Office of the Surrogate

PUBLIC NOTICE

Prior to coming to the Ocean County Surrogate's Office, please call the main number at 732-929-2011 to schedule an appointment. We are also processing Surrogate business as follows:

1. MAIL: PLEASE ADDRESS ALL REGULAR MAIL, UPS or FEDEX as follows:

OCEAN COUNTY SURROGATE'S COURT
P.O. BOX 2191
118 WASHINGTON STREET
TOMS RIVER, NJ 08754-2191

2. DROPBOX:

Our drop box is located in the lobby of the main entrance of 118 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ (TALL METAL DROP BOX MARKED SURROGATE'S OFFICE). All drop offs must be marked with "Ocean County Surrogate's Office, 118 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ 08754".

We encourage you to make use of the resources on our website that may answer many of your questions. If you wish to begin the probate process, kindly click the link below to review the Estate Information Sheet that must be completed to initiate the process. Instructions are also included for your convenience.

Click here for Information on Probate Proceedings

Residents are encouraged to contact the Ocean County Surrogate's Office via phone at 732-929-2011 to speak with a member of the office in order to address questions and filing needs. Due to our high call volume, you may need to leave a voicemail. Please allow 24 hours during normal business hours for a return call.

We thank you for your patience and consideration during this time.

JEFFREY W. MORAN
Ocean County Surrogate

Jeffrey W. Moran
County Surrogate

The Surrogate is a Constitutional Officer who is elected to the position every five years. The Surrogate serves as Clerk of the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part as well as Judge of the Surrogate's Court.

The word Surrogate means "one who takes the place of another." The Surrogate in each county is actually taking the place of the Governor, who in 1710, received from the Archbishop of London the authority to probate wills, issue marriage licenses and perform those functions which at the time were in the province of the Church. That power eventually went to the governor of the crown colony of New Jersey. The Surrogates were recognized as a separate office in the 1844 Constitution of New Jersey and allowed to run for election in each county to hold office for a five year term. Through subsequent statutes and modification, the powers and duties of County Surrogates were changed to meet present needs.

The duties of the Surrogate are mostly administrative. These duties provide for the administration of an estate, whether it be the process of admitting a will to probate or grant letters of administration to an appropriate person to carry on the duties of the decedent. Letters of Guardianship are also granted to persons for minor children who are awarded funds through a court or from an estate as well as guardians for mentally incapacitated persons.

As Clerk of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Probate Part, the Surrogate's Court reviews and files adoptions, declaration of death actions, appointment of guardian for an incapacitated persons, trusteeships, conservatorship and accounts.

Ocean County Surrogate's Court is administering a program called the Guardianship Monitoring Program wherein volunteers are used to monitor the wards and the guardians for incapacitated persons to see that their needs are met.

Permanent records of all wills and other estate administrations papers are filed in the Surrogate's Court on microfilm along with our new Computerized Scanning System making the court a great source of information for title searchers and genealogists.

The Court collects certain filing fees, set by New Jersey Statue, which are turned over to the Board of Commissioners on a monthly basis. The Surrogate and staff are paid salaries set by the Board of Commissioners and receive no part of the fees collected.

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Planning Guide to the Probate Process

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		Director Gary Quinn Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn is serving as the 2021 Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. Director Quinn serves as Chairman of the Department of Human Services, Planning, Recycling and Solid Waste Management and Transportation/Ocean Ride. Read more
		Deputy Director Gerry P. Little Following 50 years of public service, Commissioner Gerry P. Little is retiring on January 1, 2022 from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. Read more
		Commissioner Virginia E. Haines Commissioner Virginia E. “Ginny” Haines is in her second three year term on the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, now known as the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, and served as the 2019 Board Director. Read more
		Commissioner John P. Kelly Commissioner John P. Kelly has been an elected Ocean County official since 1993. He serves as Director of Law and Public Safety. During his tenure he has brought to fruition such important projects as the construction of the Fire and First Aid Training Center, the expansion of the Ocean County Jail, and improvements to the Ocean County Police Academy. Read more
		Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari, an experienced and staunch advocate for consumers, seniors, education, tourism, and the local business community, is serving his 14th term as an elected official in Ocean County Government. He was sworn to his new term on Jan. 1, 2021. He served as Board Director in 2020. Read more
Carl W. Block, County Administrator 101 Hooper Ave. Admin Building Toms River, NJ 08754 Phone: (732) 929-2147 \| Email: CBlock@co.ocean.nj.us
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