Rules of Court · Part 1 · New Jersey
R. 1:38-1 New Jersey Rules of Court, R. 1:38-1: Policy, rendered as code with every cross-reference linked
Policy
Court records and administrative records as defined by R. 1:38-2 and R. 1:38- 4 respectively and within the custody and control of the judiciary are open for public inspection and copying except as otherwise provided in this rule. Exceptions enumerated in this rule shall be narrowly construed in order to implement the policy of open access to records of the judiciary.
Note: New caption for Rule 1:38 adopted July 16, 2009 to be effective September 1, 2009. New Rule 1:38-1 adopted July 16, 2009 to be effective September 1, 2009; amended May 30, 2017 to be effective immediately; amended May 15, 2018 to be effective immediately.
Verbatim rule text, unmarked. Nothing here is a summary.
rule 1:38-1 "Policy" {
Court records and administrative records as defined by R. 1:38-2 and R. 1:38- 4 respectively and within the custody and control of the judiciary are open for public inspection and copying except as otherwise provided in this rule. Exceptions enumerated in this rule shall be narrowly construed in order to implement the policy of open access to records of the judiciary.
Note: New caption for Rule 1:38 adopted July 16, 2009 to be effective September 1, 2009. New Rule 1:38-1 adopted July 16, 2009 to be effective September 1, 2009; amended May 30, 2017 to be effective immediately; amended May 15, 2018 to be effective immediately.
}
referenced_by: none
source: njcourts.gov // verbatim; changed 2025-09-26; corpus harvested 2026-09-02R. 1:38-1A → · chapter 1:38 · all rules
The Rules of Court are a government edict and carry no copyright; the text above is the Judiciary’s own publication, unchanged. Structure, links and highlighting are ours and carry no legal weight. Read the rule on njcourts.gov before you rely on it; amendments take effect each September 1.