A Certification in Support is your sworn statement of facts attached to any NJ motion. Without one, most motions are incomplete — and judges can reject filings that lack proper factual support.
Quick Answer
A Certification in Support is a document you sign under oath that tells the judge the facts backing up your motion. Under N.J. Court Rule R. 1:6-6, when a motion is based on facts not in the court record, those facts must be presented in a certification (or affidavit). It replaces the old-fashioned affidavit in most NJ civil and family court filings.
A Certification in Support is a sworn statement of facts that you attach to your motion. It is the factual foundation of your filing — it tells the judge what happened, when it happened, who was involved, and why those facts support the relief you are requesting.
Under R. 1:4-4, signing a certification carries the same legal weight as swearing an oath. Deliberately false statements can expose you to penalties for contempt or perjury.
The certification is different from your Moving Brief (which is legal argument) and your Notice of Motion (which is the formal notice to the court). All three are typically required parts of a complete motion packet.
What goes into it:
Your name, address, and your relationship to the case
A numbered, chronological statement of all relevant facts
Reference to exhibits attached (labeled Exhibit A, B, etc.)
The required closing certification language under penalty of perjury
Your signature and date
FormaPauper's Document Wizard helps you:
Structure your facts in numbered paragraphs the way NJ courts expect
Generate the correct certification closing language required by R. 1:4-4
Format the caption with your docket number, judge, and parties
Attach and label exhibits correctly
Package the certification with your full motion packet
You write your facts in plain English. FormaPauper handles the legal document structure. You review, print, sign, and file.
FormaPauper does not draft legal argument or advise on legal strategy — that is the role of an attorney. We help you organize your sworn facts into the correct format.
List every relevant fact
Write out the key events in chronological order — dates, what happened, who said or did what, and the consequences. Be specific. Vague facts ("he always paid late") are weaker than specific ones ("Defendant failed to pay the April 2024 rent of $1,800, due on April 1st, as documented in Exhibit A").
Identify your exhibits
Gather every document that supports your facts: leases, contracts, photos, emails, texts, receipts, prior court orders. Label each as Exhibit A, B, C, etc.
Draft your numbered paragraphs
Write the certification in numbered paragraphs. Each paragraph should state one fact. Courts and opposing counsel will cite back to paragraph numbers, so keep them clean and specific.
Write the closing certification language
Every NJ certification must end with the required language affirming the truth of the statements under penalty of perjury. FormaPauper generates this automatically.
Sign and date
You must personally sign the certification. Unlike notarized affidavits, NJ certifications under R. 1:4-4 do not require a notary — your signature alone is sufficient.
Attach exhibits
Physically attach or staple each labeled exhibit behind the certification, in the order they are referenced.
Include with your motion packet
The certification is filed together with your Notice of Motion, Moving Brief, and Proposed Order as one complete packet.
Including legal argument in the certification — argument belongs in the Moving Brief, not the certification.
Using vague statements instead of specific facts with dates, amounts, and names.
Forgetting to number your paragraphs — unnumbered certifications look unprofessional and are hard to cite.
Not labeling or attaching referenced exhibits.
Omitting the required closing certification language under R. 1:4-4.
Having someone else sign it — the certification must be signed by the person with personal knowledge.
Mixing argument and fact — courts are trained to distinguish these; blending them undermines credibility.
Not including the correct docket number and party names in the caption.
Under R. 1:4-4(b), a certification carries the same legal effect as an affidavit in New Jersey courts, but does not require a notary. You simply sign it with a statement that you certify under penalty of perjury that the facts are true.
No. Under NJ Court Rule R. 1:4-4(b), a properly signed certification replaces the notarized affidavit. You do not need a notary public for a certification filed in NJ Superior Court.
As long as necessary to state all material facts — and no longer. Courts appreciate clarity and conciseness. A 3-page certification with specific facts and exhibits often carries more weight than a 15-page narrative with vague assertions.
Yes. Supporting certifications from witnesses, experts, or others with personal knowledge are common and often helpful. Each third-party certifier signs their own certification.
Under R. 1:4-4, making materially false statements in a certification can result in serious consequences including contempt of court, sanctions, and potentially criminal perjury charges. Courts take this seriously.
Generally yes, if your motion is based on facts not already in the court record. Motions that rely solely on legal argument and existing record documents may not need a separate certification, but most motions by self-represented litigants involve facts that require one.
FormaPauper's Document Wizard helps you build a complete, properly formatted filing packet — step by step, in plain English.
Important: Not Legal Advice
FormaPauper is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and applies specifically to New Jersey courts. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Court procedures, fees, and rules change — always verify current requirements with your county courthouse or on njcourts.gov before filing. For complex matters, particularly those involving permanent consequences, we strongly recommend consulting a licensed New Jersey attorney. Many counties have free legal aid services available.