New Castle County Court Records

New Castle County court records are documents and information of court proceedings in the county. County court records also encompass various types of cases, including civil, criminal, probate, property, domestic relations, and juvenile matters. The New Castle County court records typically contain the following information:

• Pleadings: Complaints, motions, and responses
• Case details: Case number, names of parties involved, and case type
• Evidence: Exhibits, witness statements, and transcripts
• Trial records: Verbatim transcripts of court proceedings
• Docket entries: Chronological list of events and filings in the case
• Orders and judgments: Court decisions, sentences, and fines

Judicial records are useful when conducting background checks on potential employees, business partners, love interests, or tenants to ensure they have no previous criminal convictions. They can also be used for media, academic, and genealogical research. In addition, legal practitioners use court records to have a better understanding of specific case laws or as legal precedents in judicial proceedings. The availability of court records in New Castle County helps to affirm the integrity of the judiciary and brings transparency to the judicial process

Are Court Records Public in New Castle County?

New Castle County court records are generally available and accessible to members of the public. Under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act, members of the public can view and request copies of official court records in the state, provided those records are not exempted from public view by law or court orders. Court records are exempted from public access for security, sensitivity, or confidential reasons. Non-public records in New Castle County include medical and mental health records, juvenile records, adoption records, identifying information about jurors, records of victims of domestic abuse, grand jury records, social security numbers, vehicle plate numbers, driver’s license numbers, and active financial information.

New Castle County Court Records Search

New Castle County court records may be accessed online and offline. Record seekers can find the county’s civil court records online via the CourtConnect platform provided by the Delaware Courts. They can also search for court records from the county using reliable third-party websites. Alternatively, they can visit the courthouses within the county to access their public court records of interest.

New Castle County Court Records Search by Name

The CourtConnect platform can be used to conduct name-based searches. By typing a name into the search field and choosing the case type, the platform fetches court records related to the inputted name. The county's various courts can also perform a name-based search of New Castle County court records.

New Castle County Courts

The court system in New Castle County comprises a Superior Court, a Court of Chancery, a Family Court, a Court of Common Pleas, four Justice of the Peace Courts, and two Alderman’s Courts. The New Castle County Superior Court has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. It hears felonies, civil cases without financial limits, and most drug-related cases. Probate and equity cases, including most commercial and corporate matters, are heard by the New Castle County Court of Chancery. The New Castle County Court of Common Pleas hears most misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, and civil cases with claims under $50,000. Domestic relations and juvenile matters are handled by the New Castle County Family Court.

The four Justice of the Peace Courts in New Castle County hear some misdemeanors, non-felony traffic offenses, civil cases with claims under $15,000, municipal ordinance violations, and preliminary hearings for all criminal cases. Lastly, New Castle County Alderman’s Courts handles municipal ordinance infractions, traffic offenses, minor criminal offenses, and small claims within their boundaries.

Below are the locations of the courts in New Castle County:

New Castle County Superior Court

New Castle County Superior Court
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center
500 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 255-0800
Fax: (302) 255-2264

New Castle County Court of Chancery

New Castle County Court of Chancery
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center
500 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 255-0544

New Castle County Court of Common Pleas

New Castle County Court of Common Pleas
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center
500 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 255-0900

New Castle County Family Court

New Castle County Family Court
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center
500 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 255-0300

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Courts

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court 9
Middletown Square Shopping Center
757 North Broad Street
Middletown, DE 19709
Phone: (302) 378-5221
Fax: (302) 378-5220

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court 11
Suite 100A, 2 Penns Way
New Castle, DE 19720
Phone: (302) 323-4450
Fax: (302) 323-4452

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court 13
Concord Professional Building
1010 Concord Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19802
Phone: (302) 577-2550
Fax: (302) 577-2526

New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court 20
Public Safety Building
300 North Walnut Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 577-7234
Fax: (302) 577-7237

New Castle County Alderman’s Courts

Newark Alderman’s Court 40
220 Main Street
Newark, DE 19711
Phone: (302) 366-7100
Fax: (302) 366-7062

Newport Alderman’s Court
226 North James Street
Newport, DE 19804
Phone: (302) 998-2707

New Castle County Superior Court Records

The New Castle County Superior Court generates court records in criminal and civil cases. Anyone can search for the court’s civil cases on the CourtConnect portal. They can search by name, judgment, or case number. When searching by name, they must select the type of case from the Superior Court, including appeals, complaints, involuntary commits, liens, judgments, and other civil case types. Furthermore, anyone can visit the Superior Court to view and request public court records of all case types from the court. They can also call or fax to request court records.

