Wilentz Justice Complex

In 1997, the Family Division of the Essex County Superior Court moved to the Wilentz Justice Complex in the Gibraltar Building at 212 Washington Avenue, Newark. Family Court, Equity Court and Tax Court are all located at this facility. The Superior Court shares this building with various other state agencies.

Extensive renovations at this venue were necessary to accommodate the special needs of the Superior Court and a state-of-the-art security system, including X-ray machines and magnetometers, were installed at all Gibraltar Building entrances. In addition to uniformed patrol at this facility, the Essex County Sheriff’s Command Center monitors security via closed-circuit video and other electronic means.

The Family Division has its own special security concerns as it adjudicates very emotional and sensitive cases. It is in Family Court that highly charged divorce matters, child custody cases and juvenile criminal cases are heard.

Sheriff’s officers assigned to courts of the Family Division must be constantly alert as it has been demonstrated that violence is always a very real threat when these matters come before the court.