Atlantic County Courthouse facts for kids
The Atlantic County Courthouse is a very old and important building in Mays Landing, New Jersey, which is the main town (or county seat) for Atlantic County, New Jersey. Mays Landing is part of Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. This historic building used to be the main place where important legal decisions were made for the county. Today, it's still used by the county government.
A Look Back: The Courthouse's History
This courthouse was first built a long time ago, in 1838! Over the years, it grew bigger with new parts added. More recently, in 2010, it got a fresh update and renovation to keep it in good shape.
The building is a special part of the Mays Landing Historic District. This means it's recognized as an important historical place. It was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1990, and also to the National Register of Historic Places. These lists help protect important historical sites across the country.
What Happens There Now?
Even though it's an old building, the Atlantic County Courthouse is still used today. It now holds the Office of the County Clerk. This office handles many important records for the county, like property deeds and election information.
Right behind this historic building, you can find the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office. This is where the county's law enforcement officers work. There are also some older areas that were once used to hold people waiting for court.
Newer Court Buildings
Over time, Atlantic County needed more space for its court cases. So, newer court buildings were built to handle most of the legal work.
- The Atlantic County Criminal Courts Complex was built in 1978. It's also located in Mays Landing. This is where cases about crimes are heard.
- The Atlantic County Civil Courts Complex is in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This building handles cases that are not about crimes, like disagreements between people or businesses.
These newer buildings are part of the New Jersey Superior Court, which is the main trial court system in New Jersey.
