Certificate of Service - New Jersey

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of New Jersey

IMPORTANT NEW JERSEY NOTICE: New Jersey Court Rule 1:5-2 was amended effective September 1, 2024 to expressly authorize service by email to addresses listed on an approved electronic court system under R. 1:32-2A(a). Attorneys are required to use the NJ eCourts system for filing in many matter types. Check current R. 1:5-3 and the transaction confirmation to determine what proof of electronic service is recorded and whether a separate proof is required. Do not assume that an upload served a recipient who is not shown on the confirmation.

PART I: COURT CAPTION

SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY

[________________________________] Division
[________________________________] County

Docket No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________],
Plaintiff(s),

v.

[________________________________],
Defendant(s).

Also applicable to:
☐ Tax Court of New Jersey — Docket No.: [________________________________]
☐ Municipal Court of [________________________________] — Docket No.: [________________________________]

PART II: IDENTIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS SERVED

I, [________________________________], hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I served the following document(s) upon the parties identified in Part III:

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. [________________________________]
4. [________________________________]
5. [________________________________]

(Attach additional sheet if more documents were served.)

PART III: PARTIES SERVED

Served Party / Attorney No. 1

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Representing: [________________________________]
Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Street Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Mailing Address (if different): [________________________________]
Email Address (eCourts / R. 1:32-2A registered): [________________________________]
NJ Attorney ID Number: [________________________________]
Phone: [________________________________]

Method of Service — Party / Attorney No. 1 (check all that apply):

☐ Electronic Service through NJ eCourts [PRIMARY METHOD WHERE AVAILABLE]
Filed and served through the NJ eCourts electronic filing system pursuant to N.J. Ct. R. 1:5-2 and 1:32-2A.
Service is effective upon transmission through the system. Under R. 1:5-3, a separate proof of service filing is not required when service is made through eCourts.
eCourts Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]
Date/Time of Transmission: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m. Eastern Time

☐ Electronic Mail (Email to eCourts/R. 1:32-2A Listed Address)
Service by email to the email address listed on an approved electronic court system, expressly authorized by N.J. Ct. R. 1:5-2 (effective September 1, 2024).
Email address used: [________________________________]
Date sent: [__/__/____] Time sent: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Rule 1:3-3 does not add time for email service. Check the governing response rule or order.

☐ Regular Mail (First-Class, Postage Prepaid)
Mailed to: [________________________________]
Date deposited: [__/__/____] City of mailing: [________________________________]
If the response period runs from service, Rule 1:3-3 adds 5 days after ordinary mail service.

☐ Certified Mail
USPS Certified Mail tracking number: [________________________________]
Date mailed: [__/__/____]
Return receipt: ☐ Requested ☐ Received (date received: [__/__/____])

☐ Overnight Courier / Commercial Carrier
Carrier name: [________________________________]
Tracking number: [________________________________]
Date of deposit: [__/__/____]
Delivery requested: ☐ Next business day ☐ Second business day

☐ Hand Delivery / Personal Delivery
Delivered in person at: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____] Time: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Received by: [________________________________]
(Effective date of service: date of delivery. No additional days added.)

☐ Facsimile (requires consent or court authorization)
Fax number: [____________________]
Date/Time transmitted: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Confirmation number: [________________________________]
Written consent on file: ☐ Yes ☐ No — Court authorization: [________________________________]

☐ Service via JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission)
(For emergent filings and after-hours submissions)
JEDS Reference Number: [________________________________]
Date/Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

Served Party / Attorney No. 2

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Representing: [________________________________]
Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Street Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
NJ Attorney ID Number: [________________________________]

Method of Service — Party / Attorney No. 2 (check all that apply):

☐ NJ eCourts Electronic Service
Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]
Date/Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

☐ Email (R. 1:32-2A registered address)
Email: [________________________________] Date/Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

☐ Regular Mail
Mailed to: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____] City: [________________________________]

☐ Certified Mail
Tracking: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____]

☐ Overnight Courier
Carrier: [________________________________] Tracking: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____]

☐ Hand Delivery
Date: [__/__/____] Time: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m. Received by: [________________________________]

☐ Facsimile
Fax: [____________________] Date/Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

