New Jersey Courthouse Dress Code & Attire Rules (2026)

Short answer: Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 15 courthouses in New Jersey. Updated 2026-11-06

All 15 county courthouses in New Jersey enforce judicial decorum dress codes: shorts, flip-flops, tank tops, halter tops, pajamas, and hats are prohibited in courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may refuse entry or reset your hearing if you are improperly dressed. New Jersey Superior Court Vicinages allow visitors, litigants, and jurors to bring cell phones into the courthouse under NJ Supreme Court Directive, provided phones remain silent in courtrooms.

County Courthouse	City	Courtroom dress code	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Bergen County Bergen County Courthouse (Hackensack)	Hackensack	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Middlesex County Middlesex County Courthouse (New Brunswick)	New Brunswick	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Essex County Essex County Courthouse (Newark)	Newark	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Hudson County Hudson County Courthouse (Jersey City)	Jersey City	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Ocean County Ocean County Courthouse (Toms River)	Toms River	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Monmouth County Monmouth County Courthouse (Freehold)	Freehold	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Union County Union County Courthouse (Elizabeth)	Elizabeth	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Camden County Camden County Courthouse (Camden)	Camden	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Morris County Morris County Courthouse (Morristown)	Morristown	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Passaic County Passaic County Courthouse (Paterson)	Paterson	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Burlington County Burlington County Courthouse (Mount Holly)	Mount Holly	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Mercer County Mercer County Courthouse (Trenton)	Trenton	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Somerset County Somerset County Courthouse (Somerville)	Somerville	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Gloucester County Gloucester County Courthouse (Woodbury)	Woodbury	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Atlantic County Atlantic County Courthouse (Mays Landing)	Mays Landing	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wear jeans or shorts to court in New Jersey?

Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 15 courthouses in New Jersey.

How is this courthouse policy data verified?

We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.