Kent County Court Docket

The Kent County court docket runs through the courthouse in Dover. All civil and criminal cases for the county are filed there. You can look up civil cases online through CourtConnect. For a file that is not online, visit the courthouse or send a written request to the Prothonotary. Kent County covers Dover, Smyrna, Harrington, Milford, and the central part of Delaware. Annette Ashley is the current Kent County Prothonotary.

Kent County Courthouse

The Kent County Courthouse sits on a 5.3-acre lot in Dover, bordered by Federal Street, Water Street, and The Green. The building houses the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, JP Court 16, Register in Chancery, Prothonotary, Law Library, Jury Services, Capitol Police, and satellite offices for the Attorney General and Public Defender. One roof covers most of the county's judicial work.

The main courthouse address is 38 The Green and 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Public access starts at 8:30 AM. Read the full info on the Kent County Courthouse page.

The courthouse page lists every court at the site, plus a security policy and a map of the property. Security screening is required for all visitors. Photo ID is also required. The page also has the latest court news.

Main contact lines by court:

• Superior Court: (302) 735-1900
• Court of Common Pleas: (302) 735-3925
• Family Court: (302) 672-1000
• Court of Chancery: (302) 736-2242
• JP Court 16 (Civil): (302) 739-4316

To get a Kent County court docket record, give the clerk the case file number, the party names, and the date of filing. Search fees and copy fees may apply. Same-day pickup is common for files that are easy to find.

Kent County Superior Court Docket

The Kent County Superior Court hears felony cases and civil matters over $50,000. The Prothonotary keeps all civil records. Contact is 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901. Phone (302) 735-1911. Fax (302) 739-6717.

The Prothonotary can pull case files, judgments, and docket sheets. Submit a written request with the litigants' names, the case date, the record type, and a preferred way to get the copy. Fees apply for copies and certified documents. See the full fee list at the Superior Court page.

Civil filings start at $200 for a standard complaint. The Complex Commercial Litigation fee is $250. Superior Court certified copies run $15 for the first three pages, plus up to $2 per extra page. A $25 retrieval fee may apply. Cash or check only.

Under 10 Del. C. § 2303, every judgment is entered with the day, month, and year on the docket. Bond judgments are noted with the exact hour and minute. The judgment becomes a lien from the time shown. The office keeps two indices: one by plaintiff, one by defendant. Each judgment is indexed the same day it is entered.

Kent County Justice of the Peace Court Docket

Kent County runs four JP Court locations. They cover small civil cases, landlord-tenant matters, traffic cases, and minor crimes. JP Courts are not courts of record, so appeals go to the Court of Common Pleas for a new trial.

The Kent JP Court page has every location with addresses, phones, and case types.

The JP Court page covers Court 6 in Harrington, Court 7 in Dover, Court 8 in Smyrna, and Court 16 in Dover (civil). Each location has its own email and fax.

Here are the JP Court locations in Kent County:

• JP Court 6 (Harrington): criminal, (302) 422-5922
• JP Court 7 (Dover): criminal, truancy, DUI, (302) 739-4554
• JP Court 8 (Smyrna): criminal, (302) 653-7083
• JP Court 16 (Dover): civil, (302) 739-4316

JP Court fees are standard across Delaware. A disposition record is $7. A certified civil copy is $10. A civil docket is $0.25 per page. An audio recording CD is $25. Submit Form MISC35 to ask for a copy.

Kent County Family Court

The Kent County Family Court sits at 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. Phone (302) 672-1000. The court hears divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, juvenile delinquency, and protection from abuse cases. Family Court records with minors are not open online. Basic case info may show in CourtConnect, but full files are kept private.

Divorce records from 1979 to the present are at the Family Court in the county where the divorce was granted. For older divorces (1978 and before), the Prothonotary at the Superior Court has them.

Kent County Court of Common Pleas Docket

The Court of Common Pleas handles civil cases up to $50,000, misdemeanors, DUIs, traffic cases, and appeals from the JP Court. The Kent County branch is at 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. Phone (302) 735-3925. Fax (302) 736-2240. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The court uses eCourtPlus for electronic filing. Civil case info is on CourtConnect. For a criminal record or a certified copy, contact the Clerk's Office directly.

Appeals from the Common Pleas go to the Superior Court. The JP Court and Alderman's Court appeals land here first. Appeals come to Common Pleas for a new trial, not a review of the earlier record.

Other Kent County Court Docket Resources

Property records and judgment liens for Kent County are at the Recorder of Deeds. The office is in the Kent County Administrative Complex at 555 Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901. Records cover deeds, mortgages, judgment liens, UCC filings, and military discharges.

The Kent County Levy Court runs an online Property Information Management System. It includes judgment liens recorded against real estate. Basic searches are free. The Levy Court is at 555 Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901.

For a statewide criminal history, visit the State Bureau of Identification at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Phone (302) 739-5880. Fee is $52 per check. Bring a rolled fingerprint card and a photo ID. The SBI is the only place for a certified Delaware criminal history.

The Delaware Public Archives at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd N, Dover, holds old court records of historical value. Phone (302) 744-5000. Research services cost a fee, but most records can be viewed in the research room for free.

Cities in Kent County

Kent County includes Dover, Harrington, Milford (shared with Sussex), and Smyrna. Pick a city to see its JP Court and local info.

Other Delaware Counties

New Castle County is to the north. Sussex County is to the south. Each county keeps its own court docket and Prothonotary office.