Effective March 23rd, the Surrogate office will be closed to the general public.
Hours of operation effective immediately will be Monday and Thursday 8:30am-12:30pm for phone, fax or email only.
- For questions and/or concerns email sbadri@ucnj.org or send a fax to 908-351-9212.
- For general information about COVID-19 call the New Jersey Department of Health at 800-222-1222 or 800-962-1253.
- A toll free emotional support line is also available at 877-294-HELP (4357).
During the COVID-19 closure, our office will continue to process paperwork to probate Wills, appoint Administrators and perform other Surrogate appointments. You can mail or fax the information sheet, death certificate, copy of Will (if applicable) and asset page to our office and the paperwork will be reviewed and processed by the staff. If you prefer to email, you should email all documents to Susan Dinardo at sdinardo@ucnj.org and they will be forwarded to the appropriate clerks for filing during our modified office hours. All paperwork will be mailed or emailed to you and/or your attorney for signatures and returned to our office for filing and preparation of fiduciary documents.
All Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part matters should be handled in a similar manner. You may mail new Complaints and Orders to Show Cause to the office for review and filing. Any emergent matters should be emailed directly to Lisa Brophy at lbrophy@ucnj.org. She will correspond with counsel or pro se clients about the handling of these matters with the Superior Court Judge. You may also email Ms. Brophy any new Complaints for filing and they will also be filed during our modified office hours.
I believe I have a responsibility as Surrogate to keep the people of Union County aware of the necessity for estate planning and have therefore prepared this web site for your information.
It is important for you to know if you leave no Will, the laws of New Jersey will determine who shall receive your property. The law makes no distinction as to youth or age, illness or health, wealth or poverty, or any of the many other special circumstances which often vitally affect the well being of your own family, or the special causes that are most important to you. Only through a legal Will can you provide for those you love.
This web site is also provided to inform you of the services to which you are entitled from the Union County Surrogate’s Office.
Please be assured that my staff and I are here to advise and assist you in any matter pertaining to these services. Our office is located on the Second Floor, Old Annex, Union County Court House, 2 Broad St., Elizabeth, New Jersey. If we can be of any help to you, if you have a question, or if you wish to arrange a date to have the Surrogate speak before your club or organization, contact us at this office or call 908-527-4280
Recently a website has been established that contains a number of factual errors as it pertains to the Probate process. Additionally, the title of the website appears to have been established with the consent of the Union County Surrogate Court. This is not the case. The name of this website is unioncountyprobateservices.com.
I have been the Surrogate of Union County for almost twenty (20) years. I have tried to protect our residents from being exposed to practices by outside entities that seek to take advantage of individuals when they recently suffered the loss of a loved one. This website has been established by a real estate agency. The intention appears to be to mislead families that have recently lost a loved one and leading them to believe that the probate process is intimidating and nearly impossible to complete without assistance.
The website also contains numerous factual errors which make it appear that the probate process is more difficult than it really is.
This website has been prepared by Century 21 Supreme Realty. The agency appears to be located in Cranford. The principal appears to be an individual name Ron Mioduszewski. Please be aware that this website is not connected to the County of Union in any way.
If you or a family member has any questions about the probate process, please do not hesitate to contact the Union County Surrogate Court directly. My staff and I are capable of helping you through the process as easily as possible.
Legal forms downloaded from any other County Surrogate websites and changed in any way to make them appear as if prepared by the Union County Surrogate Court will not be accepted and may subject the proponent to possible criminal charges.
James S. LaCorte, Surrogate of Union County
908-527-4280
sbadri@ucnj.org
lbrophy@ucnj.org