New Castle County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

New Castle County is the Northernmost of Delaware's three counties. The population as of the 2022 census was 570,567 and it is the most populous county in Delaware. New Castle County was created on August 8, 1673, and around 60% of Delaware's population lives in this county. The county's name pays homage to the 1st Duke of Newcastle, William Cavendish, and its county seat is Wilmington. The Alderman's Court, a Superior Court, a Court of Chancery, a Court of Common Pleas, one Family Court, and five Justice of the Peace courts provide the necessary and legal mechanism for delivering adequate and proper justice in New Castle County.

The Alderman's Courts decide all cases of city ordinance violations occurring in cities and have limited statutory authority over selected criminal and civil matters. The Alderman's Court in Newport and Newark hears building code, animal code, parking, and traffic violations. They also try underage drinking cases and disorderly conduct. The Superior Court is located at Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, Wilmington. It hears civil cases involving contracts and disputes over money. It also presides over criminal cases involving felonies and acts as an intermediate court of appeal for the courts of common pleas and the family court. The Court of Chancery presides over all commercial cases, contractual cases, equity cases, corporate legal matters, disputes over the purchase of land, and title to real estate properties. It also appoints legal guardians. The only Court of Common Pleas is located in Wilmington and deals with civil and criminal matters. The Family Court in Wilmington has the authority to decide domestic relation cases, child support, paternity establishment, and adoption cases. There are four Justice of the Peace Courts, one in Wilmington, two in New Castle, and the last in Middletown. They are Justice of the Peace Court 9,11,13, and 20. Justice of the Peace Court 11 and 20 handle criminal matters, JP Court 13 hears civil matters, while JP Court 9 presides over both civil and criminal cases.

New Castle County had a total case filing of 39,978 from the courts of common pleas caseload summary in 2023, and 28,035 cases were disposed of. When compared to 2022, more cases were filed. Approximately, New Castle County handles 38,000 cases annually. Records of the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Courts can be accessed on CourtConnect. The public can access court records electronically from the Clerk of Court in each courthouse. Juvenile, probate, mental health issues, and sensitive family cases are non-public court records in New Castle County.

The Court of Common Pleas, Justice of the Peace Courts, Family Court, Court of Chancery, Superior Court, and Alderman's Courts serve the people of New Castle by efficient and accessible administration of justice for all, treating all persons with integrity, fairness, and respect. Court records are a means to access all hearings motions, and judgments passed by judges and these are easily obtainable without queries.