Bookbinder Law is a Marlton elder law and estate planning practice serving Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Mercer counties, founded in 1996 by Dana E. Bookbinder, a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation. The firm assists executors and families with probate and estate administration, special needs planning, and guardianships across South Jersey.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Camden County, New Jersey
How probate works in Camden County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Camden County Surrogate's Court
Camden County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Office
509 Lakeland Road, Blackwood, NJ 08012
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Appointment required
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalAttorneys may e-file probate, administration and guardianship of a minor through the Surrogate's e-filing system after requesting account approval. Self-represented filers file by mail, at the drop box or in person. On paper: Open to members of the Bar only; Superior Court applications on the "CP" docket cannot be filed through it.
Filing in person
Appointment requiredIn-person visits are by appointment only, booked through the county's online scheduling portal linked from the Surrogate's page; walk-ins are not accepted. Documents may also be mailed or left in the drop box, and the office contacts you a few days after it receives them.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Estate Information Sheet goes with every filing, by mail, drop box or appointment. The forms page carries the probate, administration and renunciation forms; other forms are available by calling the office.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order.Cash, check or money order; credit and debit cards are not accepted. Payment is due at the time of service.
County forms
- Estate Information SheetAccompanies every probate or administration filing, with a cover letter listing the documents to send.
Fax
1-856-225-7562
Departments
- E-filing questions1-856-225-7715
About the court
- The office is in Gloucester Township Forrest Hall. A will may be brought in any time after the death, but probate and the issuing of letters happen only after the eleventh day after death.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Camden County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Camden County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 509 Lakeland Road, Blackwood. Electronic probate filing sets Camden County apart — only 6 New Jersey counties accept it, with the rest filing on paper.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under New Jersey intestacy law when there is no will.
Most New Jersey estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 9 monthsN.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the date of death.
What Probate Costs in Camden County
What probate costs in Camden County, New Jersey comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Surrogate's Court at 509 Lakeland Road, Blackwood.
New Jersey charges $100N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in New Jersey are negotiated, typically 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
New Jersey sets executor compensation by statute — about $20,500 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 4.1%N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under N.J.S.A. 3B:15-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in New Jersey typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Surrogate's Court
Probate documents in Camden County can be filed in person at the Surrogate's Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for E-filing questions.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
New Jersey has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Camden County Self-Filing Assessment.
Camden County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Filing by mail or at the drop box
Documents may be sent by regular mail, FedEx or UPS, or left in the secure purple mailbox to the right of the main door at 509 Lakeland Road, which is emptied daily. For a probate, send the original will, the death certificate with a raised seal, a copy of the executor's identification, the names and addresses of the immediate next of kin, and a phone number and email address.
SourceDocument Requirements
What an administrator sends
The original death certificate with a raised seal, a copy of the administrator's identification, the names and addresses of the immediate next of kin, and a list of every asset in the decedent's name alone with its value (fair market value and any mortgage balance for real estate; make, model and mileage for vehicles).
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Surrogate's Court: Original will and any codicils (lodged with the Surrogate for probate); Certificate of death, or other competent proof of death — the requirement may be dispensed with for good cause, and does not apply to an application for substitutionary letters (County Surrogates in practice ask for a certified copy with a raised seal); Application identifying the heirs / next of kin and persons entitled to letters, with their addresses and relationshipsN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17 (probate of will & grant of letters), 3B:3-22 (10-day wait), 3B:10-1, 3B:10-2, 3B:10-13 (letters of administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Camden County
In Camden County certified copies of the death certificate come from the Local Registrar of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.
