Passaic City Probate Records
Passaic probate court records are filed through the Passaic County Surrogate's Court in Paterson. The city of Passaic shares its name with the county but is not the county seat. Residents who need to probate a will or search for estate files must travel to Paterson, where the Surrogate's office is located. Searching for probate court records in Passaic starts with a call to (973) 881-4760. Staff can look up wills, administration files, and guardianship cases for any town in the county, including the city of Passaic.
Passaic Quick Facts
Passaic County Surrogate for Passaic City
The Passaic County Surrogate is Zoila Cassanova. Her office handles all probate court records for the city of Passaic and every other town in the county. There is no surrogate office in Passaic itself. You must go to Paterson. The office is at 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505. Call (973) 881-4760 to ask about hours or to check on a file before you make the trip.
The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Staff help with new probate filings, copy requests, and record searches. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. If you are filing a will for probate, bring the original document and a certified death certificate. The Surrogate processes all probate court records for Passaic residents at this location.
| Court | Passaic County Surrogate's Court |
|---|---|
| Surrogate | Zoila Cassanova |
| Address | 77 Hamilton Street Paterson, NJ 07505 |
| Phone | (973) 881-4760 |
| Website | passaiccountynj.org/government/passaic-county-surrogate |
Note: The city of Passaic shares its name with Passaic County. The county seat is Paterson, not Passaic. All probate court records go through the Paterson office.
Passaic City Hall Records
Passaic City Hall is at 330 Passaic Street, Passaic, NJ 07055. The building handles city permits, vital records, tax payments, and local government services. It does not process probate court records. Wills, estate papers, and guardianship filings must go to the Passaic County Surrogate in Paterson.
For local services and contact details, visit the City of Passaic official website.
Below is a view of the City of Passaic official website.
The site lists departments and services for city residents, though probate court records for Passaic are managed at the county level in Paterson.
Probate Court Records Kept in Passaic County
Passaic County keeps several types of probate court records at the Surrogate's office. These include wills, administration records, guardianship filings, and conservatorship papers. Each type serves a different purpose. Wills name an executor and say how the estate should be divided. Administration records cover cases where the person died without a will. Guardianship files deal with care of minors. Conservatorship cases involve adults who need help managing their affairs.
Wills filed in Passaic County are kept on a permanent basis. They are never destroyed. Administration files are held for 15 years after the case closes. This retention rule means that very old wills from the 1800s are still on file at the Surrogate's office or at the State Archives. Probate court records for Passaic residents follow these same rules.
The range of records is wide. A single estate may produce a will, letters testamentary, an inventory, an accounting, and short certificates. All of these become part of the probate court records for that case. If you need copies, the Surrogate's staff in Paterson can pull the file and make them for you.
How to Search Passaic Probate Court Records
Call the Passaic County Surrogate at (973) 881-4760. Give the name and dates you have. Staff can check their files and tell you what exists. Recent probate court records for the city of Passaic are at the Surrogate's office in Paterson. Older files may be at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton.
Passaic County was formed in 1837 from parts of Bergen and Essex counties. Records go back to that year. If you need probate court records from before 1837 for someone in the Passaic area, check Bergen County or Essex County instead. The split means older files stayed with the parent counties.
The State Archives Passaic County surrogate holdings page lists what is available in Trenton. You can review the catalog online before you visit. The State Archives main page also has general search tools. These resources help people looking for older probate court records tied to the city of Passaic.
Probate Statutes for Passaic Residents
Probate court records in the city of Passaic follow New Jersey state law. N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22 sets the rules for how a will must be signed and witnessed. Two witnesses are required. The person making the will must sign it. N.J.S.A. 3B:3-19 defines who has the right to make a will. You must be 18 or older and of sound mind. Every will filed for probate in Passaic County must meet these rules.
When a Passaic resident dies without a will, the estate is handled through administration. N.J.S.A. 3B:10-1 governs who can serve as administrator. Sections 3B:10-3 and 3B:10-4 rank the priority. A surviving spouse comes first. Then adult children. The Passaic County Surrogate follows this order when she issues letters of administration for estates in the city of Passaic.
Note: You can read the full text of these statutes on the New Jersey Legislature website.
State Archives and Passaic Probate Records
The New Jersey State Archives holds older probate court records from Passaic County. Their collection goes back to 1837. Researchers and family members use these files to trace estates and find old wills from the city of Passaic area. The archives are in Trenton and are open to the public by appointment.
Below is a view of the State Archives website.
You can search indexes for Passaic County probate records and records from any other New Jersey county through the archives portal.
Filing Probate Court Records from Passaic
When a city of Passaic resident dies, the executor named in the will files it with the Passaic County Surrogate. You bring the original will, a death certificate, and your ID to the office in Paterson. Staff walk you through the forms. The Surrogate admits the will to probate and issues letters testamentary. These give the executor the right to manage the estate.
If there is no will, a family member files for letters of administration. The Surrogate checks who has priority under the law. A petition, death certificate, and proof of kinship are all required. Once approved, the administrator can access bank accounts, sell property, and pay debts. All of these filings become probate court records for the Passaic estate in question.
The drive from Passaic to the Surrogate's office in Paterson takes about 10 minutes. The courthouse is near downtown Paterson on Hamilton Street. Street parking and public lots serve the area. You can also reach Paterson by NJ Transit bus. Plan to spend at least an hour if you are filing new probate court records for a Passaic estate.
Passaic County Probate Court Records
The city of Passaic is in Passaic County. All probate filings go through the Passaic County Surrogate's Court in Paterson. The county handles cases for every municipality, from Paterson and Clifton to Wayne and the city of Passaic. For more on the surrogate, fees, historical records, and other resources, visit the Passaic County probate court records page.