| Prothonotary (Superior Court) | Superior Court Prothonotary — Sussex County |
|---|---|
| Register of Wills | Sussex County Register of Wills |
| Clerk address | Sussex County Courthouse (Superior Court Prothonotary, Court of Common Pleas): 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, DE 19947. Family Court: 100 E. Market St., Georgetown, DE 19947. Register of Wills: 5 E. Pine St. (Courthouse Annex), P.O. Box 743, Georgetown, DE 19947 |
| Phone | Superior Court Prothonotary (302) 855-7055; Family Court (302) 855-7400; Register of Wills (302) 855-7875 |
| Hours | Prothonotary: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. Register of Wills: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm (closes to the public at 3:00pm the last Monday of each month). |
| 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 |
Sussex County's trial courts are centered on The Circle in Georgetown, where the Sussex County Courthouse holds the Superior Court Prothonotary and the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary keeps felony criminal and general civil case files for the county; Family Court sits a short distance away on East Market Street.
Probate is handled separately by the Sussex County Register of Wills, an elected county office at the Courthouse Annex on East Pine Street. Unlike New Castle and Kent counties, Sussex does not offer a self-service online estate search — requests must be submitted using the office's Estate Search Request Form rather than by email or an online portal.
As elsewhere in Delaware, day-to-day case lookups for Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, or Justice of the Peace Court matters go through the statewide CourtConnect tool rather than any Sussex-specific website.
Search Sussex County court records online
Prothonotary (Superior Court)
Superior Court Prothonotary — Sussex 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 Sussex County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
Located at the Sussex County Courthouse, 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown. Search case information on CourtConnect; request copies from the Prothonotary's office directly.
Register of Wills
Sussex County Register of Wills
- Cost
- No online search; fees apply for estate documents and copies
- Coverage
- Probate and estate administration for Sussex County
- Records
- Probate
A separately elected county office at the Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine St., Georgetown. There is no self-service online search; the office requires an Estate Search Request Form and does not perform searches by email.
Other courts
Court of Common Pleas — Sussex 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 Sussex County Courthouse, 1 The Circle, Georgetown; searchable through CourtConnect.
Other courts
Family Court — Sussex County
- Cost
- Not applicable; most records are confidential
- Coverage
- Divorce, custody, child support, protection from abuse, and juvenile matters for Sussex County
- Records
- Family
Located at 100 E. Market St., Georgetown. Most files, especially juvenile and child-related matters, are confidential and not on CourtConnect.
Other courts
Justice of the Peace Courts — Sussex County
- Cost
- Free index search on CourtConnect
- Coverage
- Small claims, landlord-tenant, traffic, and minor criminal cases across multiple JP Court locations in the county
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Civil cases (small claims, landlord-tenant) are heard at JP Court 17 in Georgetown. Criminal JP courts include JP Court 1 in Frankford, JP Court 2 in Lewes, JP Court 3 in Georgetown, JP Court 4 in Seaford, and JP Court 14 in Georgetown (criminal and DUI); each has its own clerk's office, and the state locations page links to hours, address, and phone for each.
What is available online
CourtConnect covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court dockets for Sussex County. Family Court records are largely confidential. The Register of Wills does not offer an online estate search; requests must be submitted on the office's Estate Search Request Form.
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
Sussex County clerk offices
Sussex County Courthouse (Superior Court Prothonotary, Court of Common Pleas): 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, DE 19947. Family Court: 100 E. Market St., Georgetown, DE 19947. Register of Wills: 5 E. Pine St. (Courthouse Annex), P.O. Box 743, Georgetown, DE 19947
Phone: Superior Court Prothonotary (302) 855-7055; Family Court (302) 855-7400; Register of Wills (302) 855-7875
Hours: Prothonotary: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. Register of Wills: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm (closes to the public at 3:00pm the last Monday of each month).
Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas records. Search CourtConnect first. For copies or documents not shown online, contact the Prothonotary's office at the Sussex County Courthouse, 1 The Circle, Georgetown, 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 clerk at 100 E. Market St., Georgetown, directly, since most files are confidential and are not searchable by the public online.
Probate and will records. Submit an Estate Search Request Form to the Register of Wills at 5 E. Pine St.; the office does not search estates by email and appointments are required to open or close a probated estate, handle an ancillary estate, or deposit a will for safekeeping.
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 Sussex 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 are not on CourtConnect.
Can I search Sussex County probate records online?
No. Unlike New Castle and Kent counties, Sussex County does not offer a self-service online estate search. You must submit an Estate Search Request Form to the Register of Wills.
Where is the Sussex County courthouse?
The Superior Court Prothonotary and Court of Common Pleas are at 1 The Circle in Georgetown; Family Court is at 100 E. Market St.; and the Register of Wills is at the Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine St.
How do I request a certified copy of a Sussex County Superior Court document?
Contact the Prothonotary's office at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, in person or by mail, and specify that you need a certified copy rather than a plain copy.
Sources
- Superior Court — Sussex County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/superior_sx.aspx
- Court of Common Pleas — Sussex County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/ccp_sx.aspx
- Family Court — Sussex County Location — https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/family_sx.aspx
- Sussex County Register of Wills — https://sussexcountyde.gov/register-wills
- 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.