Kent County Public Records /Kent County Court Records

Kent County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Kent County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Kent County, Delaware, may access publicly available case information through several official channels. KentCountyRecords.us provides a directory of resources and publicly available information related to court records maintained by Delaware's judicial system. Depending on the case type and the court involved, records may include civil filings, criminal case histories, family court matters, probate proceedings, and traffic violations. The availability of specific documents depends on applicable state law, court rules, and whether a record has been sealed, expunged, or otherwise restricted.

Court records in Kent County may be searched through the following methods:

Clerk of Court or Court Records Office — The Prothonotary's Office serves as the official clerk for the Superior Court in Kent County and maintains civil case files. The Clerk of the Peace maintains certain local records. Requesters may visit in person during business hours and provide a case number, party name, or filing date to locate a record.
Courthouse Public Access Terminals — Public computer terminals are available at the Kent County Courthouse for on-site case lookups. These terminals allow members of the public to search docket entries and case status information without charge.
Online Court Search — The State of Delaware provides Delaware Court Connect, a statewide judicial case database that allows users to search case information, generate docket reports, and view case activities for participating courts.
State-Level Judicial Search Tools — The Delaware Courts civil docket search allows access to civil case records from the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court. Users may search by party name, case number, or attorney.
Written or Mail Requests — Members of the public may submit written requests to the Prothonotary's Office. Requests should include the full case caption, case number if known, and the specific documents sought. Fees apply for copies and certified copies.

Are Court Records Public In Kent County

Court records in Kent County are subject to public access under Delaware law. The Delaware Freedom of Information Act, codified at 29 Del. C. § 10001 et seq., establishes the public's right to inspect and copy public records maintained by government agencies, including judicial records not otherwise exempted. The Delaware Supreme Court's administrative rules further govern access to court records across all levels of the state judiciary.

Records that are generally public include:

Docket entries and case status information
Party names (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent)
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Filed pleadings, motions, and responses
Court orders and final judgments
Sentencing entries and disposition records
Probate filings and estate inventories

Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:

Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
Adoption proceedings and related filings
Mental health commitment records
Expunged criminal records
Sealed filings ordered by the court
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth, which are redacted pursuant to court rules

As the Delaware Courts note in their public access policies, a distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online availability. Certain records accessible at the courthouse terminal or clerk's counter may not be available through online search portals due to system limitations or administrative restrictions.

What Are Court Records in Kent County?

Court records are the official documents and data generated by the judicial system in connection with a case from its initiation through final disposition and any subsequent appeal. In Kent County, court records are created when a party files a complaint, petition, indictment, or other initiating document with the appropriate court. Each filing is assigned a case number and entered into the court's docket, which serves as the official chronological log of all proceedings.

A distinction exists between docket entries and full case files. A docket entry is a summary notation of a filing or court event, while the full case file contains the actual documents submitted by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document the prosecution of offenses charged by the State of Delaware. Filed pleadings represent the parties' initial positions, whereas final judgments reflect the court's ultimate resolution of the matter.

Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings require a court order or statutory authority to access. Trial court records are maintained by the clerk of the relevant trial court, while appellate records are maintained by the Delaware Supreme Court's clerk. The Delaware Courts system encompasses multiple levels of courts, each with its own clerk's office responsible for maintaining official records.

Records are updated continuously as new filings are received, hearings are held, and orders are entered. Upon final disposition, the record is closed but remains subject to retention and access rules.

What's Included in a Kent County Court Record?

A court record in Kent County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type, the court involved, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case identification: Case number, court name and division, and filing date
Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and counsel of record
Case classification: Case type (civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic) and current status
Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
Hearing information: Scheduled and completed hearing dates, continuances, and trial dates
Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, responses, notices, affidavits, and supporting exhibits where not restricted
Court-issued documents: Orders, judgments, decrees, minute entries, and opinions
Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
Financial and administrative data: Filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed

Records commonly exclude or restrict the following:

Sealed filings and expunged matters
Juvenile case files
Adoption records
Protected personal data such as Social Security numbers and financial identifiers
Certain exhibits containing sensitive information
Mental health and substance abuse treatment records protected by statute

Types of Courts in Kent County

Kent County is served by multiple courts within the Delaware Courts unified judicial system. Each court has defined jurisdiction and maintains its own official records through a designated clerk's office.

Superior Court — Kent County The Superior Court is a court of general jurisdiction that hears felony criminal cases, major civil matters, and appeals from lower courts. The Prothonotary serves as the clerk of the Superior Court.

