Sussex County is the State of Delaware’s second-most populous county, with over 200,000 residents. It is also the largest county in the state in terms of geography, covering a total area of 1,196 square miles. Georgetown is the county seat and one of the 25 municipalities in Sussex County.

Courts in Sussex County

The Superior Court has original jurisdiction over most criminal and civil cases in Sussex County, excluding equity cases and domestic relations matters. In addition to exclusively handling felonies, the court hears drug offense cases. The Superior Court also hears appeals from lower courts and administrative agencies in the county.

The Court of Chancery has jurisdiction over equity cases and probate matters, such as trusts and administration of estates. It also handles legal disputes arising from corporate and commercial cases, land and real estate issues, and breaches of contract.

In Sussex County, the Court of Common Pleas exercises criminal jurisdiction over several offenses, including misdemeanor crimes, adult drug offenses, and motor vehicle code violations. Additionally, the court hears appeals of criminal cases from the Justice of the Peace Courts and Alderman Courts. The court also handles non-criminal matters, such as petitions to change names, administrative appeals from agencies, and civil lawsuits where the amount in dispute is up to $75,000.

The Family Court proceedings in Sussex County include cases involving minors, such as child neglect and abuse, guardianships, juvenile delinquency, support and custody, adoptions, and visitation rights/arrangements. Additionally, the court handles divorces, enforcement of separation agreements, annulments, property divisions, adult misdemeanors against minors, and issues protection orders.

The Justice of Peace Courts in Sussex County exercise jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. The courts have criminal jurisdiction over certain misdemeanors, such as indecent exposure, bribery, offensive touching with bodily fluid, 2nd-degree vehicular assault, and sexual harassment. Justice of Peace Courts also handles local ordinance violations, truancy cases, motor vehicle offenses, fish and wildlife offenses, alcohol-related violations, and some juvenile offenses. The court’s civil proceedings involve landlord/tenant disputes, and cases concerning breaches of contract, negligence, or replevin actions with damages not exceeding $25,000.

Some of Sussex County's municipalities have Alderman Courts that hear cases involving traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and violations of local ordinances.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Sussex County

Interested persons can find public court records in Sussex County online or through public access terminals in the courthouses. The Clerks also keep the records of cases that are heard at their respective courts and allow individuals to inspect them at their Offices. Anyone may get copies of official court documents from the Clerks' Offices or mail their written requests/completed records request forms to the Clerks’ addresses.

Types of Public Court Records in Sussex County

Anyone can access the following types of public court records in Sussex County:

• Civil Court Records
• Probate Court Records
• Domestic Relations Court Records
• Traffic Court Records
• Small Claims Court Records
• Criminal Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Sussex County

While public access is provided for most court records in Sussex County, some court records are confidential to comply with Delaware laws or court orders. Unlike open records, confidential court records in Sussex County are accessible online and may only be inspected by litigants or anyone authorized by the court. Examples of confidential court records include:

• Adoption records
• Medical records
• Expunged criminal records
• Juvenile records
• Child abuse and neglect record
• Mental health records

Juvenile Delinquency in Sussex, DE

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Sussex County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Delaware often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 811 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Sussex County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 811 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Sussex County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Sussex County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Sussex County, DE

https://delaware.gov/

County Seat:	Georgetown
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1680
Total Square Miles:	1,196
2019 Population:	225,322
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01

Sussex County, DE Courts