Rule 5:10A.Adoption of a Child or an Adult; Use of Automated System; Name Checks
Last amended September 1, 2013 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 5:10A
Amendment History
New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “Note” beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; a “Source” line names the former rule the current one grew out of, and “R. (1969)” citations refer to the earlier numbering it replaced.
Note: Adopted July 21, 2011 to be effective September 1, 2011; paragraph (a) amended July 9, 2013 to be effective September 1, 2013.
Plain-English Summary
An administrative rule with a practical purpose: one system, so an adoption in one county is visible to the Judiciary as a whole. All adoptions are recorded using the Judiciary case management system as the Administrative Director prescribes, and every Surrogate uses it to establish, manage and dispose of adoptions.
Name checks run through the same system. Where a fingerprint check turns up an SBI number, that number is provided to the Surrogate so the name checks are accurate — a safeguard against a check clearing the wrong person because of a name variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are New Jersey adoptions recorded?
Using the Judiciary case management system, as prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts. Every Surrogate uses it to establish, manage and dispose of all adoptions.
How are adoption name checks run?
Through the Judiciary's case management system. If an SBI number is discovered through a fingerprint check, it is provided to the Surrogate to ensure the accuracy of the name checks.