Kent County Court Records

Kent County court records are composed of case record documents as well as judicial administrative documents, regardless of how the records are made, arranged, or kept. An administrative document is created, received, or maintained by a court that records personnel and management functions. On the other hand, a case record is any document submitted to a court or filed with a court clerk in a judicial action or proceeding, including exhibits, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, and any documentation prepared by the court or clerk.

There are several reasons why courts keep judicial records. The official records of court cases serve as educational resources, helping the public learn more about the judicial system. In addition to encouraging justice and accountability within the judicial branch, court records reassure the public that legal matters are handled properly and justly and that the parties' rights are upheld.

Are Court Records Public in Kent County?

Yes. Court records in Kent County are presumed to be public records as per the public access policy of Delaware Court's Judicial Branch. This means that court records are public and are accessible to citizens who are interested in them except when they are made exempt from public disclosure by any state statute or a court order. In general, court records that could jeopardize someone's privacy or undermine the fair, impartial, and efficient administration of justice are kept private. Categories of Kent County court records that are exempt from public disclosure include

• Warrants not executed or returned. Arrest and search orders that have not been executed returned
• Juror records. Jurors' names, addresses, and phone numbers are private information that cannot be disclosed without a judge's approval.
• Details about the victim or witness. The witnesses' identities, probation, and parole officials' names and identifying numbers.
• Information on drug and alcohol treatment programs and court-ordered evaluations, among other medical and psychiatric information, should not be made public.
• Presentence investigation reports
• Drivers license records. Driver license records maintained by the Division of Motor Vehicles, which are part of court records, are exempt from public disclosure.
• Criminal histories on file: Criminal history records that include cumulative case-related data about people involved in criminal proceedings across multiple courts are regarded as confidential

Kent County Court Records Search

The following is a list of options for performing a general search for court records in Kent County:

• In-person at the county clerk's office/prothonotary
• Using the public access terminals at the county courthouse
• Online using the civil case online portal.
• Third-Party websites

Kent County Court Records Search by Name

Almost all online or remote resources used to look up Kent County court records use some type of name-based search system. Public access terminals at the county courthouse can be searched using a person's first name or surname on the record. Similarly, the Delaware courts civil case portal allows searches by first name, last name, and business name.

The request form for records searches from the Kent County Court by mail also requires requesters to provide a name on the desired record.

Kent County Courts

The Kent County Court System consists of the Administrative Office of the Courts, Justice of the Peace Court, Superior Court, Court of Chancery, Family Court, Court of Common Pleas, and related organizations, and is modeled after the Delaware judicial system. The locations of Kent County courts are as follows:

Kent County Supreme Court
Court Location:
55 The Green
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-4155
Fax: (302) 739-3751

Kent County court of chancery Courthouse
414 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 735-1930
Fax: (302) 735-2155

Kent County Superior Court
Kent county courthouse
414 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901

Kent County Family Court
Kent county courthouse

400 Court Street
Dover, DE 19901

Court of Common Pleas - Kent County
Kent County Courthouse
414 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901

Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 6
Justice of the Peace Court 6
35 Cams Fortune Way
Harrington, DE 19952
Phone: (302) 422-5922

Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 7
Justice of the Peace Court 7
480 Bank Lane
Dover, DE 19904
Phone: (302) 739-4554

Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 8
Justice of the Peace Court 8
100 Monrovia Avenue
Smyrna, DE 19977
Phone: (302) 653-7083

Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 16
Justice of the Peace Court 16
414 Federal Street
Room 173
Dover, DE 19901

Kent County Superior Court Case Search

There are three Superior Court offices in Delaware, one in Kent County. The Superior Court has initial jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases in the state except in situations involving domestic relations. The Court has exclusive authority over felonies and drug offenses except for the majority of felonies and drug offenses involving children, as well as cases involving marijuana possession. An essential function of the superior court is acting as an intermediate appellate court hearing appeals on the record from the Court of Common Pleas and Family Court (adult criminal).