New Castle County Criminal Records

New Castle County criminal records are generated by law enforcement agencies and maintained by the Delaware State Bureau of Identification (SBI) under the Delaware State Police. These records include New Castle County arrests, warrants, mugshots, jail, and other pretrial records. Record seekers can obtain New Castle County criminal records from the SBI by mail or in person at a fee at:

New Castle County Office
Delaware State Police Troop 2
100 LaGrange Avenue
Newark, DE 19702
Phone: (302) 739-2528

New Castle County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Criminal court cases in New Castle County can only be accessed offline from the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Justice of the Peace Court, and Alderman’s Court. The county does not have a means for remotely searching for the county’s criminal records.

Get New Castle County Civil Court Records

New Castle County civil court records are records of legal proceedings generated in the Superior Court, Court of Chancery, Court of Common Pleas, Family, and Justice of the Peace Courts. These records include contract disputes, tort, property issues, libel, slander, small claims suits, name changes, personal injury claims, probate, and family-related issues. Most civil cases in New Castle County are open to the public and can be accessed by anyone.

Persons interested in obtaining civil cases from the county can do so through the CourtConnect platform. They must select the type of civil case they are interested in accessing and the court where the case was heard. They can also visit the courts to inspect or request copies of civil cases in the county.

New Castle County Family Court Records

The New Castle County Family Court generates and maintains most family court records in the county. These records include annulment, marriage, divorce, paternity, child custody, emancipation, alimony, child support, and adoption cases. Family court records are typically confidential in New Castle County and can only be accessed by parties in the case, their relatives, and their legal representatives. Eligible persons seeking New Castle County family court records can visit the Family Court to access them with proof of eligibility.

New Castle County Dissolution of Marriage Records

In New Castle County, dissolution of marriage records are official documents relating to the termination of marriages in the county and maintained by the New Castle County Family Court. These records include:

• Petition for marriage dissolution
• Marriage settlement agreement
• Child custody and support orders (if applicable)
• Decree of dissolution of marriage

Generally, most dissolution of marriage records in New Castle County are confidential and are only available to the parties involved and their attorneys. The general public can only view divorce decrees and uncertified records. Persons interested in obtaining marriage dissolution records can contact the Records Department of the New Castle County Family Court at:

Records Department
New Castle County Family Court
Leonard L. Williams Justice Center
Suite 110, 500 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 255-2222

New Castle County Marriage and Divorce Records

In New Castle County, marriage and divorce records are official documents proving the legal union of two persons and the legal separation of married couples, respectively. Marriage and divorce records are generated and maintained by the New Castle County Family Court. The state mandates the court to transfer copies of marriage records to the Delaware State Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) under the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). Divorce records in the county are kept by the Records Department of the New Castle County Family Court. Marriage records are confidential and may only be accessed by persons with a direct interest in the marriage. However, Delaware laws make marriage records public after 50 years.

Persons interested in accessing divorce records in the county must contact the Records Department of the New Castle County Family Court. Similarly, eligible persons interested in obtaining marriage records can request them from the OVS via mail, online, or in-person visits. They may complete the marriage certificate application form and bring/send it to the New Castle County Office at:

Office of Vital Statistics
258 Chapman Road
Newark, DE 19702
Phone: (302) 283-7130
Fax: (302) 283-7131

New Castle County Birth and Death Records

New Castle County birth and death records are official documentation of the birth and death of individuals within the county. Birth and death records in New Castle County are not open to the public for a specified period. Delaware permits the public to access birth records after 72 years and death records after 40 years. Persons interested in accessing certified confidential New Castle County birth and death records must contact the Office of Vital Statistics to request. They must complete and submit birth and death certificate application forms at the Office of Vital Statistics.

However, the Delaware Public Archives (DPA) maintains public birth and death records for the county. Anyone can request public birth and death records from the DPA via email, mail, and in-person visits.

Delaware Public Archives
121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 744-5000

New Castle County Probate Court Records

The New Castle County Court of Chancery generates probate court records in New Castle County. The information contained in a typical New Castle County probate record includes the following:

• Name of the deceased
• Date of filing
• Case number
• Name of the estate
• Names of next of kin
• Date of death
• Will, if it exists
• Value of estate and liable tax
• Description of real and personal property

The New Castle County Register of Wills maintains probate records for the county. The general public can search for New Castle County probate records via the New Castle County Wills Search portal. They can also visit the Register of Wills’ Office to view or request copies of probate records from the county.

New Castle County Property Records

The New Castle County Recorder of Deeds maintains the county’s property records. These records comprise titles, deeds, transfer documents, value assessments, debts, encumbrances, payment histories, tax liens, mortgages, zoning, plats, geographic information system (GIS) data, and surveys. New Castle County property records may be used for tax assessment, property evaluation, zoning planning, and mortgage application purposes.

Record seekers can search for property records in New Castle County via the New Castle Document Search website and the New Castle County Parcel Search platform. They can also visit the Recorder of Deeds office to examine and request property records.

New Castle County Court Records Online

Third-party online resources like delawarecourtrecords.us come in handy in accessing New Castle County court records as they are often more convenient and faster. However, they may be more expensive, and the information obtained may not be up to date.