Kent County
Kent County was founded in 1680 and is located in central Delaware. Its county seat is Dover, the state's capital and the county's largest city. Kent County has a population of around 182,400 residents and covers an area of approximately 586 square miles. Like other counties in Delaware, Kent County does not have county-level government structures but relies on state courts for legal matters.
Kent County's court system consists of the Superior Court, Court of Chancery, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and Justice of the Peace Courts. The Superior Court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, including felonies and civil matters with claims exceeding $50,000. Kent County Court of Chancery has jurisdiction over business disputes and probate matters. It also handles equity cases, corporate issues, disputes over title to real estate, and other commercial and contract cases. Court of Common Pleas handles most misdemeanors, preliminary hearings in felony cases, civil claims under $50,000, and certain appeals from lower courts. Family Court oversees domestic relations cases, including divorce, child custody, most juvenile delinquency matters, child neglect cases, and adoption. It also handles criminal cases such as misdemeanors against a child and non-felony offenses committed among family members. Justice of the Peace Courts exercises limited jurisdiction over certain misdemeanors, non-felony traffic cases, and preliminary hearings for all crimes. It also handles contract disputes, tort, personal injury, damage to property, and general civil claims less than $15,000, exclusive of interest.
Kent County's public court records are generated through judicial activities, and they reflect proceedings such as court filings, motions, pleas, rulings, hearings, and trials from the various courts in the county. Common court records include:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Probate Records
- Family Records
These records are maintained by the Clerk of the Court and made accessible to the public under the Freedom of Information Act to ensure transparency and accountability. Certain sensitive documents, such as those related to juvenile matters and adoptions, are restricted from public access. Public records and dockets can be accessed through the Delaware Courts website, Delaware Judiciary's Case Search portal.
or in person by visiting the county courthouse at:
Kent County Courthouse
414 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 735-1900
