suspect 26k lien was paid to an individual who did not do the work he claims. I have never seen the lien and cannot find a copy in the Hudson County records.
Yes, all New Jersey mechanics liens are filed with county clerks offices. If the county clerk doesn't have a lien on record, then your property likely does not have a mechanics lien filed against it. Though, there's always the potential for error.
If this is in relation to a residential project, keep in mind that filing a NJ residential mechanics lien is a coonvoluted, multi-step process - so, it's possible you'll be on notice of a Notice of Unpaid Balance filing and/or a submission to the American Arbitration Association before a lien claim actually gets filed. And, contacting the county clerk to ask about a potential Notice of Unpaid Balance filing might help.
To contact your local county clerk, this resource should help: Directory of New Jersey County Recorders.