Kent County Divorce Records
Kent County divorce records are held at the Family Court in Dover, Delaware's state capital. The court keeps case files for every divorce granted in Kent County from 1975 to today. You can request certified copies, look up basic case data online, or visit the Records Department in person. Dover sits in the center of Delaware, and the Family Court here serves all of Kent County. To find Kent County divorce records, you work through the court at 400 Court Street or use the state's free online search portal.
Kent County Overview
Kent County Family Court
The Kent County Family Court sits at 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. It serves central Delaware as the sole custodian of divorce case files for Kent County from 1975 forward. The Records Department processes requests for certified and uncertified copies of divorce decrees, separation agreements, and related papers. You can reach the Records staff at (302) 255-0300. Staff answer questions on record availability, request steps, and fees during business hours.
For an in-person request, the court asks for a valid photo ID and key case info: party names and rough divorce date. The Records Department uses computerized indexes for every case from 1975 forward, so you can find a file even with limited data. Mail requests go to: Family Court Records, 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. Include a written note with full contact info, both party names, divorce date, case number if you have it, and payment. Most mail requests take seven to ten business days.
| Office | Kent County Family Court - Records Department |
|---|---|
| Address |
400 Court Street Dover, DE 19901 |
| Phone | (302) 255-0300 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, business hours |
| Website | courts.delaware.gov/family |
How to Search Kent County Divorce Records
Kent County gives you three ways to search divorce records. Online is fastest for basic info. The state runs CourtConnect as a free portal for Family Court data. It shows case numbers, names, filing dates, and docket events. It does not show the full decree. To get the decree you must visit the court or send a written request.
In person, you go to the Records Department on Court Street in Dover. Staff can pull the file and make copies on the spot for recent cases. Certified copies carry the court seal and are needed for things like a name change, a passport update, or an immigration filing. Plain copies work for personal records.
To run a search you will need:
- Full name of at least one spouse
- Rough date or year the case was filed
- Case number if you have one
- Photo ID for in-person requests
Mail requests are a good choice when you live far from Dover. The court asks for a check or money order made out to the Kent County Family Court. Processing times can stretch to two or three weeks during busy periods.
Kent County Divorce Records Fees
Fees at the Kent County Family Court follow the common Delaware schedule. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $4 for the first copy, plus $1 for each added certified copy requested at the same time. Non-certified copies are $1 per page. Cash, check, money order, and credit cards are all accepted at the counter. Mail requests must include a check or money order.
The Delaware DHSS Vital Statistics office in Dover, at 417 Federal Street in the Jesse Cooper Building, issues divorce verification letters. The fee is $25 for the first letter and $10 for each extra copy. This letter is just a confirmation that a divorce took place. It is not the decree. It can work for routine paperwork but does not stand in for a certified court decree.
Tip: Confirm the current fee by calling (302) 255-0300 before you mail a check. The Kent County Family Court updates charges on occasion.
Kent County Recorder of Deeds
The Kent County Recorder of Deeds holds property and land records that may include papers tied to divorce settlements. The office sits in the Kent County Courthouse at 555 Bay Road, Dover. The screenshot below shows the Recorder's Office that handles these records.
Online property searches at the county site let you look up deeds by name or description. This can help trace property transfers that happened as part of a divorce decree.
For divorce research, the Recorder's Office may hold quitclaim deeds, partition deeds, and other property documents signed as part of a settlement. Those papers are filed on their own, not with the divorce case file, but they can back up what the decree ordered. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Copies are $1 per page, with an added fee for certified copies used for things like clearing title or refinancing.
Pre-1975 Kent County Divorce Records
Before the Family Court was set up in 1975, the Superior Court heard all Kent County divorce cases. Those files are now with the Kent County Prothonotary's Office at 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901. The office keeps records from 1935 through 1975 in both physical and microfilm formats. Name indexes cover the whole span. Staff can search the indexes and pull cases when you give them both party names and a rough date.
Access needs a formal request with ID and payment. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Arrive by 3:30 PM to give staff time to find and copy records. Fees match the statewide rule: $15 for the first three pages of a certified copy, $2 for each page after that, and $1 per page for non-certified copies. Some old papers are fragile and may need special handling, which can delay a same-day request.
Delaware Divorce Laws Applied in Kent County
Every Kent County case follows state law under Title 13, Chapter 15 of the Delaware Code. You need at least six months of Delaware residency before you can file, per 13 Del. C. § 1504. The rule applies statewide. It does not matter which county you lived in for those months, as long as it was inside Delaware.
Under 13 Del. C. § 1505, grounds for divorce include irretrievable breakdown shown through six months of separation, incompatibility, voluntary separation, separation caused by mental illness, and misconduct such as cruelty, desertion, or adultery. Property is divided under 13 Del. C. § 1513, which uses equitable distribution. The judge looks at marriage length, each spouse's income, and contribution when dividing marital property.
Historical Kent County Divorce Records
For records older than 1935, the main source is the Delaware Public Archives. The Archives sit at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North in Dover, just a few blocks from the Family Court. This is a big plus for Kent County researchers. You can often visit the Archives and the Family Court in the same day. The image below shows the Archives facility.
The Archives hold pre-1830s Court of Common Pleas divorce records and Superior Court files from the 1830s through 1975. Judgment books, divorce dockets, and equity court records are all on site. Staff help is available by appointment for extended research visits.
The research room is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Copy fees are $0.50 per page. Some old Kent County records are fragile, so the Archives may limit what can be photocopied. Researchers can take photos of some items under staff rules.
Legal Help for Kent County Divorce
Kent County residents have several options for legal help with divorce. Community Legal Aid Society (CLASI) serves low-income clients with a family law unit. Legal Services Corporation of Delaware takes civil cases. The Family Court keeps self-help forms online for people who plan to handle their own case. The Delaware State Bar Association also runs a lawyer referral service that can match you with a family law attorney in Dover.
Note: Court staff cannot give legal advice but they can point you to the right forms and explain filing steps.
Cities in Kent County
Kent County includes Dover, Harrington, and part of Milford. Every divorce filed in the county goes through the Family Court in Dover, no matter which town the spouses lived in. Milford has a split jurisdiction because it sits on the Kent-Sussex line. Click a city below for local info.
Nearby Counties
Kent County sits between New Castle County to the north and Sussex County to the south. If you are not sure where a case was filed, the Family Court in either county can check its indexes. Milford cases can fall in either Kent or Sussex depending on which side of the line the filing took place.