Lewes Civil Court Records Database

Lewes is a coastal city in Sussex County, known as "The First Town in The First State." Civil court records for Lewes residents pass through the Sussex County court system. Justice of the Peace Court 2 handles small claims and minor matters for the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach area. Cases over $25,000 are filed at the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown. You can search Lewes civil dockets online through CourtConnect or walk into the Prothonotary in person.

Justice of the Peace Court 2 for Lewes

Justice of the Peace Court 2 has two listed addresses that serve the Lewes area. The main civil address is 16283 Willow Creek Road, Lewes, DE 19958, with phone (302) 645-6163. The criminal address is 35252 Hudson Way, #1, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971, same phone. The fax is (302) 645-8842. More at courts.delaware.gov/jpcourt.

Below is a screenshot of the Sussex County court directory listing for Lewes area JP Courts. For the official directory, visit courts.delaware.gov/locations/sussex.

Civil cases go to the Willow Creek Road address.

JP Court civil fees are at courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/jpfees. A trespass claim under $1,000 has a $35 filing fee. A subpoena is $10. Appeals go to the Court of Common Pleas, except for landlord-tenant possession cases.

Sussex County Courthouse for Lewes Cases

Civil cases over $25,000 are filed at the Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle, Georgetown. The Superior Court sits at Suite 2. The Court of Common Pleas is at Suite 1. The Court of Chancery is a short walk away at 34 The Circle. The main courthouse phone is 302-855-7055.

For civil filings in Common Pleas, contact Shelly Swafford at 302-858-5756 or email CCPSussex_CivilFilings@delaware.gov. The Prothonotary's office is on the second floor with two public access terminals. Call (302) 855-7055 for the Civil Unit. The civil complaint filing fee is $85. See courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_sx for the Superior Court.

City of Lewes Records

The City of Lewes provides municipal services but does not keep civil court records. The main city site is ci.lewes.de.us. For court records, you go to the county. The Lewes Police Department keeps arrest records for the city, and these are released under the Delaware FOIA.

Below is the City of Lewes home page.

The city site has council info, meeting schedules, and public notices.

For city records under FOIA, the state FOIA page is delaware.gov/freedom-of-information-act. For the state code, see law.justia.com/codes/delaware/title-10. Delaware's FOIA law is at 29 Del. C. §§ 10001-10008. Cities have 15 business days to respond to a request.

Online Lewes Civil Court Records

The main tool for looking up a Lewes civil case is CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. The portal covers the Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Courts for Sussex County. Search by name, business, or case number. Guest access is fine.

The state civil case search page at courts.delaware.gov/docket pulls from the same data. Family Court cases and sealed files will not appear. For older records, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds cases that have aged out.

What Lewes Civil Records Contain

A civil case file for a Lewes matter holds the same core parts as any other Sussex County file. Each file starts with a complaint or petition. The court adds every motion, answer, order, and judgment as the case moves along. The docket is the running log of all events.

Typical parts of a file:

• Complaint or petition
• Summons and proof of service
• Answer and any counterclaims
• Motions, briefs, and orders
• Final judgment or dismissal

Most parts are public. Family Court matters and sealed filings are not. Juvenile records are blocked. Property records for Lewes are held by the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds. Civil judgments can be recorded there as liens on real estate.

Sussex Court of Chancery for Lewes Estates

Lewes residents with an estate matter, guardianship case, or trust issue go to the Court of Chancery at 34 The Circle, Georgetown. The phone is (302) 856-5777. The Register in Chancery is the clerk for this court. For the state page, see courts.delaware.gov/chancery.

A new Chancery case has a minimum filing fee of $410. The fee scales by case type and number of defendants. The court also charges a $2 per page docketing fee. Petitioners must notarize their signatures. Pro se filers can file for themselves, but a Delaware lawyer must represent any company.

Chancery files are held by the Register in Chancery, not the Prothonotary. Corporate cases are rare in Sussex, but trusts, estates, and guardianships are common. Case files are kept for 20 years after final disposition in most matters. Guardianship files run 10 years after the case ends.

Lewes Civil Court Filing Fees

Filing fees for Lewes civil cases match the rates set statewide. Kent, New Castle, and Sussex all use the same chart.

• Superior Court civil filing: $175 and up, plus $10 Court Security Assessment
• Common Pleas civil complaint: $85
• Common Pleas name change: $85
• Common Pleas appeal from JP Court: $135
• Chancery new case: minimum $410 plus $2 per page docketing
• JP Court small trespass: $35

Technology fees of $0.50 per document apply in Superior Court under Rule 79.1. Copies run $1 per page for standard documents. Certified copies cost more. All filing fees are non-refundable.

Historical Lewes Records

Lewes was founded in 1682, and its status as "The First Town in The First State" means old court records may go back to the colonial era. Historical files are held at the Delaware Public Archives at 121 Duke of York Street, Dover. Email archives@delaware.gov or call 302-744-5000. The main page is archives.delaware.gov.

The archives hold deeds, probate files, tax lists, and court dockets from the earliest days of the state. Birth records older than 72 years are public. Death records older than 40 years are also public. A small fee covers certified copies.

For any Lewes civil filing that names a company, a Delaware lawyer must represent the company in court. Pro se filers can file their own cases. The Delaware State Law Library at courts.delaware.gov/law-library is a free resource for self-represented parties looking to read up on the rules before a filing. Staff can point you to the right volume or code section.

Sussex County Civil Court Records

Lewes is in Sussex County. See the Sussex County page for more on the Prothonotary, fees, and full JP Court details.

View Sussex County Civil Court Records

Nearby Cities

Other cities in Sussex County served by the Georgetown courthouse: