| Prothonotary (Superior Court) | Superior Court Prothonotary — Kent County |
|---|---|
| Register of Wills | Kent County Register of Wills |
| Clerk address | Superior Court Prothonotary and Court of Common Pleas: 414 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901 (mailing: 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901). Family Court: 445 S. Governors Ave., Dover, DE 19904 (moved from 400 Court St. on September 3, 2026). Register of Wills: 555 Bay Rd., 2nd Floor, Room 214, Dover, DE 19901 |
| Phone | Superior Court Prothonotary (302) 735-1900; Family Court (302) 672-1000; Justice of the Peace Court 16 (302) 739-4316; Register of Wills (302) 744-2330 |
| Hours | Prothonotary: Monday-Friday 8:15am-4:30pm. Family Court: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Register of Wills walk-in hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:00pm, Friday 8:30am-3:30pm (phones answered Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm; appointment required to open or close an estate). |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $2.00 per page (Superior Court Prothonotary; up to $8.00 per page for fax copies) |
| Certified copy fee | $15.00 for a certified copy of a document up to 3 pages (Superior Court); $25.00 for an exemplified copy up to 3 pages |
Kent County's courts are centered in Dover, split across two buildings a short walk apart on The Green. The Superior Court Prothonotary, at 414 Federal Street, is the clerk for felony criminal and general civil cases and also houses the Court of Common Pleas. The Family Court handles divorce, custody, child support, and juvenile matters for the whole county; as of September 3, 2026 it has moved from its old Court Street building to 445 S. Governors Avenue in Dover.
Probate is handled by the Kent County Register of Wills, an elected county office on the second floor of the Kent County Levy Court Administrative Complex at 555 Bay Road, which — unlike the Superior Court — has its own dedicated online probate search system separate from CourtConnect.
As in the rest of Delaware, most Kent County trial-court case information is searched through the statewide CourtConnect tool rather than a county-specific portal; the county-run systems are the Register of Wills' probate search and, for filing, the Justice of the Peace Court's eFlex system.
Search Kent County court records online
Prothonotary (Superior Court)
Superior Court Prothonotary — Kent County
- Cost
- Free index search on CourtConnect; copy fees apply per the Superior Court fee schedule
- Coverage
- Superior Court felony criminal and general civil case files for Kent County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
Located at 414 Federal St., Dover (mailing address 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901). Search case information on CourtConnect; request copies from the Prothonotary's office directly.
Register of Wills
Kent County Register of Wills
- Cost
- Free probate search online; copy and filing fees apply for estate documents
- Coverage
- Probate, estate administration, and will records for Kent County
- Records
- Probate
A separately elected county office, not part of the state court system. Located at 555 Bay Road, 2nd Floor, Room 214, Dover. Appointments are required to open or close an estate; wills can be deposited for safekeeping by appointment. Use the Kent County Probate Search System link for records. Fees are payable by cash, check, or money order only.
Other courts
Kent County Probate Search System
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Online search of Kent County probate/estate filings
- Records
- Probate
Run by the Register of Wills' office as a self-service alternative to visiting in person.
Other courts
Court of Common Pleas — Kent County
- Cost
- Free index search on CourtConnect
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal cases, DUI, civil claims up to $75,000, and landlord-tenant appeals
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Located at the Kent County Courthouse, 38 The Green, Dover; searchable through CourtConnect.
Other courts
Family Court — Kent County
- Cost
- Not applicable; most records are confidential
- Coverage
- Divorce, custody, child support, protection from abuse, and juvenile matters for Kent County
- Records
- Family
Moved on September 3, 2026 from 400 Court St. to 445 S. Governors Ave., Dover, DE 19904. Most files, especially juvenile and child-related matters, are confidential and not on CourtConnect.
Other courts
Justice of the Peace Court 16 — Kent County
- Cost
- Free index search on CourtConnect
- Coverage
- Small claims, landlord-tenant, traffic, and minor criminal cases for Kent County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
JP Court 16, at 414 Federal St., Room 173, Dover (Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm; 302-739-4316), handles civil matters. Criminal cases go to JP Court 7 in Dover (open 24 hours), JP Court 6 in Harrington, or JP Court 8 in Smyrna; all Kent County JP courts are listed on the state JP Court locations page.
What is available online
CourtConnect covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court dockets for Kent County. Family Court records are largely confidential. The Register of Wills maintains its own separate Kent County Probate Search System for wills and estate filings, which is not part of CourtConnect.
