Find Divorce Records in New Castle County
New Castle County divorce records are kept at the Family Court in Wilmington. The Records Department holds case files for every divorce granted in the county from 1975 forward. You can search by party name or case number, request certified copies, or look up basic case data through the state's online portal. New Castle County is Delaware's most populous county and the home of the state's busiest Family Court. To search New Castle County divorce records, you visit the court in person, send a written request, or use the CourtConnect public search tool.
New Castle County Overview
New Castle County Family Court
The New Castle County Family Court is the main keeper of divorce records in northern Delaware. It sits at 500 N. King Street, Suite 500, Wilmington, DE 19801. The court handles every divorce filed in the county from 1975 to today. The Records Department is on the first floor in Suite 110. You can reach staff at (302) 255-2222 during business hours. Bring a government-issued photo ID when you visit. Staff can pull files, make copies, and answer questions about request steps.
To ask for a record in person, give staff the names of both parties and the rough date of the divorce or the case number if you have it. The Records Department keeps computerized indexes from 1975 forward, so a case can be found with limited info. Mail requests go to: Records Department, Family Court, 500 N. King Street, Suite 110, Wilmington, DE 19801. Send a written letter with both names, the divorce date, your contact info, and payment.
| Office | New Castle County Family Court - Records Department |
|---|---|
| Address |
500 N. King Street, Suite 110 Wilmington, DE 19801 |
| Phone | (302) 255-2222 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, business hours |
| Website | courts.delaware.gov/family |
How to Search New Castle County Divorce Records
You have three ways to search New Castle County divorce records. The first is online through CourtConnect, the state's free public portal. It shows case numbers, party names, filing dates, docket entries, and case status for Family Court matters. It does not show full decrees or financial papers. Those are not online and must be pulled from the file at the court.
The New Castle County Recorder of Deeds hosts an online land records search at 800 N. French Street that can help trace property transfers tied to divorce settlements. Quitclaim and partition deeds from divorce cases appear in those records. The screenshot below shows the Recorder of Deeds page that supports this kind of property research.
The Recorder's office is open Monday through Friday with extended Wednesday hours until 6:00 PM. Copy fees are $2 per page with an extra fee for certified copies.
To run a search you will want:
- Full name of at least one spouse
- Approximate year the case was filed
- Case number if you have one
- Government-issued photo ID for in-person or certified requests
Current records from the last ten years are usually available the same day for in-person visits. Older files may need to be pulled from off-site storage, which can take five to ten business days. Call ahead for old files or complex requests.
New Castle County Divorce Records Fees
Copy fees at the New Castle County Family Court follow the statewide schedule. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $4 for the first copy. Extra certified copies requested at the same time are $1 each. Non-certified copies are $1 per page. Payment is accepted in cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. Mail requests need a check or money order made payable to the Family Court.
Other related fees may apply. The DHSS Vital Statistics office in Newark at 258 Chapman Road offers divorce verification letters for $25 for the first letter and $10 for each extra one. This is just a confirmation that a divorce took place. It is not the full decree. If your need is just to prove divorce status for a passport or name change, a verification may be enough.
Tip: Fees for divorce records in New Castle County can change. Call (302) 255-2222 to confirm the current charge before you mail a check.
Pre-1975 Divorce Records and the Prothonotary
Before the Family Court was set up in 1975, the Superior Court heard all divorce cases in New Castle County. Those old files are now with the New Castle County Prothonotary's Office, located in the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington. The Prothonotary's Office keeps records from 1935 to 1975 in several formats. Files from the 1960s and 1970s sit in folders. Older cases are in bound volumes or on microfilm. Name indexes cover the entire period, so staff can find a case even with just party names and a rough year.
Fees for pre-1975 divorce records in New Castle County are higher than for Family Court copies. A certified copy runs $15 for the first three pages, then $2 per page after that. Non-certified copies are $1 per page. Complex cases with long files can cost more. Access is under Delaware's Freedom of Information Act, so the records are open to the public.
Delaware Divorce Laws in New Castle County
All divorce cases in New Castle County follow state law under Title 13, Chapter 15 of the Delaware Code. At least one spouse must have lived in Delaware for six months before filing, per 13 Del. C. § 1504. The six-month rule applies no matter which county you file in. If you moved to Delaware less than six months ago, you cannot yet file in New Castle County or anywhere else in the state.
Grounds for divorce are in 13 Del. C. § 1505. The most common is irretrievable breakdown, shown by separation of six months or by incompatibility. Misconduct and willful abandonment are also listed. Property is split under 13 Del. C. § 1513, which uses an equitable distribution model. The court weighs age, income, length of marriage, and contribution of each spouse when dividing marital property.
Historical New Castle County Divorce Records
For cases older than 1935, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds the main collection. The Archives is the state's official home for historic government records. It keeps New Castle County divorce files from the Court of Common Pleas (pre-1830s) and the Superior Court (1830s to 1975). The image below shows the Archives and its role as a source for older case files.
The online catalog at the Archives lets you search by name, date, or series. Genealogists use it to trace family history through divorce cases that happened long before CourtConnect or digital files existed.
Research room access is in person, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Copy fees are $0.50 per page. Fragile documents can be photographed by researchers under staff rules. The Archives also offers limited remote research help. If you cannot visit, you can send a request by mail or email with the case info and pay for staff time.
Property Records and Divorce Settlements
The New Castle County Recorder of Deeds sits at 800 N. French Street, 2nd Floor, Wilmington. It holds land records going back to the 17th century. For divorce research, the Recorder's Office is useful when a settlement included a property transfer between the spouses. Quitclaim deeds and partition deeds from divorce cases are recorded here as separate instruments. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with extended hours on Wednesdays until 6:00 PM.
Online search tools at the county site allow lookups by grantor or grantee name, property address, or instrument number. Copies cost $2 per page with a higher fee for certified copies.
Legal Help for New Castle County Divorce
Several groups help with divorce cases in New Castle County. Community Legal Aid Society (CLASI) has a family law unit for low-income residents. Legal Services Corporation of Delaware takes civil legal matters including divorce. The Family Court website has self-help forms, filing steps, and fee schedules for pro se filers. The Delaware State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that can match you with a family law attorney in the Wilmington area.
Note: The Family Court cannot give legal advice, but the self-help desk and the online forms library can walk you through common divorce steps.
Cities in New Castle County
New Castle County is home to Delaware's largest city plus a set of historic towns and fast-growing suburbs. Every divorce case in the county goes through the Family Court in Wilmington, no matter which city you live in. Click a city below to find local resources, library info, and the exact path to New Castle County divorce records.
Nearby Counties
New Castle County borders Kent County to the south. Sussex County sits further south and makes up the bottom third of the state. If your divorce case was filed in the wrong county, the Family Court can help you figure out where the file lives.