New Castle County Court Docket

The New Castle County court docket is kept by the Prothonotary and the clerks for each court in the county. You can search civil cases online through CourtConnect or visit the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington. New Castle is the largest of Delaware's three counties. It covers Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, New Castle city, and most of the state's population. The county runs Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and five Justice of the Peace Court locations.

New Castle County Superior Court Docket

The Superior Court Prothonotary keeps the civil court docket for New Castle County. The office sits in the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The Prothonotary is the chief clerk for the Superior Court. All civil filings over $50,000 and all felony cases are docketed here. Sharon Agnew is the current New Castle County Prothonotary.

The office takes records requests by email, mail, or in person. Submit Form ADM_ADM_03_A, the Application for Access to Court Records. Email to nccproth@nccourts.de.gov. Or mail to 500 N. King St., Lower Level 1, Wilmington, DE 19801. The phone line is (302) 255-0735. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The New Castle County Superior Court page has the full contact list and the link to court forms.

The Superior Court page lists Prothonotary info, e-filing rules, and a guide to records access. The court hears major civil cases and felony matters for the county.

Fees for certified copies run $15 for the first three pages. Extra pages are up to $2 per page. A retrieval fee of $25 may apply to older files. Payment is cash or check only. No card payments at the counter. Documents are not mailed to you; you pick them up in person.

The Superior Court uses File and ServeXpress for e-filing. Attorneys register with LexisNexis to file online. The standard civil complaint filing fee is $200. The Complex Commercial Litigation Division is $250. Each 50-filing block after the first is $245.

New Castle County Court of Common Pleas Docket

The Court of Common Pleas handles misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil matters up to $50,000. It also hears appeals from the JP Court and Alderman's Court. The court sits in the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center.

Contact info: 500 North King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Phone (302) 255-0900. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The court uses eCourtPlus for e-filing.

Visit the New Castle Court of Common Pleas page for the full list of services.

The Common Pleas page links to eCourtPlus, the forms library, and the clerk's office. Civil docket info is open through CourtConnect. Criminal files need a written request.

Appeals from the Common Pleas go to the Superior Court. Appeals from the JP Court come in the other direction; they are heard as a new trial (de novo). Alderman's Court appeals must be filed within 15 days of the judgment.

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court Docket

New Castle County operates multiple JP Court locations. Each one handles a specific mix of civil and criminal cases. JP Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction under 10 Del. C. § 1301. They hear civil matters up to $25,000, landlord-tenant cases, small claims, minor crimes, and traffic cases.

The New Castle JP Court page lists all locations and case types.

The page covers JP Court 9 in Middletown, JP Court 10 in Wilmington, JP Court 11 in New Castle (24-hour criminal), JP Court 13 in Wilmington (civil), and JP Court 20 in Wilmington (criminal). Each one has its own phone, fax, and email.

Here are the JP Court locations and case types in New Castle County:

• JP Court 9 (Middletown): criminal and civil, (302) 378-5221
• JP Court 10 (Wilmington): criminal and truancy, (302) 995-8640
• JP Court 11 (New Castle): criminal, 24 hours, (302) 323-4450
• JP Court 13 (Wilmington): civil only, (302) 577-2550
• JP Court 20 (Wilmington): criminal, (302) 577-7234

JP Court record fees are set: disposition record is $7, certified civil copy is $10, civil docket is $0.25 per page, and an audio recording CD is $25. Submit Form MISC35 to request a copy from a specific JP Court.

JP Courts are not courts of record, so appeals go to the Court of Common Pleas for a new trial. The appeal must be filed on time and with the right bond.

Newark Alderman's Court Docket

Two Alderman's Courts sit in New Castle County: Newark (Court No. 40) and Newport (Court No. 42). They are not part of the Delaware judicial system. They operate under local town charters. The judges are still under the Delaware Chief Justice for conduct rules.

The Newark Alderman's Court handles building code, animal code, alcohol, disorderly conduct, parking, and traffic cases inside the city limits. The court is at 220 South Main Street, Newark, DE 19711. Phone (302) 366-7000. Fax (302) 366-7062. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with walk-ins allowed until 3:00 PM.

Check the Newark Alderman's Court page for forms, fees, and payment options.

The Newark page has a plea agreement form, a records request form, and a link for online parking ticket payments. In 2022, the court issued 8,876 citations and finalized 2,367 cases.

Certified dispositions from Newark cost $15 for traffic or criminal records. Pay by cash, check, or money order. The Newport Alderman's Court is at 226 North James Street, Newport, DE 19804. Phone (302) 994-6403.

Appeals from an Alderman's Court go to the Court of Common Pleas. File within 15 days of the ruling. Post a $500 bond. Taking the appeal waives the right to a writ of certiorari in Superior Court.

Court of Chancery in New Castle County

The Court of Chancery has offices in all three counties. The New Castle office is at 500 N. King Street, Suite 11400, Wilmington, DE 19801. Phone (302) 255-0544. The court handles corporate governance, trust and estate cases, guardianship, and equity matters. Delaware's role in corporate law rides on this court.

A new Chancery case starts at $410. Each document adds $2 per page to docket. All filings must be in Times New Roman, 14-point font. Sign in the Register's office if you need the petition notarized. Pro se filers cannot represent a company; only a licensed Delaware attorney can.

Court Docket Retention in New Castle County

Delaware keeps court records on a set retention schedule. Permanent retention applies to serious felony files like murder, rape, and kidnapping. Other felonies are kept 20 years after final disposition. Misdemeanors are kept 10 years. Civil cases with judgments are kept 20 years from the date of judgment. Civil cases without judgments are kept 10 years.

JP Court civil files are kept 5 years. Criminal cases there are held 5 to 7 years. Traffic cases run 3 years. Landlord-tenant cases are kept 3 years. Dockets and indices are kept permanently. Old case files may be at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover after the active period ends.

For a certified criminal history (not a docket), go to the State Bureau of Identification at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. The fee is $52 per check. Bring a rolled fingerprint card and a photo ID. SBI phone is (302) 739-5880.

Cities in New Castle County

Several cities file court cases through New Castle County. Pick a city below for the local JP Court and courthouse info.

Other Delaware Counties

Kent and Sussex counties cover the rest of Delaware. Each one has its own courthouse and Prothonotary.