Township Quick Facts
Franklin Township Probate Court Records Office
Franklin Township probate court records are filed at the Somerset County Surrogate's Court. Bernice M. Jalloh serves as Surrogate. The office is at 20 Grove Street in Somerville. Franklin Township residents must travel to Somerville for probate filings. The drive is about 15 minutes from the Franklin Municipal Building at 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset.
The Surrogate's Court handles will probate, letters of administration, guardianship cases, and estate accountings. Staff can search old files and provide copies of probate court records for Franklin Township estates. Somerset County has one of the oldest sets of records in the state. The office has kept probate court records since 1688.
| Office |
Somerset County Surrogate's Court 20 Grove St Somerville, NJ 08876 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (908) 231-7003 |
| Surrogate | Bernice M. Jalloh |
| Website | co.somerset.nj.us/surrogate |
Note: The Franklin Municipal Building at 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873, does not store probate court records or handle estate filings.
Searching Franklin Township Probate Records
You can search for Franklin Township probate court records in several ways. The most direct is to call the Somerset County Surrogate's Court at (908) 231-7003. Staff look up records by name and date of death. Have the full name of the deceased ready. A year of death helps narrow results. The office pulls files for review and provides copies for a fee.
You can also visit in person at 20 Grove Street in Somerville. Bring a photo ID. The staff will search the index and let you view the probate court records for any Franklin Township estate on file. Certified copies and plain copies are both available.
For older records, the State Archives Somerset County holdings page lists what is on microfilm. Somerset County probate court records at the archives go back to the late 1600s. These cover estates from Franklin Township and every other town in the county.
Franklin Township Records in State Databases
The New Jersey State Archives holds Somerset County probate court records on microfilm. The collection is one of the oldest in New Jersey. It includes Will Books, Administration Bonds, Letters of Administration, court minutes, and estate files spanning the late 1600s through the 1900s.
The searchable database below lets you look up some Somerset County probate court records online before visiting Trenton.
Use the State Archives database portal to search by name. This is free and covers records across all New Jersey counties. Franklin Township researchers can check for matches before making a trip to the archives in Trenton.
Filing Probate Records from Franklin Township
Franklin Township residents follow the same probate rules as all Somerset County residents. Under N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22, you must wait at least 10 days after the date of death before you can file a will for probate. This rule is the same across New Jersey. Once the waiting period ends, you bring the paperwork to the Surrogate's Court in Somerville.
Under N.J.S.A. 3B:3-19, the Surrogate has the power to admit a will to probate. You need the original will, a death certificate with a raised seal, names and addresses of next of kin, and the fees. The base fee is $100 for the first two pages. Each added page costs $5. Certified copies of probate court records cost $5 each. The process takes about 30 minutes when all papers are ready.
When a Franklin Township resident dies without a will, a family member applies for letters of administration under N.J.S.A. 3B:10-1. You bring the death certificate, signed renunciations from other heirs, and a list of assets. For small estates, N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3 and N.J.S.A. 3B:10-4 offer a shorter process with fewer steps. Every filing creates probate court records in Somerset County for the Franklin Township estate.
Types of Probate Court Records
Franklin Township probate court records include several kinds of documents. Wills are the most common. They state how a person wanted assets divided. Letters testamentary give the executor the power to act on behalf of the estate. Both are filed at the Somerset County Surrogate's Court.
Letters of administration apply when someone dies without a will. The court appoints an administrator. Guardianship orders cover the care of minors or incapacitated adults. Estate accountings track how funds were spent and distributed. Will contests arise when someone challenges the terms of a will. Each of these creates probate court records in Somerset County for Franklin Township and other municipalities.
Franklin Township Probate Records and Courts
The New Jersey Courts website has forms, guides, and contact details for all county courts. Franklin Township residents can download probate forms before visiting the Surrogate's Court. This saves time on filing day.
The surrogates directory below lists contact details for every county Surrogate in New Jersey.
Use the county surrogates directory to confirm office hours and phone numbers. The New Jersey Legislature website has the full text of probate statutes that govern how probate court records are created and stored for Franklin Township estates.
Note: Probate court records in Somerset County are generally public. Anyone can request copies from the Surrogate's Court for Franklin Township estates.
Historical Probate Records for Franklin Township
Franklin Township was settled in the colonial era and became part of Somerset County early in New Jersey's history. Somerset County was formed in 1688. Probate court records from that period are among the oldest in the state. Early wills and estate files for the area now known as Franklin Township are held at the State Archives on microfilm.
These old records are valuable for genealogical research. Wills list heirs, land, and personal goods. Administration records show who managed an estate when there was no will. Court minutes cover cases about minors and land divisions. The collection includes dockets that index cases by name and date. All of these probate court records for Franklin Township and the rest of Somerset County are available on microfilm in Trenton or through interlibrary loan.
Researchers should search under Franklin Township and also under older place names. Town boundaries shifted over time. Some estates now considered part of Franklin Township may appear under earlier names in the Somerset County probate court records index.
Somerset County Probate Court Records
Franklin Township is in Somerset County. All probate filings go through the Somerset County Surrogate's Court in Somerville. The county page has more detail on the full range of services, fees, historical holdings, and nearby resources for probate court records.