New Castle County Family Court Records
New Castle County Family Court Records cover divorce, custody, support, adoption, and juvenile cases filed at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington. With more than 578,500 people, New Castle County is the most populous in the state, so it handles the bulk of Delaware family cases. To search New Castle County Family Court Records, you can call the Records Department, visit the clerk in person, or mail in a written request. This page walks through where to go, who to ask, and what to bring when you look up a file.
New Castle County at a Glance
New Castle County Family Court Office
The New Castle County Family Court sits inside the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center at 500 North King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The main phone line is 302-255-0300 for general case info. The Records Department direct line is 302-255-0241. Regular hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on legal holidays. Security screening is required at the door. Parking and public transit are both close at hand. For details on the building, see the New Castle County Family Court location page.
The court handles every family matter for the county. That covers divorce, child custody, visitation, child support, paternity, adoption, name changes, protection from abuse orders, and juvenile cases. A Resource Center on Lower Level 1 helps self-represented litigants find forms and basic info. Staff can point you to the right paperwork, but they cannot give legal advice or fill out forms on your behalf. For a fuller view of how the state court system is set up, see the Family Court of Delaware home page.
Below is the official location page for the New Castle County Family Court.
The page lists the full address, hours, parking notes, and direct phone numbers, which is useful if you need to plan a visit or reach the right staff line the first time.
Note: The Justice Center also houses the Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas, so double check signage for Family Court when you arrive.
Finding New Castle County Family Court Records
Family Court Records for New Castle County are held at the Records Department at 500 N. King Street, Suite 110, Wilmington. The Family Court issues copies of divorce records from 1978 to the present at this location. Records are kept in paper and electronic form, and staff pull the file by name and approximate date of the decree. In-person requests are usually served same day. For a general look at how records work in the county, see the New Castle County court records guide.
Older divorce files need a different stop. Divorce records created before 1978 are held at the New Castle County Prothonotary's Office in the Superior Court, which also sits at 500 North King Street. Historical records before 1975 may have been moved to the Delaware Public Archives at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North, Dover, DE 19901, where older court files are stored for long-term preservation. If you do not know the exact filing year, start with the Family Court Records Department and staff will help you find the right office.
Due to the private nature of family cases, there is no online search for New Castle County Family Court Records. Case inquiries must go by phone at 302-255-0300 or by visiting the court in person. For more on how the county handles public records, see the New Castle County records access page.
Below is the county divorce records guide.
The page spells out what to bring, what to pay, and where to go for a certified copy of a divorce decree, which is the most common type of Family Court Record requested by the public.
Types of Records Held at Family Court
The New Castle County Family Court files are large and varied. A divorce case file holds the petition, answers, financial affidavits, property agreements, custody orders, support orders, and the final decree. Custody cases may contain parenting plans, evaluator reports, and hearing transcripts. Support cases show wage orders, arrears, and modification requests. Adoption files are sealed. Juvenile cases are private by default.
Records retention varies. Divorce decrees are held for life. Custody and visitation records are kept until the youngest child turns 21. Support files stay active until the obligation ends. Juvenile delinquency files are sealed at age 18 and can be destroyed at 21 with some exceptions. This pattern matches the rules set out under Title 13 of the Delaware Code. For a list of files you can find at the court, check the New Castle County records overview.
Common New Castle County Family Court Records include:
- Divorce petitions and final decrees
- Custody orders and parenting plans
- Child support and alimony orders
- Protection from abuse orders
- Adoption files, which are sealed
- Juvenile delinquency files, which are private
- Name change orders
Under Title 13 § 507, Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over support cases. That means child support orders in New Castle County are all held by this one court, not by the Superior Court or Court of Common Pleas. For statute text, see Title 13 of the Delaware Code.
Search New Castle County Family Court Records Online
Family Court case files are not posted online. Rule 90.1 keeps Family Court Records private, so the state's online search tools do not pull family case data. That said, related civil and criminal cases can be searched on the web. The state portal CourtConnect shows Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court cases for the county. Searches are free by name, case number, or business name.
CourtConnect is useful for money judgments, civil filings tied to a divorce, or criminal cases that may overlap with family matters. Court of Common Pleas records can be requested by email at ccp_nccrecordsrequest@delaware.gov. For a broader look at the county court system, see the New Castle County courts directory.
Below is the county court directory.
The page lists every court in the county with addresses, phone numbers, and links to online record tools, which makes it the fastest way to find the right office for the record you need.
For a guide to the full record picture in the county, review the New Castle County public records overview. It sums up vital records, property records, and court records in one place.
