Search Delaware Civil Court Records
Delaware civil court records are kept by the state's unified court system and cover the three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. Most civil cases are filed in the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, or a Justice of the Peace Court. You can search these records online through the state's public portal, or go to the courthouse to look at the file. This page walks you through where to look, what is open to the public, and which office to call. Use the links below to start a search right now.
Delaware Civil Court Records Overview
Where to Find Delaware Civil Court Records
Delaware has one of the smallest court systems in the country. All civil matters flow through a short list of courts, and the state runs one portal that pulls cases from most of them. The main hub is the Delaware Courts website at courts.delaware.gov. It lists every court, judge, form, and fee schedule in the state. If you just want to search for a case, the fastest path is CourtConnect. It covers civil dockets from the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Courts.
Below is a screenshot of the state court home page, which links to each court and to records forms. For the official portal, visit courts.delaware.gov.
The home page is the single best starting point. From there you can jump to any court, open the fee charts, or find the right form for your case.
The Administrative Office of the Courts runs the case data system. Under Delaware Code Title 10, § 128, the AOC oversees statewide court technology and public access policies. You can read more about the AOC at courts.delaware.gov/aoc. For older filings that are no longer in the live case system, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds court records that go back to the colonial era.
Note: CourtConnect shows dockets and party names, but full case documents are not always in the online file. For copies, contact the court.
CourtConnect and Online Case Search
CourtConnect is the public case search tool for Delaware. You can search by person, business, or case type. It covers the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Justice of the Peace Courts. The search is free. You can log in with an account or use it as a guest.
To run a search, go to the CourtConnect portal. Below is the login page.
You do not need a login to search. Guest access works fine for most case lookups.
CourtConnect returns a docket for each match. The docket shows the case number, the parties, the filing date, every entry made by the clerk, scheduled hearings, and the final order if the case is closed. Some case types have limits. Family Court cases and sealed matters will not appear. Juvenile records are blocked. Not every document is posted online, even for cases that show up in search results. To pull a full file, you still need to call the court or visit in person.
The second online tool is the civil case search page on the main courts site. The screenshot below shows the search page.
It is the same data set as CourtConnect but with a different front page. Either one works.
Delaware Superior Court Civil Records
The Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction in Delaware. It handles civil cases where the amount in controversy is over $50,000. It also hears felony criminal cases and appeals from lower courts. There is no cap on damages. Civil cases can take a year or more to reach a final judgment. Read more about the court at courts.delaware.gov/superior.
The screenshot below is the Superior Court home page.
Each county has its own Superior Court office with its own phone line and clerk.
Civil case files for the Superior Court are held and maintained by the Prothonotary. The Prothonotary is the civil clerk. To get a copy of a file, you contact the Prothonotary's office in the county where the case was filed. Public access terminals are set up in each county for walk-in research. In New Castle County the terminals are on the first floor of the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center. Access is by appointment. Full fee details are at courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees.aspx.
Court of Common Pleas Civil Cases
The Court of Common Pleas hears civil cases up to $50,000, most misdemeanors, and appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court. It sits in all three counties. The court runs an electronic filing system called eCourtPlus, which many attorneys use. Visit courts.delaware.gov/CommonPleas for more.
The screenshot below shows the Court of Common Pleas home page.
The filing fee for a civil complaint is $85. A name change petition is $85. An appeal from a Justice of the Peace Court is $135. The full fee chart is posted at courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/ccpfees.aspx.
For Kent County civil filings, contact Julie Brooks at 302-735-3925. For Sussex County filings, contact Shelly Swafford at 302-858-5756. The Common Pleas court handles a heavy mix of landlord appeals, debt cases, and other small civil actions. Records can be pulled through CourtConnect or requested from the civil division by email.
Court of Chancery and Business Cases
Delaware's Court of Chancery is known worldwide. It is a court of equity, not law, which means it does not award money damages in most cases. It grants orders, decides corporate disputes, settles trusts, and rules on guardianships. A huge share of the nation's big corporate cases land here. The main page is courts.delaware.gov/chancery.
Below is the Chancery home page.