Which clerk has your record
In Delaware, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Delaware page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Court of Chancery | Corporate and business disputes; Trusts, estates, and other fiduciary matters; Disputes over real property title | Register in Chancery |
| Superior Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits with no dollar limit; Appeals from the Court of Common Pleas and administrative agencies | Prothonotary of the county |
| Family Court | Divorce, custody, and child support; Juvenile delinquency; Protection from abuse petitions | Clerk of Family Court (Family Court Commissioner's office handles some filings) |
| Court of Common Pleas | Misdemeanor criminal cases and DUI; Civil claims up to $75,000; Preliminary hearings for felony cases | Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas |
| Justice of the Peace Court | Small claims and civil cases under $15,000; Landlord-tenant and eviction cases; Traffic and minor criminal offenses | Clerk of the individual Justice of the Peace Court |
Request records in person or by mail
Kent County clerk offices
Superior Court Prothonotary and Court of Common Pleas: 414 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901 (mailing: 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901). Family Court: 445 S. Governors Ave., Dover, DE 19904 (moved from 400 Court St. on September 3, 2026). Register of Wills: 555 Bay Rd., 2nd Floor, Room 214, Dover, DE 19901
Phone: Superior Court Prothonotary (302) 735-1900; Family Court (302) 672-1000; Justice of the Peace Court 16 (302) 739-4316; Register of Wills (302) 744-2330
Hours: Prothonotary: Monday-Friday 8:15am-4:30pm. Family Court: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Register of Wills walk-in hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:00pm, Friday 8:30am-3:30pm (phones answered Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm; appointment required to open or close an estate).
Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas records. Search CourtConnect first. For copies or documents not shown online, contact the Prothonotary's office at 414 Federal St., Dover, in person or by mail. Include the case number if known, the documents needed, and whether you need plain or certified copies.
Family Court records. Contact the Family Court Records Department at 445 S. Governors Ave., Dover (the court's new location as of September 2026), directly, since most files are confidential and are not searchable by the public online.
Probate and will records. Use the free Kent County Probate Search System online, or contact the Register of Wills at 555 Bay Rd., 2nd Floor, Room 214. Appointments are required to open or close an estate, and fees are payable only by cash, check, or money order; the office also accepts wills for safekeeping by appointment.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Delaware |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $2.00 per page (Superior Court Prothonotary; up to $8.00 per page for fax copies) |
| Certified copy | $15.00 for a certified copy of a document up to 3 pages (Superior Court); $25.00 for an exemplified copy up to 3 pages |
Figures are from the Superior Court's published Civil & Criminal Fees schedule (Civil Rule 77(h)): $2.00 maximum per page for plain copies, $8.00 maximum per page for fax copies, $15.00 for a certified copy and $25.00 for an exemplified copy of a document up to 3 pages, with the regular per-page charge added beyond 3 pages. Retrieving a closed case file costs $25.00 ($50.00 expedited). The Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the Peace Court publish their own fee schedules and amounts can differ, and Register of Wills copy fees are set separately by each county. Checks are payable to "The State of Delaware."
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Delaware court records are presumed open under each court's public-access policy, but the specific rules differ by court: Administrative Directive No. 2000-5 governs public access to Superior Court judicial records, and Administrative Directive No. 2007-2 governs access to Court of Common Pleas records. Justice of the Peace Court has separate policies for judicial and administrative records. Family Court records are confidential far more often than not, especially juvenile delinquency, dependency/neglect, and child-support matters.
The Delaware guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I search for a Kent County court case?
Use CourtConnect for Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, or Justice of the Peace Court cases. Family Court records are largely confidential, and probate/estate matters are searched through the separate Kent County Probate Search System instead.
Is there an online will or estate search for Kent County?
Yes, the Kent County Probate Search System at willssearch.kentcountyde.gov is a free tool run by the Register of Wills for searching estate filings.
Where is the Kent County courthouse?
The Superior Court Prothonotary, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court 16 are at 414 Federal St. in Dover; Family Court moved in September 2026 to 445 S. Governors Ave.; and the Register of Wills is on the 2nd floor of the county Administrative Complex at 555 Bay Rd.
How do I request a certified copy of a Kent County Superior Court document?
Contact the Prothonotary's office at 414 Federal St., Dover, in person or by mail, and specify that you need a certified copy rather than a plain copy.
Sources
- Superior Court — Kent County Location — https://www.courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_kt.aspx
- Court of Common Pleas — Kent County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/ccp_kt.aspx
- Family Court — Kent County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/family_kt.aspx
- Kent County Register of Wills — https://www.kentcountyde.gov/Residents/Wills-Estates
- Kent County Probate Search System — https://willssearch.kentcountyde.gov/
- Justice of the Peace Court 16 — Kent County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/jp16.aspx
- Justice of the Peace Court Locations — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/jpcourt.aspx
- Delaware Courts — An Overview of the Delaware Court System — https://courts.delaware.gov/overview.aspx
- Superior Court — Civil & Criminal Fees — https://courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees.aspx
- Delaware Courts CourtConnect — https://courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov/cc/cconnect/ck_public_qry_main.cp_main_idx
- Delaware Courts eFlex — https://eflex.courts.delaware.gov/ecf/
- Delaware Courts — Policy on Public Access to Judicial Records — https://courts.delaware.gov/help/recordaccess.aspx
- Delaware Superior Court — Civil and Criminal Fees — https://courts.delaware.gov/superior/fees.aspx
- Delaware State Police — Obtaining a Certified Criminal History — https://dsp.delaware.gov/obtaining-a-certified-criminal-history/
- Delaware Courts — Opinions & Orders — https://courts.delaware.gov/opinions/
- Delaware Code Title 11, Chapter 43, Subchapter VII — Expungement of Criminal Records — https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c043/sc07/index.html
- Delaware Code Title 12, Chapter 25 — Register of Wills — https://delcode.delaware.gov/title12/c025/index.html
- United States District Court for the District of Delaware — https://www.ded.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Delaware counties.