NJ Small Claims Court Redaction: Rule 1:38-7 Requirements

Why Redaction Matters in NJ Court Filings

Documents you file with the New Jersey Superior Court may be part of the public record, so people beyond the parties may be able to access your complaint, summons, and attached exhibits. Rule 1:38-7(b) puts the responsibility for protecting sensitive information squarely on you, the filing party.

The court clerk will not redact your documents for you. If you submit a complaint with a visible Social Security number or full bank account number, you risk having the filing rejected outright, or worse — having your personal information sitting in a public court file.

What Must Be Redacted

Rule 1:38-7 requires you to remove or black out the following confidential personal identifiers from every document submitted to the court:

• Social Security numbers — yours, the defendant's, or any third party's
• Driver's license numbers
• Vehicle license plate numbers
• Insurance policy numbers
• Active credit card numbers
• Bank account numbers — except the last four digits, and only when the account is the direct subject of the lawsuit (for example, if you're suing over a specific disputed charge)
• Military status disclosures

The redaction requirement applies to the copies you file with the court and serve on the other side. Keep your original documents separate from the redacted copies you file.

How to Redact Properly

For paper filings: Use a thick black marker to cover the identifiers on your copies before submitting them. Make sure the information underneath isn't readable when held up to light. Don't use white-out — it can flake off.

For JEDS electronic filings: Before uploading PDFs, use your PDF editor's redaction tool (not just a text highlight — actual redaction that removes the underlying data). Adobe Acrobat's redaction feature permanently removes the content. If you're using a free PDF tool, print the redacted page, verify the information is gone, and re-scan it.

A common mistake: people redact their own Social Security number but forget that their bank statement or lease agreement — attached as evidence — contains other identifiers. Go through every page of every attachment.

What Happens If You Don't Redact

Submitting unredacted documents can result in:

• Rejected filings — the clerk returns your complaint package, and you have to redo it. If you're close to a statute of limitations deadline, this rejection could cost you the case entirely.
• Administrative sanctions — the court can issue orders under Rule 1:38-7 requiring deletion of the confidential information from the record.
• Identity exposure — your Social Security number or financial details become part of a public file accessible through the courthouse.

None of these outcomes are worth the few minutes it takes to properly redact your documents before filing.

Quick Redaction Checklist

Before you submit your small claims package — whether through JEDS, by mail, or in person — run through this:

1. Check your complaint form (CN 10151 or CN 10148) for any personal identifiers
2. Review every attached exhibit — contracts, invoices, bank statements, lease agreements, insurance documents
3. Verify that redacted content is truly unreadable, not just covered with a semi-transparent highlight
4. Keep unredacted originals in a separate trial folder

For the full filing workflow including redaction, forms, and fees, the New Jersey Small Claims Filing Guide includes a dedicated redaction checklist.

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