The page lays out what court records look like across Delaware courts, marks out which are sealed or private, and points users to the right clerk for each file type, which helps cut down on wasted trips to the courthouse.
Note: If you need sealed or restricted files, you must file a written motion with the Family Court asking the judge to release them.
How to Request Family Court Records
There are three ways to ask for New Castle County Family Court Records. In person is the fastest path. Visit the Records Department at 500 N. King Street, Suite 110, in Wilmington. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or state ID card. Give staff the full names of both parties and the approximate date of the decree. They will pull the file and make copies while you wait. For the rules behind record access, see Family Court Records Access.
Mail requests are accepted. Send a written request to the Records Department with the names of both parties, the approximate date of the divorce, a check or money order for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Staff will pull the file, make copies, and mail them back. Processing time runs from a few days to a few weeks based on volume. For certified divorce certificates in addition to the court file, the Office of Vital Statistics at 258 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702 handles those separately.
Phone appointments can help. Call 302-255-0241 to reach the Records Department direct line. Staff can confirm if a file exists, quote the fee, and set a time for you to come pick up copies. Appointments cut wait time. They are a smart move for old or bulky files. Some research questions can be handled over the phone without a trip to the courthouse.
Fees for New Castle County Family Court Records are low. A certified copy costs $4 for the first copy and $1 for each added copy. Plain photocopies run per page. Exemplified copies for use in other states or countries cost more due to extra authentication. Staff will quote the full fee before pulling the file. For a rundown of state court fees overall, see the Wilmington public records guide.
Privacy Rules for New Castle County Family Court Records
Family Court Rule 90.1 makes New Castle County Family Court Records private except to the parties, their lawyers, other courts, and public agencies. This is the main reason family case files do not show up on the state's online search tools. Non-parties who want access must ask the court for permission. A judge weighs the privacy of the parties against the public's right to know.
Some files are always sealed. Adoption records, juvenile delinquency files, mental health proceedings, and records involving minors are off limits to the public. Dependency and neglect cases are private. Even for a public divorce file, financial data, custody evaluations, and medical records may be redacted before release. Under Title 13 § 722, custody cases apply the best interests of the child test, and reports that touch on the child's welfare tend to get sealed.
A party can ask the court to seal other records with a showing of good cause. The court balances openness against the need to protect the parties. Delaware's Freedom of Information Act makes most court records public as a general rule, but Family Court has built-in limits that override the general rule. For a fuller view of records access law in the county, check the Wilmington public records page.
Privacy First: Family Court Rule 90.1 treats all files as private. You must be a party, a lawyer of record, or get court approval to view records.
New Castle County Divorce Records
Divorce records are the most asked-for New Castle County Family Court Records. The Family Court holds divorce files from 1978 to the present. For files before 1978, you need the Prothonotary's Office in Superior Court, also at 500 North King Street. For files older than 1975, try the Delaware Public Archives in Dover.
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 main ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken due to mutual separation without cohabitation for at least six months. Divorce decrees from New Castle County serve as legal proof of marital status change, which is required for remarriage, name changes, Social Security benefits, loan applications, and immigration matters. For the full request process, see the New Castle County divorce records guide.
Certified copies are needed for most legal uses. Photocopies are fine for personal reference. Exemplified copies are for use in other states or countries and cost extra. For a certified divorce certificate as opposed to the court file, the Office of Vital Statistics at 258 Chapman Road, Newark is the place to go. Both offices play a part in the full divorce record picture.
Legal Help and Local Resources
Many people come to Family Court without a lawyer. The Resource Center on Lower Level 1 of the Justice Center in Wilmington offers forms and basic info for self-represented litigants. Staff help you find the right packet for divorce, custody, support, or protection from abuse. They cannot give legal advice or fill out forms for you. Free forms and instructions can be printed from the court's forms library ahead of time.
Low-income residents may qualify for help from Delaware Volunteer Legal Services or Community Legal Aid Society. Both groups have offices in Wilmington and handle family matters. Bar-referral services connect you to a paid lawyer for an initial meeting at a low flat rate. The Delaware State Bar Association runs a referral line. For a statewide resource map, see the Delaware Courts New Castle page.
Court of Chancery also sits at the Justice Center, Suite 11400. Chancery handles equity cases, trusts, and business disputes, not family matters. If you were sent to Chancery by mistake, staff can point you to Family Court. The two courts share a building but not a docket.
Cities in New Castle County
All cities in New Castle County send their Family Court matters to the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington. Below are the main cities with pages on this site.