Find Civil Court Records in Sussex County
Sussex County civil court records are held at the Sussex County Courthouse on The Circle in Georgetown. The county covers southern Delaware from the shore to the Maryland line. The courthouse houses the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and other judicial offices. The Court of Chancery and Family Court sit in nearby buildings on The Circle. Most civil dockets are open through the state CourtConnect portal. You can also visit the Prothonotary or call for help. This page walks you through each office and the fastest way to pull a file.
Sussex County Overview
Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown
The Sussex County Courthouse sits at 1 The Circle in Georgetown. The phone is 302-855-7055. The building is on the town green, known as The Circle. Inside are the Superior Court and the Court of Common Pleas. Other courts sit a short walk away. The Family Court is at 22 The Circle. The Court of Chancery is at 34 The Circle. Read more at courts.delaware.gov/aoc/sccourthouse.
Below is the Sussex County Courthouse page.
Cell phones and iWatches are not allowed inside. Leave them in the car.
The screenshot below shows the Sussex County court locations page. Every JP Court address for the county is on this page.
Use this page to find the closest JP Court to the place where the case was filed.
Sussex County Superior Court Civil Records
The Sussex County Superior Court is at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown. The phone is (302) 855-7055. The fax is (302) 856-5739. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Public access begins at 8:30 AM. The court hears civil cases over $50,000, felony criminal cases, and appeals from lower courts. For more, see courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_sx.
Below is the Sussex Superior Court page.
The Prothonotary's office is on the second floor.
Two public access terminals are set up in the Prothonotary's office on the second floor. You can use these for case searches in person. Call the Civil Unit of the Sussex County Prothonotary's Office at (302) 855-7055 for help. Filing fees for Superior Court civil cases run from $175 up. The $10 Court Security Assessment Fee is added to the bill. Technology fees of $0.50 per document also apply under Rule 79.1. The full fee chart is at courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees.
| Office | Sussex County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 The Circle, Suite 2 Georgetown, DE 19947 |
| Phone | (302) 855-7055 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
Court of Common Pleas in Sussex County
The Sussex County Court of Common Pleas is at 1 The Circle, Suite 1, Georgetown. The phone is (302) 858-5700. For civil filings, call Shelly Swafford at 302-858-5756 or email CCPSussex_CivilFilings@delaware.gov. The court hears civil claims up to $50,000, misdemeanors, and appeals from JP Court. See courts.delaware.gov/CommonPleas for the main court site.
A civil complaint filing fee is $85. A name change petition is $85. An appeal from JP Court is $135. Copies run $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. The full fee chart is at courts.delaware.gov/help/fees/ccpfees.
Court of Chancery and Family Court
The Sussex Court of Chancery is at 34 The Circle, Georgetown. The phone is (302) 856-5777. The court handles trusts, estates, guardianships, and corporate equity cases. The Register in Chancery is the clerk for this court. For state info, see courts.delaware.gov/chancery.
The Sussex Family Court sits at 22 The Circle. Call (302) 855-7400. Family Court files are not open to the public. Divorce certifications cost $4. A plain copy is $1. Family Court cases are not listed on CourtConnect.
Online Sussex Civil Court Records
CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov is the main tool for Sussex civil dockets. It covers the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the JP Courts. Search by name, business, or case number. You can use guest access without a login.
The state also runs the civil case search page at courts.delaware.gov/docket. Both tools share one data set. For older files, ask the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. Superior Court case files are kept for 20 years after final disposition. Chancery files are kept forever.
Sussex County Records Retention
Sussex County courts follow the Delaware Judiciary Records Retention Schedule under 10 Del. C. ยง 525. Judgments are kept permanently. Docket books and indices are also kept forever. Common Pleas civil case files are held for 7 years after final disposition. JP Court civil cases are held for 5 years. Guardianship records run 10 years after the case ends. Trust proceedings run 20 years after the trust ends. Records of historical value may be sent to the archives instead of destroyed.
Privacy Rule: Delaware Rule 79.1 requires parties to redact Social Security numbers, minor initials, birth dates, and bank account numbers before filing in Sussex County.
Sussex County Prothonotary Petitions
Some civil filings in Sussex County take a special path. Petitions for expungement, name change, or other orders go to the Prothonotary's office first. The filing fee for a Sussex petition is $75 and is not refundable. Checks are made out to the State of Delaware. You can bring the original plus two copies to the office, or mail the set in with the fee.
The Prothonotary's office dockets the case, then sends it to the Attorney General for review. If the AG does not oppose the petition, the file goes to the assigned judge for a ruling. If the AG opposes, the petitioner has 20 days to reply. The process runs about 8 to 12 weeks from filing to final order. If the court grants the petition, the Prothonotary sends certified copies to the petitioner, the Department of Justice, the State Bureau of Identification, and any court tied to the arrest.
What Sussex Civil Court Records Contain
Every civil file in Sussex County starts with a complaint or petition. The court then adds each summons, motion, answer, order, and judgment as the case moves forward. The docket is the running timeline. You can pull a docket report on CourtConnect for most cases.
Property records are not in the court system. The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds holds the land records. The Sussex County Assessor handles tax and zoning data. Arrest records sit with the Delaware State Bureau of Identification, and can be requested for a fee.
Cities in Sussex County
Cities in Sussex County file civil cases at the courthouse in Georgetown. A JP Court location may be closer to home for small claims.
Other Delaware Counties
Check the other two counties if your case is not here.