Search Dover Civil Court Records
Dover is the state capital and the county seat of Kent County. Civil court records for the city are held at the Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street. The courthouse sits on The Green, the old heart of the city. It houses the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, JP Court 16, the Prothonotary, and the Register in Chancery. Dover residents can search civil dockets online through CourtConnect or walk into the Prothonotary to pull a file.
Dover Overview
Kent County Courthouse in Dover
The Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street is the main civil court building for Dover. The site is 5.3 acres and borders Federal Street, Water Street, and The Green. The Attorney General and Public Defender keep offices inside. The courthouse info page is courts.delaware.gov/aoc/kccourthouse.
Below is the courthouse page.
The Green has been the heart of Dover since colonial times.
| Office | Kent County Courthouse |
|---|---|
| Address | 414 Federal Street Dover, DE 19901 |
| Superior Court | (302) 735-1900 |
| Prothonotary | (302) 735-1910 |
Dover Superior Court Civil Records
The Kent County Superior Court at Dover handles civil cases over $50,000, felonies, and lower court appeals. The Prothonotary's office keeps every civil case file. Three public access terminals sit on the first floor. Access is by appointment. Call or email the Prothonotary with "Public Access" as the subject line.
For the state page, see courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_kn. A civil Superior Court filing fee runs from $175 up. Add the $10 Court Security Assessment Fee and a $0.50 per document technology fee. The fee chart is at courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees.
Dover Court of Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas in Dover shares space with the Superior Court. It hears civil cases up to $50,000, misdemeanors, and appeals from JP Court. For civil filings, reach Julie Brooks at 302-735-3925 or email CCPKent_CivilFilings@delaware.gov. The state page is courts.delaware.gov/CommonPleas.
The civil filing fee is $85. A name change petition is $85. A JP Court appeal runs $135. See courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/ccpfees for the full chart. Case files are kept for 7 years after the case closes. Older files go to the archives.
Note: JP Court 16 shares the Kent County Courthouse with the Superior and Common Pleas courts.
Delaware Supreme Court in Dover
The Delaware Supreme Court sits on The Green in Dover. The court is the state's top appeals court. It does not run trials. It rules on appeals from the Superior Court, the Court of Chancery, and other lower courts. Opinions are published and placed in bound volumes sent to state law libraries. The Carvel State Office Building at 820 N. French Street in Wilmington holds the Chief Justice's offices, and the phone is (302) 651-3960.
Dover Delaware Public Archives
The Delaware Public Archives at 121 Duke of York Street in Dover is the top spot for old court records in the state. The archives hold deeds, probate files, tax lists, and court dockets from the colonial era forward. Call 302-744-5000 or email archives@delaware.gov. The main page is archives.delaware.gov.
Below is the archives home page.
Any Kent County file from decades past most likely now lives here.
Orphans' Court files, old Chancery cases, and early Superior Court dockets are all part of the archives. Birth records older than 72 years are public. Death records older than 40 years are also public. A small fee covers certified copies. You can search by keyword online, and staff will help with a more detailed lookup by email.
Online Dover Civil Court Records
CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov is the fastest way to look up a Dover civil case. The portal covers the Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Courts. Search by name, business, or case number. Guest access works without a login. The state also runs a civil case search page at courts.delaware.gov/docket.
Dover FOIA and City Records
The City of Dover runs a public FOIA portal at doverde.justfoia.com. The portal tracks past requests and posts the records released in each one. The City Clerk at 15 Loockerman Plaza is the main point of contact. Call (302) 736-7008 or email cityclerk@dover.de.us. The state FOIA page is delaware.gov/freedom-of-information-act.
Under 29 Del. C. § 10003(h), Dover has 15 business days to respond to a FOIA request. The first 20 pages of copies are free. After that, pages run $0.10 each under 29 Del. C. § 10003(m). Code violation files cost $50 flat per property. Police report copies run $25 for insurance companies. If a request is denied, you can petition the Delaware Attorney General's Open Government section at opengovernment@delaware.gov for a ruling within 20 days.
Privacy Rule: Dover civil filings must redact Social Security numbers, minor initials, birth dates, and bank account numbers under Rule 79.1.
Dover Prothonotary Petition Process
Some civil filings in Dover take a special path. Petitions for expungement, name change, or similar orders go through the Prothonotary's office at 38 The Green, Dover. The filing fee is $75 and is not refundable. Checks are made out to the State of Delaware.
The Kent County Attorney General's office sits in the Carvel State Building at 820 French Street. For some petitions, a copy must be served on the Attorney General. The AG's office stamps the original to show service. After that, you file the original with the Prothonotary. The office dockets the case, then sends it to the assigned judge. If the AG opposes the petition, the petitioner has 20 days to respond. The total timeline runs 8 to 12 weeks from filing to final order.
What Dover Civil Court Records Contain
Every Dover civil file at the Kent County Courthouse holds the same core parts. The docket is the running log. The case file is the folder with every paper.
A typical Dover civil case file has:
- Complaint or petition
- Summons and proof of service
- Answer and counterclaims
- Motions and orders
- Final judgment or dismissal
Most items are public. Family Court cases and sealed matters are not. Juvenile records are blocked from public search. The Prothonotary does not review filings for redaction, so each party must clean their own papers.
Superior Court civil case files are held for 20 years after final disposition. Judgments are kept forever. Docket books and indices are also kept forever. Common Pleas case files are kept for 7 years. JP Court civil cases run 5 years. Older files may go to the archives rather than destroyed.
Kent County Civil Court Records
Dover is in Kent County. Every civil case from the city goes through the county clerk. The Kent County page has more on the Prothonotary, fees, and Common Pleas filings.
Nearby Cities
Other Kent County residents also file civil cases through the Dover courthouse.