Served Party / Attorney No. 3

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Street Address / Email: [________________________________]

Method of Service — Party / Attorney No. 3 (check all that apply):

☐ NJ eCourts Electronic Service — Transaction No.: [________________________________] Date/Time: [__/__/____]
☐ Email — Address: [________________________________] Date/Time: [__/__/____]
☐ Regular Mail — Mailed: [__/__/____] City: [________________________________]
☐ Certified Mail — Tracking: [________________________________]
☐ Overnight Courier — Carrier: [________________] Tracking: [________________]
☐ Hand Delivery — Date: [__/__/____] Received by: [________________________________]
☐ Facsimile — Fax: [____________________] Date/Time: [__/__/____]

(Attach additional party service pages as needed.)

PART IV: NEW JERSEY SERVICE RULES AND TIME EXTENSION REFERENCE

Response Time Extensions — N.J. Ct. R. 1:3-3

When a rule or court order gives the served party a period to act after service, Rule 1:3-3 adds 5 days if the notice or paper is served by ordinary mail. The rule does not add days merely because service was electronic, certified mail, courier, facsimile, or hand delivery. Calculate any response deadline under its governing rule or order.

NJ eCourts — Electronic Filing and Service

• NJ eCourts is mandatory for attorneys in foreclosure matters, special civil part matters, and non-emergent appellate court cases.
• Documents are deemed filed once transmitted through eCourts or JEDS.
• Use the eCourts transaction confirmation to identify who received electronic notice or service, and separately serve every required recipient not shown there.
• Under amended R. 1:5-3 (September 1, 2024), the requirement to file a separate proof of service is suspended when service is made through eCourts.
• Attorneys must list and maintain a valid email address in the eCourts system under R. 1:32-2A(a).
• JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission) is available for emergent after-hours filings and matters not yet enrolled in eCourts.

Email Service — Amended N.J. Ct. R. 1:5-2 (Effective September 1, 2024)

• The 2024 amendment to R. 1:5-2 expressly authorizes service "by email by an attorney to the email addresses listed on an approved electronic court system pursuant to Rule 1:32-2A(a)."
• Email service applies to all papers covered by R. 1:5-1: orders, judgments, subsequent pleadings, written motions, briefs, appendices, petitions, and other papers (except a judgment signed by the clerk).
• Email service is to a specific, system-registered address — not to any general email address.

Service on Self-Represented (Pro Se) Litigants

• Self-represented parties who are not registered eCourts users must be served by hand delivery, regular mail, certified mail, or overnight courier.
• Check current court directives — some New Jersey vicinages have specific requirements for service on self-represented litigants, particularly in family court and special civil matters.
• The court may have a self-represented litigant coordinator to assist; notify their office if required by local practice.

Confidentiality — N.J. Ct. R. 1:38

Documents served and filed must comply with R. 1:38 regarding public access and confidentiality. Certain records are excluded from public access (e.g., adoption records, mental health commitment records, certain family court records). Do not include confidential information in publicly accessible filings without proper sealing procedures.

PART V: PROOF OF SERVICE BY MAIL — DECLARATION

(Complete when any service was made by regular or certified U.S. mail.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true and correct:

I am over the age of 18 years and I am not a party to this action. My business/residential address is:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

On [__/__/____], I served the documents described in Part II by enclosing true and correct copies in sealed envelopes, with postage fully prepaid, addressed to:

Mail Recipient 1:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Regular Mail ☐ Certified Mail — Tracking: [________________________________]

Mail Recipient 2:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Regular Mail ☐ Certified Mail — Tracking: [________________________________]

Mail Recipient 3:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Regular Mail ☐ Certified Mail — Tracking: [________________________________]

I deposited the sealed envelope(s) in the United States mail at:

Post Office/Location: [________________________________]
City, State: [________________________________], New Jersey
Date of deposit: [__/__/____]
Approximate time: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

I certify that the foregoing statements made by me are true. I am aware that if any of the foregoing statements made by me are willfully false, I am subject to punishment.

Executed on [__/__/____] at [________________________________], New Jersey.

