Sussex County Family Court Records

Sussex County Family Court Records cover divorce, custody, child support, adoption, and juvenile cases filed with the Family Court of Delaware at 22 The Circle in Georgetown. To search Sussex County Family Court Records, you can call the Records Department, stop by the courthouse in person, or check the state online case tools for related civil filings. Most family case files stay in Georgetown with the court that held the case. This page walks you through where to look, what to ask for, and how to get copies of Sussex County Family Court Records without wasted time.

The Sussex County Family Court

The Family Court of Delaware for Sussex County sits at 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. The main line is 302-855-7400 for case info and general help. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the court is closed on legal holidays. The building has ramp entries and auto doors for wheelchair users. For exact details, visit the official Sussex County Family Court location page.

The Sussex County Family Court sits in the historic circle area of Georgetown. The town grew up around this circle, and state courts have clustered here for years. The Family Court is one of four state-level courts based in or near this circle. It holds sole power over divorce, custody, support, paternity, adoption, and juvenile matters for the county. Staff at the clerk's desk can help you find the right form but cannot give legal advice. If you are not sure what to file, the Resource Center in the building has packets and self-help forms.

Here is the official court page that lists the address and phone lines for the Sussex County Family Court.

The page lists all phone lines, street and mail addresses, parking info, and handy notes for visitors heading to the Family Court in Georgetown.

Where to Find Sussex County Family Court Records

Sussex County Family Court Records are held at 22 The Circle in Georgetown. The Records Department runs the file room and can be reached at 302-855-7411. The Director of Operations is at 302-855-7478 for larger or complex requests. You can view files in person, ask for copies, or send a mail request with a check. For a plain-language guide to what the county holds, the site at Sussex County Court Records breaks it down by court.

All Sussex County court records flow from the county's multi-court system. The Family Court handles only domestic matters. Other courts based in Georgetown handle criminal, civil, and probate cases. Records from the Family Court do not sit in the same files as Superior Court or Court of Common Pleas. Keep this in mind when you ask for a file. If you think a case was heard by a different court, check with that clerk instead. Under Title 13 § 507, the Family Court has sole power over support cases, so those files will always be here.

Here is the Sussex County Court Records hub that lays out the courts and what each one keeps.

The page walks through case file types, copy fees, and how to reach each records office, which is a good read if you have never filed a records request in the county before.

For mail requests, send a short note with the full names of both parties, the rough date of the case, a check or money order for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Ship it to the Records Department, Family Court, 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. Staff pull the file and mail the copies back. Note the process takes 10 to 15 business days based on how busy the office is.

Search Sussex County Family Court Records Online

The state runs an online case portal called CourtConnect. It lets you search civil cases by name, business name, case type, or case number across Sussex County. CourtConnect covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court. Family Court files do not show up in CourtConnect. This is due to the privacy rule in Family Court Rule 90.1. Still, CourtConnect is useful for money judgments or civil filings tied to a family case.

The state court page for Family Court Records Access sets out the rules that apply at the Sussex County courthouse. Only the parties, their lawyers, other courts, and public agencies can view most files as of right. Non-parties must ask the court for access. The page also lists copy types, which are plain copy, certified copy, and exemplified copy. The same rules apply in all three Delaware counties.

For a guide that lists every court in the county, try Court Reference for Sussex County. The site groups courts by level and links to each one.

The directory shows addresses, phone numbers, and case types for the Family Court, Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and each Justice of the Peace Court that serves Sussex County.

For a deeper list of free and paid options, the Public Index for Sussex County notes what each court handles and where each one stores its files. The page also flags which records are open and which stay sealed under state law.

Sussex County Divorce Records

Divorce is the most common Family Court case type. A Sussex County divorce file can hold the petition, summons, financial affidavits, property settlement agreements, custody orders, support orders, hearing transcripts, and the final decree. Divorce decrees are kept permanently under the state retention schedule. Basic case info such as party names and case number is public, but deep financial data and custody items may be held back.

For copies, the Sussex County Family Court charges $10 for a plain copy of a divorce decree and $20 for a certified copy. Pay by check or money order made out to Family Court. Standard photocopies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are needed for Social Security, remarriage, name changes, and a few other legal tasks. Plain copies work for personal use. For more detail, see Sussex County Divorce Records.

Here is the Sussex Records divorce page that spells out the rules.

The page walks through who can get a certified divorce certificate, what the plain copy fee covers, and how long the Records Department takes to mail a copy out to a requester.

