Lewes Court Docket

The Lewes court docket runs through JP Court 2 for criminal matters and the Sussex County courts in Georgetown for bigger cases. Lewes is a historic coastal city known as "The First Town in The First State." It sits in Sussex County. Civil case info is open on CourtConnect. For a file not online, the Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle is the main spot.

Lewes JP Court 2 Criminal Docket

JP Court 2 is the main local court for Lewes. It is at 16283 Willow Creek Road, Lewes, DE 19958. Phone (302) 645-6163. Fax (302) 645-8842. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The court handles criminal matters for Lewes and the coastal Sussex County area.

Criminal case info is on CourtConnect for some case types. For a detailed record or a certified copy, contact the court. Submit Form MISC35 for a written request. Standard JP fees apply: $7 disposition record, $10 certified civil copy, $0.25 per page civil docket, $25 audio recording CD.

The Sussex JP Court page lists every location, including JP Court 2 in Lewes.

The page shows phones, faxes, and case types for each Sussex JP Court. Each location keeps its own records, so a Lewes court docket request goes to JP Court 2 directly.

Lewes Police and Local Records

The Lewes Police Department keeps arrest records for the city. The PD is at 114 E. Third Street, Lewes, DE 19958. Phone (302) 645-6264. Fax (302) 645-1080. Incident reports and arrest records can be requested at the PD. Criminal cases from arrests go to JP Court 2 or to the Sussex County courts in Georgetown.

The Lewes Public Library at 111 Adams Avenue has public computers for CourtConnect. Library staff can point residents to the right court for their case. The library also has legal reference materials and copies of the Delaware Code.

For a certified Delaware criminal history (not a docket), go to the State Bureau of Identification at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, Dover. Fee is $52 per check. Bring a rolled fingerprint card and a photo ID.

Sussex County Courts for Lewes Cases

Bigger Lewes cases go to the Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. Distance from Lewes to Georgetown is about 20 miles. Superior Court line (302) 855-7055. Court of Common Pleas (302) 858-5700. Family Court (302) 855-7400.

Civil cases in Lewes that exceed the JP Court cap go to JP Court 17 in Georgetown (civil) or to the Common Pleas. JP Court 17 is at 23730 Shortly Road, Georgetown. Phone (302) 856-1447. Civil jurisdiction runs up to $25,000 per case.

The Superior Court Prothonotary keeps the Sussex County civil court docket. Certified copies cost $15 for the first three pages. Extra pages are up to $2 each. A retrieval fee of $25 may apply. Pay by cash or check. See the Superior Court page for forms and fees.

The Court of Chancery has a Sussex office at 34 The Circle, Georgetown. Phone (302) 856-5777. The court hears corporate, trust, and guardianship cases for the area. Visit the Court of Chancery page for details.

Lewes Court Docket Access Online

Start with CourtConnect. The tool lets you search by person, business, or case number. The system covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and JP Court cases. Basic case info is free.

For a case not on CourtConnect, head to the courthouse. Public access terminals at the Sussex County Courthouse connect to CourtConnect at no cost. Staff at the clerk's office can help you find a file, but they cannot give legal advice.

Federal cases tied to Lewes 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.

Records on the Lewes Court Docket

The Lewes court docket covers different case types. Here are the main ones:

• Criminal cases and traffic in JP Court 2
• Civil cases up to $25,000 in JP Court 17 (Georgetown)
• Civil cases over $25,000 in Common Pleas or Superior Court
• Landlord-tenant cases in JP Court
• Misdemeanors in Common Pleas
• Felonies in Superior Court
• Divorce and custody in Family Court

Family Court records with minors are not open online. Juvenile files are sealed at age 18 and destroyed at age 21. Mental health cases are closed. Financial data, like full SSNs and account numbers, is redacted in public copies.

Lewes Court Docket Filing Fees

Fees vary by court. A quick look:

• 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

The 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 after that costs $245. The Prothonotary may refuse a filing if fees are not paid on time.

Records retention in Lewes follows state rules. Superior Court civil cases with judgments run 20 years. Misdemeanors are kept 10 years. JP Court civil files are held 5 years. Traffic cases are 3 years. Dockets and indices are kept permanently.

For a certified Delaware criminal history (not a docket), go to the State Bureau of Identification at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, Dover. Phone (302) 739-5880. Fee is $52 per check. Bring a fingerprint card and a photo ID.

Lewes Court Docket Search Tips

CourtConnect is the best start for a Lewes civil case lookup. Search by party name, business, or case number. Phonetic and partial last name searches are available. Use a date range to narrow results if you have a rough filing year.

For a JP Court 2 case, contact the court directly. Each JP Court keeps its own files. Call before you drive to confirm the record exists and get an estimate of any fees.

Older Lewes cases may have been moved to the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. Archive staff can help with historical searches for a fee.

Nearby Cities in Sussex County

Lewes sits on the Delaware coast in eastern Sussex County. Seaford, Milford, and the beach towns are nearby.

See the Sussex County court docket page for all Sussex courts.