A Kent County Superior Court case search can be done in one of the following three ways:

Public Access Terminals

Those interested in using any of the four public access terminals at the Kent county superior court can schedule a time to do so at the Kent County Superior Court office. The public access terminals will only be accessible via appointment. People can call the court on (302) 735-1902 to request a day and time for an appointment, or they can email the Court via Kirra.Britt@delaware.gov with the subject line "Public Access" to book an appointment to use the terminal. One appointment can only be scheduled daily, and reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. The court will email or call the person who booked the appointment to confirm the time, date, and public access terminal. To search for the record, requestors must provide the full name of the individual on the record.

Request to review court documents.

A request to inspect a file or document can also be made by email or phone to the county clerk's office at (302) 735-1902 or Kirra.Britt@delaware.gov. The request to review a file or document should contain as much information as feasible to help the court locate the appropriate file or document.

After locating a file or document, the court will examine it to see whether any redactions are required, contact the requestor, and set up a time and day for the file or document to be reviewed in the Prothonotary's office.

Request for a copy of Kent County court record

Using the court records request form, requests for copies of Kent County Superior Court records may be sent in writing and submitted by mail, email, or in person. Anyone can also obtain paper request forms from the county clerk's office.

A search will be conducted using the information provided on the request form. When a request is finished, protonotary staff will contact the requestor to arrange a pick-up time. Unless other arrangements are in place, copy costs are applicable and must be paid at pick-up time.

Kent County District Court Records

There are no state district courts in Kent County. Delaware's judiciary consists of the Superior Court, the Court of Chancery, the Family Court, the Court of Common Pleas, the Justice of the Peace Court, and other judicial bodies. The only district court in Delaware is the Federal district court.

Kent County Criminal Records

Unlike Kent County arrest records, Kent County criminal records can only be requested by the owner of the records who can provide valid identification to prove they are the persons on the record, as per Title 11 of the Delaware code. Employers can also request the criminal history of a potential employee as part of a background check if the person has been interviewed for a role in accordance with § 1190 ( Criminal background checks).

The Delaware State Police in Kent can be reached at their office during business hours by any individual who is interested in receiving a certified copy of their state's criminal history. Anyone can visit the office without an appointment to request a criminal record search. Requestors must provide a photo ID, such as a valid driver's license, school ID, or state ID. The current cost for a background check is $52.50 for the State of Delaware. The current price for a State and Federal Background Check is $69.00. Cash, credit or debit cards, bank checks, money orders, or business checks made payable to Delaware State Police are all acceptable forms of payment.

Kent County police department
Located at 655 South Bay Road,
Dover, DE 19901.

For more information, citizens may contact (302) 739-5871 for information and directions or see the personal history report page.

Get Kent County Civil Court Records

Individuals seeking Kent County civil court records can obtain them by visiting the prothonotary office located at the Kent County Courthouse. Staff at the office will provide requestors with civil court records upon a written request. They can also use the in-house database to find indexed Kent County civil court records.

Alternatively, inquirers may obtain Kent County civil court records using the civil case search portal maintained by the Delaware judicial branch. This search portal can be used to search and provide information on

• Searching for a name, company name, or category of case
• Looking for orders against an individual or company
• Revealing case details or proceedings

To search this portal, inquirers will need to provide a first name and last name or a business name. Searches can be filtered using the start and end date of the court case marked by the filing date. Kent County, civil court documents, can also be obtained by mail by filling out a Request for Copies form and sending the required copy costs.

Kent County Family Court Records

The Kent County Family deals with a range of family-related cases, such as:

• Juvenile delinquency, guardianship over minors, endangering family relationships, orders of protection from abuse, and intra-family misdemeanor crimes.
• Divorce-related cases include child and spouse support, custody and visitation of children, adoptions, terminations of parental rights, divorces and annulments, property divisions, and specific enforcement of separation agreements.

Most family court records cannot be copied by persons not involved in the case. However, interested individuals can request to review documents at the county courthouse. Kent family court records can be reviewed by completing the records request form online to schedule an appointment. Individuals can also call the records department in the Kent County Courthouse at (302) 672-1045 to schedule an appointment. The requirement to present a photo ID will apply to anybody visiting the courthouse to see the file.