Signature: [________________________________]
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Title/Capacity: [________________________________]

PART VI: PROOF OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE — DECLARATION

(Complete when any service was made through NJ eCourts, JEDS, or by email.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true and correct:

I am over the age of 18 years. My business/residential address is:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

A. Service via NJ eCourts

☐ On [__/__/____], at approximately [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m. Eastern Time, I electronically filed the documents identified in Part II through the NJ eCourts system. The transaction confirmation shows electronic notice or service to the recipients listed below. I separately served every required recipient not shown on that confirmation.

eCourts Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]
Date/Time of Confirmation: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

Recipients shown on the eCourts confirmation:

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. [________________________________]

B. Service via Email (R. 1:5-2 / R. 1:32-2A)

☐ On [__/__/____], at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m. Eastern Time, I served the documents identified in Part II by sending true and correct copies as email attachments to the following email addresses listed on an approved electronic court system under R. 1:32-2A:

1. [________________________________] (email) — for [________________________________] (attorney/party name)
2. [________________________________] (email) — for [________________________________] (attorney/party name)

Email sent from: [________________________________]

C. Service via JEDS

☐ On [__/__/____], at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m. Eastern Time, I served the documents identified in Part II through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system.
JEDS Reference Number: [________________________________]

I certify that the foregoing statements made by me are true. I am aware that if any of the foregoing statements made by me are willfully false, I am subject to punishment.

Executed on [__/__/____] at [________________________________], New Jersey.

Signature: [________________________________]
Printed Name: [________________________________]

PART VII: CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE — SIGNATURE BLOCK

(Note: New Jersey uses "certification" rather than "verification" or "declaration." N.J. Ct. R. 1:4-4.)

I certify that the foregoing statements made by me are true. I am aware that if any of the foregoing statements made by me are willfully false, I am subject to punishment.

This Certificate of Service is submitted pursuant to N.J. Ct. R. 1:5-1 through 1:5-3.

Date: [__/__/____]

Respectfully submitted,

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]
NJ Attorney ID Number: [________________________________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Street Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[________]
Facsimile: ([____]) [____]-[________]
Email: [________________________________]
Attorney for: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ [________________________________]

PART VIII: COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

☐ All documents served are identified in Part II
☐ Every party or their counsel has been served under R. 1:5-1
☐ eCourts used as primary method for registered attorneys
☐ Email service directed to eCourts/R. 1:32-2A registered email address
☐ Self-represented parties served by mail, hand delivery, or other non-electronic method
☐ Any Rule 1:3-3 extension checked: 5 additional days only for qualifying ordinary mail service
☐ eCourts transaction/confirmation number recorded
☐ JEDS reference number recorded if applicable
☐ Under amended R. 1:5-3: separate proof of service not required when served via eCourts — eCourts record serves as proof
☐ Certification language (not "declaration") used — "I certify" formulation
☐ R. 1:38 confidentiality requirements reviewed — no improperly disclosed records
☐ Local vicinage directives or scheduling order service requirements checked
☐ eCourts confirmation emails saved to file

PART IX: ORIGINAL PROCESS — REFERENCE NOTE

(For reference only — original process governed by N.J. Ct. R. 4:4.)

Service of original process (summons and complaint) must be made by personal service, substituted service, or certified mail (with acknowledgment) as specified in N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-3 and 4:4-4. Original process cannot be served through eCourts or by email alone. Service on a corporation must be made on an officer, director, managing agent, or registered agent. N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-4(a)(6). Service by mail with acknowledgment is authorized under N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-4(c). Service by publication requires a court order. N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-5.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• N.J. Ct. R. 1:5 — Service and Filing of Papers: https://www.courtcaddy.com/nj/court-rules/r1-5.html
• NJ Courts — Rules of Court: https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/rules-of-court
• NJ Courts — eCourts Guidelines: https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/attorneys/ecourts/training/submissionguidelines.pdf
• 2024-2025 NJ Court Rule Amendments (Lexology): https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=b8727390-a710-4824-b3c9-d8776d8e2a8a
• Bergen County Bar — eCourts Notice: https://bergenbar.org/notice-electronic-filing-in-ecourts-and-jeds-attorneys-required-to-file-in-ecourts-where-available/