Under Title 13 § 1504, at least one spouse must have lived in Delaware for six months before filing for divorce. Delaware is a no-fault state. The sole ground is that the marriage is broken beyond repair due to a six-month separation. The rule comes from Chapter 15 of Title 13. For the full statute text, see Title 13 of the Delaware Code.

Other Sussex County Courts

The main Sussex County Courthouse is at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, and houses the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Court of Chancery. Superior Court is at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, with a phone line at 302-855-7055. Court of Common Pleas is at 1 The Circle, Suite 1, with a phone line at 302-858-5700. The Family Court stands next door at 22 The Circle. For a full list, see Sussex County Court Locations.

The Justice of the Peace Courts serve the rest of the county. Justice of the Peace Court 2 sits at 35252 Hudson Way in Rehoboth Beach at 302-645-6163. Justice of the Peace Court 3 is at 23730 Shortly Road in Georgetown at 302-856-1445. Justice of the Peace Court 4 is at 408 Stein Highway in Seaford at 302-628-2036 for criminal matters. Justice of the Peace Court 17, also at 23730 Shortly Road in Georgetown, handles civil cases at 302-856-1447. For a broader view, check Delaware Courts Sussex County.

Two points of note for records searchers:

• Superior Court hears felony cases and civil matters over $75,000
• Court of Common Pleas hears misdemeanors and civil cases under $75,000
• Court of Chancery hears equity matters such as trusts and business disputes
• Justice of the Peace Courts hear small claims and minor misdemeanors
• Family Court hears divorce, custody, support, and juvenile cases only

The Register of Wills at the courthouse handles probate matters for the county. If the file you want is tied to an estate, that office is the right stop. The Sussex County Law Library, also at the courthouse, has self-service kiosks for record searches, which can save time if you want to pull a docket without waiting for a clerk.

Retention Rules for Sussex County Family Court Records

Delaware courts hold records under a set retention schedule. The rule sits in Delaware Code Title 10 § 525. For Family Court in Sussex County, divorce records are kept forever. Custody and visitation records stay until the youngest child reaches 21. Juvenile delinquency files are sealed at age 18 and destroyed at 21, with some exceptions for serious cases. Adoption files stay sealed and are not public at all.

For Superior Court felony files, the rule is permanent for serious felonies and 20 years for all others. Superior Court civil files are kept 20 years past the last action. Court of Common Pleas files follow a shorter schedule. Justice of the Peace civil cases are kept five years. These rules matter if you are trying to pull an old file. A case that ended 30 years ago may still be on hand at the Family Court or the Prothonotary, but a Justice of the Peace file from that far back will be gone.

Privacy rules also shape what you can see. Family Court Rule 90.1 limits access to parties, their lawyers, other courts, and public agencies. Non-parties must ask the court for access with good cause. Under Title 13 § 722, the best interests of the child test is applied in custody cases, and the court keeps file details that touch on minors private. Mental health, medical, and school records tied to a child are routinely sealed or redacted.

Local Help for Sussex County Family Court Records

The Family Court Resource Center at 22 The Circle helps people who do not have a lawyer. Staff can point you to the right form, show you the filing steps, and answer basic process questions. They cannot give legal advice. The Sussex County Law Library at the main courthouse has free legal books, a self-service copy machine, and public kiosks for record searches. Interpreter services are free for non-English speakers in any court proceeding.

Free legal help may be on hand for low-income residents. Delaware Community Legal Aid, Legal Services Corporation of Delaware, and the Office of the Child Advocate all serve Sussex County. Some cases may also get a court-appointed lawyer, such as a dependency case or a juvenile delinquency matter. The Family Court of Delaware main page links to forms, FAQs, and filing packets that apply across all three counties.

Here are quick numbers to keep:

• Family Court main line: 302-855-7400
• Records Department: 302-855-7411
• Director of Operations: 302-855-7478
• Superior Court: 302-855-7055
• Court of Common Pleas: 302-858-5700

For more on how Delaware handles its Family Court cases, see the state agency pages. The records access rules, forms, and fee list all sit on the state website. Sussex County staff follow the same steps as New Castle and Kent, so the process will feel the same no matter which county your case is in. Under Title 13 § 507, all three Family Courts have the same power to hear support cases, and all follow the same rules on records.

Cities in Sussex County

Sussex County is the largest county in Delaware by land area. Several of its cities and towns have their own local resources tied to Family Court Records. All family case filings still go to the Family Court at 22 The Circle in Georgetown, but each city has its own guide with local details.

View Major Delaware Cities