Find Dissolution Of Marriage In Sussex County

Sussex County Dissolution Of Marriage records are kept at the Family Court at 22 The Circle in Georgetown. This is the southernmost Delaware county and the largest by area, covering beach towns, farmland, and the state's resort coast. Family Court staff in Georgetown can pull divorce case files, make certified copies, and answer filing questions for every case granted in the county from 1979 to the present. This page covers how to search, what to pay, and where older files sit.

Sussex County Family Court For Dissolution Of Marriage

The Family Court of Delaware - Sussex County sits at 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. The direct line is (302) 855-7473. This is where Dissolution Of Marriage cases for the entire county are filed and where the Records Department keeps the paper trail.

Records Department hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in copy requests usually take 1 to 3 business days. Mail requests take 10 to 15 business days. The cost is $4.00 per certified page and $1.00 per plain page, paid by cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card, with checks made out to "Family Court."

The Georgetown campus also hosts the Superior Court at 1 The Circle, the Court of Common Pleas at 1 The Circle Suite 1, the Court of Chancery at 34 The Circle, and the Recorder of Deeds at 2 The Circle. Georgetown is the home of the Return Day tradition, which has been held every two years since 1792. For Dissolution Of Marriage filings, head to the Family Court at 22 The Circle.

How To Search Sussex County Divorce Records

Sussex County divorce searches use the statewide CourtConnect portal plus in-person visits to the Family Court in Georgetown. CourtConnect covers Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court civil cases, but Family Court cases have limited online access for privacy reasons.

Sussex County court operations sit around The Circle in Georgetown. Superior Court is at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, (302) 855-7055, and handles felonies, major civil cases over $50,000, and appeals. The Court of Common Pleas sits at 1 The Circle, Suite 1, (302) 858-5700, and handles civil cases up to $50,000, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings. Justice of the Peace Court 3 at 23730 Shortly Road, Georgetown, (302) 856-5871, handles minor civil matters under $25,000, landlord-tenant, and traffic.

For Dissolution Of Marriage cases, Sussex County residents always go to the Family Court at 22 The Circle. The Court of Chancery at 34 The Circle, (302) 856-5815, handles equity matters, corporate disputes, and guardianships but not divorce. The Assessment Office is at 22 The Circle, and the Recorder of Deeds and Clerk of the Peace sit at 2 The Circle.

Free options for Sussex County divorce record access include in-person court review during public counter hours (view only, no copy fee), the Delaware Public Archives research room in Dover (free access, appointments recommended), and CourtConnect for basic case data. Certified paper copies are $4.00 per page; plain copies are $1.00 per page.

The screenshot below shows the Sussex County divorce records guide, which lists fee and access rules. See the page at sussexrecords.us/divorce-records.

Sussex County divorce records are created under 13 Del. C. Chapter 15. The case file can include the divorce petition, summons, financial affidavits, property settlement agreements, custody arrangements, court orders, and the final decree.

Types Of Sussex County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Sussex County divorce records fall into three classes. A divorce certificate is a short document that proves the divorce took place. A divorce decree is the full court order. Divorce court records include transcripts and minutes and are considered private under state law.

Basic case data such as names, case numbers, and filing dates is open to the public. Final decrees are available with some personal information redacted. Financial affidavits and custody evaluations are usually restricted. Cases with minor children get extra privacy. Cases involving domestic violence may be sealed or redacted per Delaware statute.

The screenshot below shows the Sussex County court records overview, which lays out which documents sit in which case types. View the page at sussexrecords.us/court-records.

The page notes that Delaware Supreme Court Administrative Directive No. 2007-6 requires redaction of Social Security numbers, financial accounts, and full dates of birth from any public file.

Certified divorce certificates in Sussex County are limited to the divorced parties themselves, authorized legal representatives, individuals with a court order, and government agencies. Uncertified copies are informational and can be viewed by the general public.

Sussex County Public Records And Archives

Sussex County was established in 1683. Georgetown, the county seat, was founded in 1791 and was placed at the geographic center of the county. The Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle houses the Superior Court. The Family Court at 22 The Circle handles Dissolution Of Marriage cases.

For historical divorce records from early 1900s to 1975, contact the Sussex County Prothonotary. For records before 1900, contact the Delaware Public Archives at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North, Dover, DE 19901, (302) 744-5000. The Archives holds card-indexed divorces granted by Acts of the State Legislature in the 1800s.

The screenshot below shows the Sussex County public records directory. Browse the page at publicrecordcenter.com.

The directory covers Superior Court filings, probate records held by the Register in Chancery, and small-claims filings through the Justice of the Peace Courts.

Sussex County also hosts the Court of Chancery at 34 The Circle in Georgetown, which handles equity matters, corporate disputes, and guardianships. For Dissolution Of Marriage, Chancery does not have jurisdiction. You always go to Family Court on The Circle.

Filing A Sussex County Dissolution Of Marriage

Sussex County divorces follow the same statewide rules as the rest of Delaware. Under 13 Del. C. § 1504, the petitioner or respondent must have lived in Delaware for six months before filing. Under 13 Del. C. § 1505, the court grants a divorce when the marriage is irretrievably broken and reconciliation is not likely.

Parties with minor children must take a Parent Education Class before the court enters a final decree. The court offers mediation services at Georgetown to help spouses resolve custody, support, and property disputes without a contested hearing. Self-represented filers can use the Resource Center at the Family Court on The Circle. The Divorce Forms library on the state courts site has every form you need.

Sussex County Justice of the Peace Courts are in Georgetown (Court 7), Lewes (Court 3), Seaford (Court 4), and Millsboro (Court 6). They handle landlord-tenant, traffic, and small claims matters. They do not process divorce. For any Dissolution Of Marriage case in Sussex County, the filing goes to Family Court at 22 The Circle, Georgetown.

Cities In Sussex County

Sussex County cities include Seaford and Lewes, plus the Sussex-side portion of Milford. All file Dissolution Of Marriage cases through the Family Court in Georgetown.

Nearby Delaware Counties

Sussex County sits south of Kent County and New Castle County.