Sussex County
Sussex County is Delaware's southernmost and largest county by area, covering 983 square miles with an estimated population of over 250,000. The county was organized/founded in 1683 and is the state's second-largest county in population.
The Court system serving Sussex County residents comprises a Family Court, Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and a Justice of the Peace. The Family Court handles all cases involving family and juvenile domestic issues like divorce, support, guardianship, adoption, and custody. The Superior Court, on the other hand, has original jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases, except for matters that fall under the mandate of the Family Court. The county's Superior Court is subdivided into separate divisions, namely the Jury Unit, Criminal Unit, Drug Court, and Civil Unit.
Sussex County's Court of Common Pleas is a trial court with criminal jurisdiction over preliminary hearings in felony charges, misdemeanors, and motor vehicle offenses. In addition, this court hears civil actions in which the amount in dispute does not exceed $50,000. The Justice of the Peace Court exercises jurisdiction over civil matters relating to debt and actions to recover personal property in which the disputed amount is $15,000 or less. It is the entry-level court in Sussex County where most criminal cases are first heard. The court equally handles landlord/tenant matters, certain motor vehicle cases excluding felonies, and certain misdemeanors.
Members of the public can access Sussex County court records at the County Courthouse, provided the records of interest are non-confidential and not sealed. Court records include filings, transcripts, documents, judgments, and information generated during filing/hearing legal proceedings. Public court records that can be publicly accessed in Sussex County include those gathered from the following case types:
- Criminal cases
- Drug cases
- Civil cases
- Family law cases
Sussex County public court records can also be accessed online through CourtConnect, a database managed by the Judicial Branch of Delaware Courts. Interested persons can search records of interests by case type, personal name, or business name.
