Delaware City Court Docket

The Delaware City court docket runs through JP Court 11 in New Castle for criminal matters and the New Castle County courts in Wilmington for bigger cases. Delaware City is a small city in New Castle County at the eastern end of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Civil case info is open on CourtConnect. For files not online, visit the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington.

Delaware City Court Docket at JP Court 11

JP Court 11 serves Delaware City for criminal cases. It sits at 2 Penns Way, Suite 100A, New Castle, DE 19720. Phone (302) 323-4450. Fax (302) 323-4452. The court runs 24 hours daily, which makes it one of the few around-the-clock courts in Delaware. It serves the New Castle area and the I-95 corridor.

The court covers minor crimes, bail hearings, and preliminary proceedings. Criminal case info is on CourtConnect for some case types. For a record request, submit Form MISC35.

For civil cases up to $25,000, Delaware City residents use JP Court 13 at 1010 Concord Avenue, Wilmington. Phone (302) 577-2550. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Civil case info on a Delaware City court docket entry is searchable on CourtConnect by party name.

Standard JP Court fees apply:

• Disposition record: $7
• Certified civil copy: $10
• Civil docket: $0.25 per page
• Audio recording CD: $25

Delaware City Police and Local Records

The Delaware City Police Department keeps arrest records and incident reports for the city. The PD is at 407 Clinton Street, Delaware City, DE 19706. Phone (302) 834-4577. Arrest records go to JP Court 11 for criminal cases or to JP Court 13 for civil matters.

Delaware City maintains municipal records through the City Clerk. The office is at 407 Clinton Street. City records cover ordinances, meeting minutes, permits, and licenses. Court records are not at City Hall; they are at JP Court 11 or the New Castle County courts.

Fort DuPont State Park and nearby state facilities have their own policing that may generate court cases for the Delaware City area. State parks incidents flow to the state court system.

New Castle County Courts for Delaware City

Delaware City cases over the JP Court limit go to the New Castle County courts in Wilmington. The Leonard L. Williams Justice Center is at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Distance from Delaware City to Wilmington is about 15 miles. DART bus service runs between the cities.

Main phone lines for residents:

• Superior Court: (302) 255-0800
• Court of Common Pleas: (302) 255-0900
• Family Court: (302) 255-0300
• Prothonotary: (302) 255-0735

The New Castle County Prothonotary keeps the civil court docket for the county. Sharon Agnew is the current Prothonotary. Submit Form ADM_ADM_03_A for a record request. Certified Superior Court copies cost $15 for the first three pages. Extra pages are up to $2 each. A retrieval fee of $25 may apply. See the Superior Court page for the full fee list.

The Court of Chancery also has a New Castle office at 500 N. King Street, Suite 11400. The court hears corporate and trust cases. See the Court of Chancery page for more.

Delaware City Court Docket Access

Start with CourtConnect. Search by person, business, or case number. The statewide tool at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and JP Court cases. Guest access is free.

For a file not online, visit the Wilmington courthouse. Public access terminals are free at the Justice Center for CourtConnect lookups. The civil case search page is a direct entry to the statewide docket.

Federal cases tied to Delaware City are on the PACER system at pacer.gov. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware sits in Wilmington. PACER fees are $0.10 per page with a $30 cap per document.

Other Delaware City Resources

For a certified Delaware criminal history, go to the State Bureau of Identification at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, Dover. Phone (302) 739-5880. Fee is $52 per check. Bring a rolled fingerprint card and a photo ID. The SBI is the only office that can issue a certified criminal history.

Property records for Delaware City, including judgment liens, are at the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds. The office is at the Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Room 110. Deeds, mortgages, and judgment liens are all on file.

Delaware City Court Docket Filing Fees

Fees depend on the court. A quick rundown:

• Superior Court civil complaint: $200
• Complex Commercial Litigation: $250
• Court of Chancery new case: $410 minimum
• Superior Court certified copy: $15 for first three pages
• JP Court disposition record: $7
• JP Court certified copy: $10

Court of Chancery also charges $2 per page to docket each filing. Superior Court filing fees cover the first 50 filings in a case. Each new 50-filing block costs $245 after that. Payment in the Prothonotary's office is cash or check only.

Records retention for Delaware City cases follows the statewide schedule. Superior Court civil cases with judgments are held 20 years. Misdemeanors are kept 10 years. JP Court civil files run 5 years. Traffic cases are 3 years.

Civil judgments are indexed by the Prothonotary under 10 Del. C. § 2304. The office keeps two alphabetical indices, one by plaintiff and one by defendant. Each judgment is indexed the same day it is entered.

Delaware City Court Docket Search Tips

CourtConnect is the best start for a civil case lookup. Search by party name, business, or case number. The system covers Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Court records statewide. Basic info is free.

For a JP Court 11 case, contact the court directly at (302) 323-4450. The 24-hour schedule means you can call at any time. Submit Form MISC35 for a written records request.

The records access policy page sets the rules on what is public and what is sealed. Family Court cases with minors and sealed files are not open to the public.

The Delaware FOIA does not cover court records. Under 29 Del. C. Chapter 100, courts are left out of the "public body" list. The judiciary's own rules apply. For FOIA details from state agencies, see the Attorney General's open government page.

Nearby Cities in New Castle County

Delaware City sits along the Delaware River and the C and D Canal. Nearby cities use the same county courts.

See the New Castle County court docket page for the full court list.