While it is best to schedule an appointment to view records,another option available to those living close to the courthouse is to visit the courthouse and ask for a family court case review. The court will schedule an appointment or grant the request immediately if a slot is available. The Kent County Family Court is located at:

Kent County
Records Department
Family Court
400 Court Street
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 255-2222

Kent Dissolution of Marriage Records

In Kent County, Delaware, documents classified as divorce records are referred to by terms like separation agreement, annulment of marriage records, and dissolution of marriage records. These documents, which are family court records, can be accessed remotely using case search tools or at the county courthouse.

Kent County Marriage and Divorce Records

Kent County divorce records can be obtained from the records department at the county clerk's office in the Kent County court. Requests for divorce can be made by mail or in person at the county clerk's office. Marriage records, on the other hand, can be obtained from the Office of Vital Statistics in person, by mail, or online.

Individuals can visit the Kent County Courthouse's Records Department during regular business hours to request a divorce record. The clerk will need to know the requester's name and birthdate. They will also have to provide legitimate photo identification. A certified copy of your divorce decree or annulment will set you back $4.00. A non-certified copy is $1.00. payments can be made in cash, credit cards, checks, and money orders.

The Kent County Court's Records Department can also receive a written request for divorce records via mail. The request needs to have a notarized signature in addition to the name and birthdate. The divorce or annulment decree can be purchased in certified copy for $4.00, or uncertified copies are available for $1.00.

To request a marriage record, interested individuals can visit the vital statistics office in Kent county to make a request. The request process involves completing the marriage request form and submitting it in person or through mail at the vitals statistics office in Kent.

Office of vital Statistics (OVS)
Kent County(Central office)
417 Federal St.,
Dover, DE 19901

Online requests for marriage records can be made through one of two third-party services available on the vital statistics webpage.

Kent County marriage records dating back more than fifty years are held by the Delaware Public Archives. If an individual was married after 1974, they can obtain a certified copy of their marriage certificate(s) by calling (302) 744-5000 or contacting the Archives using their Contact Form and selecting the "Marriage Certificates" option.

Kent Birth and Death Records

Kent County birth and death records can be obtained in person, online, or by mail from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics. To request a birth or death record by mail, download the birth or death request form, complete it, and send it by mail to the Office of Vital Statistics.

Individuals can also request birth and death records in person at the vital statistics office. Older records that have been archived can be ordered online by completing the request form on the Delaware Public Archives Holdings website or by calling (302) 744-5000.

Kent County Probate Court Records

In Kent County, Delaware, probate matters are handled by the Register of Wills Office. The office manages wills and other estate-related paperwork after a person passes away. It is also responsible for ensuring that the estate complies with Kent County regulations and Delaware law. Every estate-related case is kept on file permanently.Anyone can request probate records; however, certified copies of these documents can only be accessed by a personal representative or the estate's Attorney.

Persons who want to obtain any probate court record can do so by sending a request through the mail or visiting the register of the wills office to make a request. Requesters can download the request for documents form, complete it, and send it to the office. The requester must provide the following information on the request form:

• Estate Name and Folio Number
• The requestor's name, address, and phone number
• The requested document(s)' purpose:

Register of Wills
555 S. Bay Rd.
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 744-2346
Email: register@kentcountyde.gov

Kent County Property Records

Kent property records are available online using the Kent County Court's Property Records System, an easy-to-use portal that can be used to look up public property information records. This portal provides in-depth property information, which can be assessed utilizing maps and by searching for a property using the address, owner name, or parcel identification number. The information available through this source includes:

• Ownership history.
• Source of title.
• Title transfer dates.
• Legal descriptions.
• Descriptions of the land and buildings and a history of assessments.

Property records can also be obtained from the recorder of the deeds office both online and in person. Anyone can visit the Register of Deeds office and request property records search from the documents that the Recorder of Deeds indexes. The office can be reached at the following address:

Kent County Recorder of Deeds

555 Bay Road
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 744-2314
Email: recorder@kentcountyde.gov

Kent County Court Records Online

Third-party sites like delawarecourtrecords.us provide an option for those who need Kent County court records online. They differ from most government sources because independent companies own them.

One advantage of a third-party website is that it puts all types of records on one database; hence, a person can find property, court, and criminal records on one web page. Records that can only be accessed in person can be conveniently obtained online from these sites. Additionally, one can search multiple jurisdictions at once for court and other public records.

Most third-party sites are not free to use. Users must pay a monthly or one-time subscription fee, usually using their credit card.