How to File in Bergen County Superior Court

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Before filing your case in court, you need to familiarize yourself with court procedures and time limits. Also, you'll need to decide whether you'll seek the services of an attorney or represent yourself in court. Here are some of the general rules that apply when filing your papers in Bergen County superior court.

• Make sure you have at least two copies of the original document that you will file in court. You'll give the court the original documents and have the duplicate documents stamped by the court clerk then returned to you.
• Ensure that the court documents have the correct case number. The only exception to this rule is if you're starting a new case and the court hasn't assigned you a case number. Otherwise, if you're filing papers after the first petition or complaint, you should have a case number.
• If you have more than one case, you'll need to use the right case number for every document you file with the court. Consult the court clerk if you're unsure of what case number to use. Failure to use the correct case number may create confusion and hinder the progress of your case.
• Follow the requirements in the New Jersey rule of courts guide if not filing using the official judicial council forms. Enquire with the court clerk if there are any local rules for filing that apply to your case.

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How to file a lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court

When filing a lawsuit, you will file it as a petition or complaint with no case number in most civil cases. The case number will be stamped on your paperwork by the court clerk, and you'll use it throughout your case.

Note that if you first file a lawsuit, the court will refer to you as the plaintiff or petitioner. Even if, later on, the other party takes you to court in matters relating to the case, you'll still be referred to as the plaintiff or petitioner.

After filing your petition and summons to the court, you'll need to serve the other party with copies of the documents you filed in court. In Bergen County, the respondent or defendant in your case will have up to 30 days from the day you legally deliver the papers to them to file a response. But this depends on the type of case you've presented to the court; some cases have a shorter response period than others.

For this reason, SoloSuit makes it easier and faster to respond to a court summons, avoiding the stress, time, and energy involved when filing through the regular process.

If the defendant doesn't file a response within the stipulated time, you'll need to request the court to enter a default judgment for the defendant. This means that they'll no longer be allowed to file a response to the court. In that case, the court will decide the matter based on the information you provided without considering the other party, and you'll need to request the court to rule in your favor.

However, you'll still need to follow the set procedures to get a court order.

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How to file an answer in Bergen County Superior Court

If the plaintiff serves you with a lawsuit, you'll be required to file a formal response in court to participate in the case. The response is considered your side of the story, and you'll have to file it with the court clerk.

Follow the tips below if you receive a court summons:

First, get an attorney as soon as possible to help you respond to the matter. In most cases, the court gives you up to 35 days to file a response. Finding an attorney to help you with the case is the most reasonable thing to do because they know how to navigate the legal system and can help you get a favorable outcome.

If you can't afford an attorney, read the court papers you were served and respond to them appropriately. The most common way to respond to the court is by filing an answer with the court clerk. However, there are motions or requests you can file depending on the type of lawsuit.

Note that failing to respond gives the petitioner an upper hand in the case. They can request the court to enter a default judgment against you, which means you'll no longer have the chance to respond or participate in the case. If that happens, the judge will likely rule in favor of the petitioner.

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Ways to file court papers in Bergen County Superior Court

There are several ways you can file court papers. They include:

• Filing electronically. New Jersey has a web-based application called Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) that allows attorneys to submit documents to the court 24 hours a day electronically. However, it's recommended that you read the rules governing the e-filing system before using the system.
• Filing in person. You can file case documents in person at the clerk's office during regular hours of operation. If the case documents require a filing fee, then you'll need to pay before filing. But if they don't require any filing fee, you can place them into the court clerk's filing drop box or hand them to the customer service clerk.
• Filing by mail. Filing by mail is one of the most common ways of filing court documents. However, if the case documents require a filing fee, you'll need to include the appropriate payment in the form of a business check or money order payable to the Bergen County clerk. It's always advisable to confirm with the court clerk if you can file papers by mail for your specific case. Filing by mail can slow down the court process and isn't as safe. It's not always advisable to file by mail if your case has very tight deadlines.
• Filing with SoloSuit. SoloSuit offers one of the fastest, most reliable, yet affordable ways to file court papers online. All you need to do is provide the details of your case, and an answer will be generated on your behalf. An attorney will review the answer to ensure it meets all the legal requirements of that specific case and then mail it to the court and the plaintiff.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

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