Wilmington Civil Court Records
Wilmington is the legal and business hub of Delaware, and civil court records for the city are held at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center at 500 N. King Street. The building houses the Superior Court, the Court of Chancery, the Court of Common Pleas, and several Justice of the Peace Courts. Federal cases are heard at the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, a short walk away. You can search Wilmington civil dockets online through the state portal or visit the clerk to pull a file.
Wilmington Overview
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington
The main courthouse for Wilmington and all of New Castle County is the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center. The address is 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The building is also called the New Castle County Courthouse. It holds the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of Chancery, Family Court, and JP Court 20. The court runs Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
| Office | Leonard L. Williams Justice Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 N. King Street Wilmington, DE 19801 |
| Superior Court | (302) 255-0800 |
| Common Pleas | (302) 255-0900 |
| Court of Chancery | (302) 255-0544 |
Wilmington Superior Court Civil Records
The New Castle County Superior Court in Wilmington handles civil cases over $50,000, felony cases, and appeals from lower courts. The court's damages cap is not capped. Civil cases may take a year or 18 months to reach final judgment. Read more at courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_nc.
The screenshot below is the New Castle County Superior Court page.
The Prothonotary's office on the first floor keeps all civil case files.
The Judgment's Office on the first floor has six public access terminals. You need an appointment to use them. Email the Prothonotary with "Public Access" in the subject line or call (302) 255-0777. Copies are printed by the clerk at per-page rates set by Civil Rule 77(F). A civil filing runs $175 to $300, plus the $10 Court Security Assessment Fee. See courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees for the full chart.
Court of Chancery in Wilmington
Wilmington is home to the Delaware Court of Chancery, the nation's leading court for business cases. The main office is at 500 N. King Street, Suite 11400. Call (302) 255-0544. The Register in Chancery is the clerk. For the court's state page, see courts.delaware.gov/chancery.
Below is the Chancery home page.
Most Fortune 500 corporate suits in the state run through this court.
A new Chancery case has a minimum filing fee of $410. The court also charges a $2 per page docketing fee. Petitioners must notarize their signatures. A Delaware lawyer must represent any company in the court. Pro se filers must redact personal identifiers under Rule 79.1(j) before they file.
Note: Chancery corporate litigation records are held for 20 years after final disposition, per the state retention schedule.
Federal Civil Court Records in Wilmington
The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware sits in Wilmington at 844 N. King Street. Federal civil and criminal cases are heard here. The court uses PACER for electronic access. The public website is ded.uscourts.gov.
Below is the federal court page.
A huge share of big corporate bankruptcy cases in the country are filed here.
The Clerk's Office has two public terminals. You can print copies from PACER for $0.10 per page. The Help Desk is (302) 573-6170. A PACER account is free to set up at www.pacer.gov. Fees are billed by the Federal Judiciary on a quarterly basis and are posted on the PACER site.
Online Wilmington Civil Court Records
The main tool for Wilmington civil dockets is CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. The portal covers the Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Courts that serve the city. Search by name, business, or case number. Guest access works without a login.
You can also use the civil case search page at courts.delaware.gov/docket. Both tools pull from the same data set. CourtConnect shows the docket, party names, scheduled hearings, and orders when posted. Full documents are not always in the online file. For copies, call the court or visit the Prothonotary.
Wilmington FOIA for City Records
For city records that are not part of a court case, the City of Wilmington runs a FOIA portal. Requests go through the Louis L. Redding City/County Building at 800 N. French Street. The portal is the recommended path for city records under 29 Del. C. ch. 100. You can also mail or walk in a request. The state FOIA page is delaware.gov/freedom-of-information-act.
The Wilmington City Clerk's Office keeps city council minutes, contracts, building permits, code violation files, zoning decisions, and public works records. The City Council President's Office can be reached at (302) 576-2140. Arrest records for the Wilmington Police Department are also released under FOIA, subject to the statute's exemptions.
Privacy Rule: Wilmington civil filings must redact Social Security numbers, minor initials, birth dates, and bank account numbers under Rule 79.1.
Court of Common Pleas in Wilmington
The Court of Common Pleas in Wilmington is in the same building as the Superior Court. The court hears civil claims up to $50,000, misdemeanors, and appeals from JP Court. The phone is (302) 255-0900. Email CCPNCC_CivilFilings@delaware.gov for records requests. For more, see courts.delaware.gov/CommonPleas.
A civil complaint filing fee is $85. A name change petition is $85. An appeal from JP Court runs $135. The court uses eCourtPlus for online filing. Case files are kept for 7 years after final disposition. For the fee chart, see courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/ccpfees.
What Wilmington Civil Records Contain
A civil case file in Wilmington has a set of standard parts. Every file includes:
- Complaint or petition that starts the case
- Summons and proof of service
- Answer and any counterclaims
- Motions and court orders
- Final judgment or dismissal
Some items are not public. Sealed filings, Family Court matters, and juvenile records are blocked. Financial source documents can be sealed on motion. For older files, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds cases that have aged out of active storage.
Wilmington City Council Records
The Wilmington City Council keeps a separate records portal for council matters. Council records are public under 29 Del. C. ch. 100. The Council President's Office is in the Louis L. Redding City/County Building, 800 N. French Street, 9th Floor. Office hours run 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone is (302) 576-2140.
Records kept by the Council include meeting minutes, agendas, vote records, city budget papers, contracts, zoning decisions, and mayor correspondence tied to city business. Arrest records from the Wilmington Police Department are also released on request under FOIA, with redactions for active investigations.
New Castle County Civil Court Records
Wilmington is in New Castle County, and every civil case from the city passes through the county clerk. Visit the New Castle County page for more on the Justice Center, the JP Courts, and the Register in Chancery.
Nearby Cities
Other major New Castle County cities also file civil cases at the Justice Center in Wilmington.