Vital Records Office Record
New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
Camden County · State vital records office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (except state holidays)
Office
140 East Front Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Website
Certified copies
From the Local Registrar of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
Vital Record Mail Services
Attn: New Jersey Vital Records
P.O. Box 222130
El Paso, TX 79913
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $2 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Camden County · Office of the Medical Examiner
Phone
Office
204 East Holly Avenue, Sewell, NJ 08080
Website
Serves this county
Gloucester-Camden-Salem County Medical Examiner (Gloucester, Camden and Salem counties)
Release of remains
1-856-863-5810 · 24-hour line · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Mail and offices
Fax
1-856-218-4191
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Camden County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Camden County are recorded with the County Clerk at 520 Market Street, Room 102, Camden, NJ 08102. Phone: 1-856-225-5300. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-3:00 PM.
The County Clerk charges $30 for the first page plus $10 for each additional page.
Camden County accepts electronic recording through the New Jersey County Recording portal.
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
Camden County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-3:00 PM
Office
520 Market Street, Room 102, Camden, NJ 08102
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $30 |
| Each additional page | $10 |
| Deed Abstract FeeRequired with most deeds | $10 |
| RTF-1 Affidavit of Consideration for Use by Seller | $10 |
| RTF-1EE Affidavit of Consideration for Graduated Percent Fee | $10 |
| GIT/REP-1, GIT/REP-3, GIT/REP-4 Seller's Residency Certification / ExemptionRequired with most deeds | $10 |
| County Homelessness Housing Trust Fund SurchargeRequired with most deeds | $5 |
| Missing Cover Sheet / Electronic Synopsis Fee | $20 |
| Indexing Fee (names beyond 5) | $6 |
N.J.S.A. 22A:4-4.1 (L.1965, c.123, s.2; last amended L.2007, c.144)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Camden County
New Jersey allows independent administrationN.J.S.A. 3B:14-23 (fiduciary powers without court authorization); 3B:16-2 (inventory only if the court requires it); 3B:17-2 (accounting only if required)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in New Jersey are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Camden County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Surrogate's Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Flanagan Law offers customized wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and probate services throughout Southern New Jersey. Founder Brian T. Flanagan also runs a Chapter 7 bankruptcy practice, and the firm's free consultations are stated for bankruptcy matters only.
Price & Price is a father-and-son elder law and estate planning firm founded in 1973 in Haddonfield. With over 50 years of experience, the firm focuses on elder law matters and serves clients across seven South Jersey counties. Carl Ahrens Price is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and Casey Price holds a Master of Laws in Taxation.
Puff, Sierzega & MacFeeters has served Gloucester and Camden County families from Woodbury since 1978, a short walk from the Gloucester County Surrogate. Jeffrey V. Puff leads an estate group that handles estate administration and probate, will and trust disputes, executor and power-of-attorney roles, and special needs and disability planning. The firm also keeps offices in Pitman and Haddonfield.
Simeone & Raynor is a Cherry Hill firm in Camden County, with a second office in Medford, serving South Jersey. The firm handles estate planning, estate administration, and estate litigation, and its attorneys routinely appear in probate courts and serve as court-appointed administrators across the region.
Gary F. Woodend practices from Medford and files through the Burlington County Surrogate in Mount Holly, also serving Camden and Ocean County families. The practice covers probate and estate administration, intestate succession, estate tax, and access to a decedent's online accounts, alongside wills and simple estate plans. The firm publishes its fee schedule on its own site.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(10)·
- N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30
- N.J.S.A. 3B:14-23 (fiduciary powers without court authorization); 3B:16-2 (inventory only if the court requires it); 3B:17-2 (accounting only if required)
- N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14
- N.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-17 (probate of will & grant of letters), 3B:3-22 (10-day wait), 3B:10-1, 3B:10-2, 3B:10-13 (letters of administration)
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)
- N.J.S.A. 22A:4-4.1 (L.1965, c.123, s.2; last amended L.2007, c.144)
- Camden County Surrogate's Court, official page
- Camden County Clerk, official page
- Camden County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from New Jersey statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in New Jersey
Free tools for settling an estate in New Jersey: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in New Jersey: creditors have 9 monthsN.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in New Jersey happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeN.J.S.A. 3B:31-1 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
New Jersey has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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