The court sits in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown, but New Castle County hosts most corporate cases.
Chancery records are held by the Register in Chancery, not the Prothonotary. The minimum filing fee for a new Chancery case is $410. There is also a docketing fee of $2 per page. Pro se filers can file for themselves, but a company must be represented by a Delaware lawyer. Corporate litigation records are kept for 20 years after final disposition, per the state retention schedule.
Privacy Rule: Filers must redact Social Security numbers, birthdates, minor initials, and bank account numbers from Chancery filings under Rule 79.1. The clerk does not check for you.
Justice of the Peace Court Records
The Justice of the Peace Court is the most used court in Delaware. It has civil jurisdiction up to $25,000. It also hears landlord-tenant disputes, traffic cases, and minor crimes. Every county has several JP Court locations. For the list, visit courts.delaware.gov/jpcourt.
Here is the JP Court home page.
Most small claims and landlord-tenant cases in the state start here.
The JP Court fee chart is at courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/jpfees.aspx. A subpoena costs $10. A trespass claim under $1,000 has a $35 filing fee. Appeals from the JP Court go to the Court of Common Pleas, except for landlord-tenant possession cases, which are appealed to a three-judge panel inside the JP Court. Case files are kept for 5 years after final disposition, then destroyed under the Delaware Judiciary Records Retention Schedule.
What Appears in Delaware Civil Court Records
A civil case file has many parts. The first filing is the complaint or petition. The second is the summons, which is served on the other party. After that, the file grows with motions, answers, and orders. The court docket lists every event in order.
A typical Delaware civil case file in the Superior Court or Common Pleas will include:
- Complaint or petition that started the case
- Summons and proof of service
- Answer and any counterclaims
- Motions, briefs, and replies
- Orders and rulings by the judge
- Final judgment and satisfaction
Some items are public. Some are not. Financial affidavits, tax returns, and child-related reports are often sealed. The court redacts Social Security numbers and bank account numbers from public filings. If a party wants more of the file sealed, they file a motion and the judge rules. Most civil files stay open under Delaware's public records rules.
FOIA Requests for Court Records
Delaware's Freedom of Information Act covers most state and local records. It is found at 29 Del. C. §§ 10001-10008. You can read the full text at law.justia.com. The state FOIA portal is at delaware.gov/freedom-of-information-act. Court records follow their own access rules, but many of the same ideas apply.
The screenshot below is the FOIA portal.
You submit a written request to the right agency. The state has 15 business days to respond.
FOIA is used for police records, city records, and agency files. For the court itself, the Administrative Office of the Courts has its own access policy. Fees can be charged if a request takes more than one hour of staff time. The bill is set at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid worker who can do the job. You cannot be charged for legal review.
Historical Records at the Delaware Public Archives
The Delaware Public Archives at 121 Duke of York Street in Dover holds old court files. It is the main spot for any record more than a few decades old. You can reach the archives at archives.delaware.gov or call 302-744-5000.
Here is the archives home page.
The archives hold deeds, probate files, tax lists, and court dockets from the colonial era forward.
Orphans' Court files, old chancery cases, and early Superior Court dockets are all here. Staff can do basic lookups by email at archives@delaware.gov. For certified copies, there is a small fee. If a record is older than 72 years for births or 40 years for deaths, the archives can issue a copy directly.
Federal Civil Court Records in Delaware
Federal cases are not in the state system. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware sits in Wilmington. You can find docket info at ded.uscourts.gov. The court uses the PACER system for electronic access. PACER charges a small fee per page. Public terminals at the Clerk's Office let you print at $0.10 per page.
Note: Federal bankruptcy cases for Delaware corporations run through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, also in Wilmington. A large share of major corporate bankruptcies in the country are filed here.
Browse Delaware Civil Court Records by County
Each of Delaware's three counties runs its own courthouse with its own clerk. Pick a county below to find the address, phone, fees, and local resources for civil court records in that area.
Civil Court Records in Major Delaware Cities
Delaware residents file civil cases at the court in their county. Pick a city below to see which courthouse handles cases there, plus local phone numbers and forms.