Kent County Superior Court
38 The Green
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-5332
Superior Court – Delaware Courts

Court of Common Pleas — Kent County The Court of Common Pleas handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $75,000, and appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court.

Court of Common Pleas – Kent County
38 The Green
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-4066
Delaware Courts

Family Court — Kent County The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, custody, child support, adoption, juvenile delinquency, and child protection matters.

Family Court – Kent County
400 Court Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-5323
Delaware Courts

Justice of the Peace Court The Justice of the Peace Court handles civil claims up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, misdemeanor traffic offenses, and certain criminal matters.

Justice of the Peace Court – Kent County
480 Bank Lane
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 739-4680
Delaware Courts

What Types of Cases Do Kent County Courts Hear

Kent County courts collectively hear criminal felonies and misdemeanors, civil disputes, family law matters including divorce and custody, juvenile delinquency and dependency cases, probate and estate proceedings, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims, traffic violations, and appeals from lower courts. The Superior Court exercises general jurisdiction, while the Justice of the Peace Court and Court of Common Pleas exercise limited jurisdiction over defined case categories. As the Superior Court maintains offices in Kent County, it serves as the primary venue for serious criminal prosecutions and significant civil litigation within the county.

How to Search Kent County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may inspect court records at no charge through in-person review at the courthouse or through free online tools provided by the Delaware judiciary. The following methods are available at no cost:

Method	Cost	Notes
In-person inspection at clerk's office	Free	Available during business hours
Courthouse public access terminals	Free	On-site use only
Delaware Court Connect online search	Free	Docket and case status information
Delaware Courts civil docket search	Free	Superior Court, CCP, JP Court civil cases

Fees apply when copies or certified copies are requested. Under the Delaware Superior Court Civil Rules and the Prothonotary's fee schedule, standard copy fees are assessed per page, and certified copy fees include an additional certification charge. Pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 10003, agencies may charge a reasonable fee for reproducing public records. Members of the public seeking certified copies should contact the Prothonotary's Office directly to confirm current per-page rates.

The Delaware Court Connect portal provides free access to docket reports and case activity information for cases in participating courts. The civil docket search tool on the Delaware Courts website similarly provides free access to civil case information from the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court.

How Long Does Kent County Keep Court Records?

Court record retention in Delaware is governed by judicial retention schedules established by the Delaware Supreme Court and applicable state archival authority. Retention periods vary by case type and court level.

Criminal case files for felony convictions are retained permanently or for extended periods consistent with the gravity of the offense. Civil judgment records are retained for periods sufficient to cover the enforceability of the judgment under 10 Del. C. § 5072, which governs the duration of judgment liens. Family court records, including divorce decrees and custody orders, are retained for extended periods due to their ongoing legal significance. Probate records are retained permanently as they establish property ownership and inheritance chains.

Traffic and minor misdemeanor records may be subject to shorter retention schedules. Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official record of court proceedings. Paper case files may be destroyed after imaging or microfilming, provided the electronic or film copy is preserved in accordance with the retention schedule.

Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the Delaware Public Archives. The distinction between destruction, archival retention, sealing, and expungement is significant: destruction removes the physical record, archival retention transfers it to a repository, sealing restricts access without destroying the record, and expungement under 11 Del. C. § 4372 removes certain criminal records from public access entirely.

How To Find a Court Docket in Kent County

A court docket is the official chronological index of all filings, hearings, and actions taken in a case. It differs from the full case file in that it provides a summary log rather than the actual documents filed. The docket serves as the primary navigation tool for locating specific filings within a case record.

Dockets for Kent County cases may be accessed through the following channels:

Delaware Court Connect: The Delaware Court Connect portal allows users to search the statewide judicial case database, generate docket reports, and view case activities. Users may search by case number, party name, or attorney name. The system returns a docket report listing all entries with filing dates and brief descriptions.
Civil Docket Search: The Delaware Courts civil docket search provides docket access for civil cases in the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court. This tool is available without registration or fee.
Courthouse Public Terminals: On-site terminals at the Kent County Courthouse allow members of the public to search docket entries and print docket reports. Terminal access is available during regular courthouse business hours.
Clerk's Office Request: Members of the public may request a docket report from the Prothonotary's Office in person or by written request. Staff can retrieve docket information by case number or party name.

A court docket contains hearing dates, continuances, motion filings, minute entries, order entries, and status updates. It does not contain the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, exhibits, or confidential attachments. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. The Delaware Courts system maintains docket information across all participating courts, and the level of detail available online may vary by court and case type.