Camden County Probate Records

Camden County probate court records are held at the Surrogate's Court in Blackwood, New Jersey. The county was formed on March 13, 1844, from parts of Gloucester County. Camden serves as the county seat. The Surrogate's office handles wills, letters of administration, guardianship filings, and other probate court records for every town in Camden County. Searching for these records starts with the Surrogate's office, which keeps both recent and older probate files. You can reach out by phone, mail, or in person to look up any probate court record on file in Camden County.

Camden County Surrogate Court Office

The Camden County Surrogate is Michelle Gentek-Mayer. She leads the office that manages all probate court records in the county. The Deputy Surrogate is Adam K. Rosen, Esq. The main office is at 509 Lakeland Road in Blackwood, NJ 08012. A satellite location is at the Camden City Hall of Justice, 101 South 5th Street, Camden, NJ 08103. You can reach the office by phone at (856) 225-7282.

The Camden County Surrogate's office offers three ways to file probate court records. You can send documents by mail. You can place them in the Purple Drop Box at the main office. You can also visit in person, but only by appointment. Walk-ins are not accepted. Call ahead to set up a time before you go. This applies to all probate filings and record requests in Camden County.

The Surrogate's office website has forms and guides for common probate tasks in Camden County. Visit the Camden County Surrogate page for details on hours, forms, and filing steps.

Note: All in-person visits to the Camden County Surrogate require an appointment. Call (856) 225-7282 before you go.

Camden County Probate Court Records Online

The Camden County Surrogate maintains a web page with key details for anyone who needs to file or look up probate court records. The site lists contact info, office hours, and links to state forms. It is a good first step when you start a search for probate records in Camden County.

Below is a view of the Camden County Surrogate's official website.

This site provides forms for wills, letters of administration, and guardianship filings in Camden County.

Camden County probate court records can also be found through the New Jersey State Archives. Older records dating back to the 1840s are stored there. The State Archives holds Will Books from 1844 to 1920, Orphans Court Minutes from 1844 to 1902, and Administration Bonds from 1861 to 1902 for Camden County. Because Camden County was carved from Gloucester County in 1844, any probate court records filed before that year are kept in Gloucester County.

E-Filing for Probate Records in Camden County

Camden County offers e-filing for attorneys. This lets lawyers submit probate court records through an online system. It saves time and avoids the need to mail or drop off papers. Only licensed attorneys can use the e-filing option. If you are an attorney and want to file probate documents in Camden County, contact Karen Ridgeway at 856-225-7715 for setup and access details.

Individuals who are not attorneys must use the other three methods. Mail, the Purple Drop Box, or an in-person appointment are your choices. All three lead to the same result. Your probate court records will be processed by the Camden County Surrogate's office no matter which path you take.

Camden County Probate Filing Fees

The Camden County Surrogate charges set fees for all probate court records and filings. These fees follow state rules but may change. Always check with the office before you file. The base cost to probate a will in Camden County is $100, which covers up to two pages. Each extra page costs $5 more.

Other common fees for probate court records in Camden County include:

• Codicil filing: $25
• Death certificate copy: $5
• Exemplified copy: $84
• Letters of administration: $125
• Guardianship of a minor: $50
• Short certificates: $5 each
• Filing a complaint or accounting: $175

These fees apply at both the main Blackwood office and the satellite office in Camden. Payment methods may vary, so call the office at (856) 225-7282 to ask what forms of payment they accept. If you need to email the Deputy Surrogate with a question about fees, reach Adam K. Rosen, Esq. at Adam.Rosen@camdencounty.com.

Note: Probate fees in Camden County may be updated by state law. Confirm current amounts before filing.

Historical Probate Court Records for Camden County

The New Jersey State Archives holds older probate court records from Camden County. These records date back to the year the county was formed. Researchers, genealogists, and family members use these files to trace estates and family lines.

The State Archives collection for Camden County probate court records includes Will Books from 1844 to 1920, Orphans Court Minutes from 1844 to 1902, and Administration Bonds from 1861 to 1902. The State Archives database portal lets you search some of these records online. Not all records are digitized, but the index can help you find what you need before you visit in person.

Records filed before March 13, 1844, belong to Gloucester County. If your search leads to a date before Camden County was formed, check Gloucester County probate court records instead.

Searching Probate Records at the State Level

The New Jersey State Archives is the main hub for older probate court records across all counties. Their online portal gives access to indexes and some full documents. Below is a view of the State Archives website.

You can search the archives for Camden County probate records and records from any other New Jersey county.

New Jersey Probate Statutes

Probate court records in Camden County are governed by New Jersey state law. The key statutes that shape how wills and estates are handled include N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22, which covers the execution of wills. N.J.S.A. 3B:3-19 sets rules for who can make a will. These laws apply to every probate filing in Camden County.

For administration of estates where no will exists, N.J.S.A. 3B:10-1 controls who may serve as administrator. Sections 3B:10-3 and 3B:10-4 set the order of priority for appointment. The Camden County Surrogate follows these rules when issuing letters of administration. You can look up the full text of these statutes through the New Jersey Legislature website.

Note: State statutes apply to all probate court records filed in Camden County and across New Jersey.

How to Search Camden County Probate Court Records

Start by contacting the Camden County Surrogate's office. Give them the name of the person whose estate you are looking for. The staff can search their files and tell you what records exist. For recent probate court records, the Surrogate's office is your best source. They keep all filings from the past several decades on hand in Camden County.

For older records, try the State Archives. Their database portal has indexes for Camden County probate records going back to 1844. You can also visit the New Jersey Courts directory to find links and contact details for any county surrogate in the state. The New Jersey Courts website also has general court forms and guides.

Cities in Camden County

Camden County has many towns and cities. All of them file probate court records through the Camden County Surrogate's office. Below are city pages with more details on local records.

Other towns in Camden County include Pennsauken, Winslow Township, Voorhees, Haddonfield, and Collingswood. All probate court records for these places go through the Surrogate's office in Blackwood.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Camden County. If you need probate court records from before 1844, check Gloucester County. Records for the area that became Camden County were filed there before the split.