Kent County Family Court Records Search
Kent County Family Court Records hold divorce, custody, support, adoption, and juvenile case files for the middle of Delaware. The Family Court sits at 400 Court Street in Dover, the county seat. You can search Kent County Family Court Records in three ways: walk in at the Records Department, mail a request to the clerk, or call to set up an appointment. Staff can pull files from 1978 to the present. This page lists the steps, the contacts, and the right forms to get the case info you need.
Kent County Family Court Records Overview
Kent County Family Court Location
The Kent County Family Court is at 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. The building sits at the corner of River Road and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. It is a short walk from the main Kent County Courthouse. The main phone line is 302-672-1000. The Records Department direct line is 302-672-1045. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the court closed on legal holidays. For full address details and a map, see the Kent County Family Court location page.
The building has ramp entrances and automatic doors for accessibility. A Resource Center on the first floor hands out forms for self-represented parties. The Director of Operations can be reached at 302-672-1000 for facility questions. You will need a photo ID to enter the courthouse. Security screening is in place at the main entry.
Below is the official state page for the Kent County Family Court.
The page lists the address, hours, phone, and driving notes for the court, and it is the first stop when you need to plan a visit to the Records Department.
Note: The Family Court is a separate building from the main Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street, so make sure you head to 400 Court Street for family cases.
Kent County Courthouse Complex
The main Kent County Courthouse sits on a 5.3-acre site in Dover. The site is bordered by Federal Street, Water Street, and The Green. The courthouse holds the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, Justice of the Peace Court 16, the Register in Chancery, the Prothonotary, the Law Library, the Jury office, and the Capitol Police. The Attorney General and the Public Defender each keep satellite offices in the building. The Family Court is nearby at 400 Court Street but not inside the main courthouse. For a broad view of all Kent County courts, check Kent County Courts Information.
Below is the Kent County Courts information page.
The page lists every court in the county, shows where each one sits, and notes that CourtConnect handles civil case search for Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Court, though Family Court Records stay off the portal.
The Superior Court entrance is at 414 Federal Street in Dover. The mailing address is 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901. The Superior Court phone is 302-735-1900. See the Kent County Superior Court location page for full details. The Superior Court handles felony cases, major civil matters, and appeals from lower courts. It is not where family cases are filed, but it may hold older divorce records from before 1978 under the Prothonotary.
Court of Common Pleas records in Kent County are handled by Julie Brooks at 302-735-3925. The email for victims getting restitution payments is CCP_VICADDRESSCHANGE@DELAWARE.GOV. A helpful overview of the full county court setup sits at the Kent County Courthouse page on the Delaware Courts site.
How to Search Kent County Family Court Records
There are three ways to search Kent County Family Court Records. The first is in person at the Records Department on the ground floor of the Family Court at 400 Court Street. Bring a photo ID. The staff can look up a case by the name of either party or by the case number. Copies are made while you wait if the file is not too large. The second way is by mail. Write a short letter to the Kent County Family Court Records Department with the full names of both parties and the rough date of the decree. Send a check for the fee and a stamped envelope. The third way is by phone. Call 302-672-1045 to check on a file or set up a visit.
Family Court Records in Kent County are not on CourtConnect. Rule 90.1 keeps all Family Court case files private. Only the parties, their lawyers, other courts, and public agencies can view a file as of right. A non-party has to ask the court for access. The records access rules are posted at Family Court Records Access. For civil cases outside the Family Court, you can use CourtConnect to search Superior Court, Common Pleas, and JP Court dockets.
The record search process works best if you have the right case info on hand. Have the full legal name of each party ready. Know the rough year of the filing. If you have the case number, share it. If not, the staff can run a name search. Under Title 13 § 507, the Family Court has exclusive power over support cases, and those files are held in the same records room as divorce and custody.
Record request steps:
- Gather full names and the case year
- Decide if you need a plain copy or a certified copy
- Bring a photo ID for in-person pickup
- Send a check or money order for mail requests
- Allow a few days to a few weeks for mail processing
Note: Call ahead if you want to view a large or old file, since pulling an older case from storage can take extra time and staff can reserve a slot.
Kent County Court Directory
Kent County has more than one court, and it helps to know which court holds which files. The Family Court deals only with divorce, custody, child support, adoption, juvenile, and protection from abuse cases. Other courts hold other record sets. The Superior Court handles felony and major civil matters. The Court of Common Pleas handles misdemeanors and smaller civil claims. The Justice of the Peace Court hears small claims, traffic, and landlord-tenant cases.
Kent County Justice of the Peace Court locations:
- JP Court 6 at 35 Cams Fortune Way, Harrington, 302-422-5922
- JP Court 7 at 480 Bank Lane, Dover, 302-739-4554 for criminal, truancy, and DUI cases
- JP Court 8 at 100 Monrovia Avenue, Smyrna, 302-653-7083
- JP Court 16 in the Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street, Dover, for civil matters
For a one-page map of every court in Kent County with phone numbers and links, check the Kent County Court Directory at CourtReference.
The directory pulls every Kent County court into one list with address, phone, and a short note on what each court handles, which makes it a handy bookmark when you are not sure where to call.
Types of Kent County Family Court Records
The Family Court in Kent County holds several kinds of records. Divorce files are the most common. They include the petition, the answer, financial affidavits, property settlement agreements, custody and support orders, and the final decree. Custody and visitation orders are also in the records room. Support case files hold income data, pay orders, and arrears history. Adoption files are closed to the public. Juvenile cases are sealed at age 18 and destroyed at 21 with some narrow exceptions.
Divorce decrees go back to 1978 at the Kent County Family Court. Older divorce files from before 1978 may be at the Prothonotary in the Superior Court or at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. The Archives keeps historical court records for research use. Birth, death, and marriage records are held by the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics at 417 Federal Street, Dover. For certified birth, death, or marriage copies, see Delaware Vital Statistics.
Kent County Family Court Records fall into these main groups:
- Divorce petitions and final decrees
- Custody orders and parenting plans
- Child support orders and arrears history
- Protection from abuse orders
- Adoption files (restricted)
- Juvenile records (sealed at 18)
- Name change orders
Custody orders under Title 13 § 722 apply the best interests of the child test. The court looks at 14 factors. These include the wishes of the parents, the wishes of the child, the home and school setting, and the mental and physical health of all parties. The statute text is free to read on Title 13 of the Delaware Code on Justia.
Fees and Copies for Records
Copy fees for Kent County Family Court Records are modest. A plain photocopy runs about $1 per page. A certified copy of a divorce decree is a small flat fee plus per-page charges. An exemplified copy, which is used in other states or outside the U.S., costs more and takes longer to prepare. The full fee list is posted in the Records Room at 400 Court Street and on the Family Court site.
Three types of copies are on offer:
- Photocopy, for personal use or to share with a lawyer
- Certified copy, for remarriage, Social Security, or name change
- Exemplified copy, for courts in other states or other countries
Pay by check, money order, or cash at the window. Some fees can be paid by card. Call 302-672-1045 to ask about card acceptance. For the state page that breaks down the full fee schedule and copy types, visit Family Court Records Access.
Note: Always ask for a certified copy if you plan to use the record for a legal action, since a plain photocopy will not be accepted as proof by most agencies.
Related Kent County Records
Family Court Records often tie to other county records. A divorce case may touch on property deeds, mortgages, and tax records. Kent County property records are held by the Recorder of Deeds at the county office. For deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property papers, see the Kent County Recorder of Deeds. The office records and indexes property documents for the public. Property records may come into play when a divorce judgment splits a marital home.
For property ownership and assessment info, the Kent County Levy Court runs an online system called KCPMS. The Kent County Property Management System lets you search by owner name, parcel, or address. The system shows ownership, assessed value, and tax history. Kent County Levy Court is the county government and is made up of seven elected Commissioners. Six represent districts and one is at-large.
For historical court records, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover is the best source. The Archives holds older divorce and civil files from Kent County and the rest of the state. A criminal history for a Kent County resident can be requested from the Delaware State Bureau of Identification. For a deeper look at Kent County court records outside the Family Court, see Kent County Court Records.
The page gives a broad view of court records in Kent County and links to the main courthouse, the Family Court, and the Justice of the Peace Courts, which helps when you are not sure which court holds the file you want.
Kent County Family Law Basics
Delaware family law rules are set in Title 13 of the Delaware Code. The rules apply the same way across all three counties, Kent included. Under Title 13 § 1504, at least one party must have lived in Delaware for six months before filing for divorce. Delaware is a no-fault state. The only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, with the couple living apart for at least six months. Custody cases use the best interests test in Title 13 § 722. Support cases sit under Title 13 § 507, which gives the Family Court exclusive jurisdiction.
Rule 90.1 of the Family Court Civil Rules keeps all Family Court Records private. Only the parties, their lawyers, other courts, and public agencies have a right to see a file. Non-parties can ask the court for access under a showing of good cause. Rule 42.2 sets the steps to seal a record. These rules are why Kent County Family Court Records do not appear on the public CourtConnect portal.
Child support in Kent County uses the Income Shares Model. The court estimates what a household would have spent on the child if the family stayed together, then splits the amount between the parents based on income. For the full text of Title 13, see Title 13 on Justia, which lists every chapter by number.
Cities in Kent County
Kent County cities send their Family Court matters to the court in Dover. Pick a city below for a local guide to records access, the courthouse, and legal aid.
Nearby Counties
Kent County borders New Castle County to the north and Sussex County to the south. Pick a county to get the local Family Court details.