Access Sussex County Divorce Records
Sussex County divorce records are held at the Family Court in Georgetown, the county seat. The court has case files for every divorce granted in Sussex County from 1975 to today. You can visit the Records Department in person, mail in a written request, or run a basic case lookup online. Sussex County has grown fast in the last few decades. The Family Court has kept up with the volume, and staff can pull most records on the same day you visit.
Sussex County Overview
Sussex County Family Court
The Sussex County Family Court sits at 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. The court serves as the keeper of all Sussex County divorce records from 1975 forward. The Records Department handles requests for certified copies of decrees, related court orders, and separation agreements. Staff can be reached at (302) 855-7473 during business hours. A photo ID is needed for in-person requests, along with the names of both parties and a rough divorce date or case number.
Mail requests go to: Family Court Records, 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. Send a written request with your contact info, both party names, the approximate divorce date, and payment. Processing for Sussex County mail requests runs about ten to fifteen business days. The court sees a lot of record requests due to population growth, so the wait may be a bit longer than in Kent County. Call ahead to confirm the current backlog if your need is time-sensitive.
| Office | Sussex County Family Court - Records Department |
|---|---|
| Address |
22 The Circle Georgetown, DE 19947 |
| Phone | (302) 855-7473 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, business hours |
| Website | courts.delaware.gov/family |
How to Search Sussex County Divorce Records
Sussex County gives you more than one way to look up a divorce case. The state's CourtConnect portal is the fastest online option. It covers every Family Court case in Delaware, including Sussex County matters. You can search by party name, case number, or filing date. CourtConnect returns case status, filing dates, names, and docket entries. It does not show the full decree or any financial filings. Those stay at the court.
In person, you go to the Family Court on The Circle in Georgetown. Staff can pull most recent cases on the spot. Older files may need extra time to retrieve. Certified copies carry the court seal and work for legal use like a name change or passport update. Plain copies are cheaper and often enough for personal records.
A few things to have ready for your search:
- Full legal names of both spouses at the time of divorce
- Approximate year the case was filed
- Case number if you know it
- Government-issued photo ID for in-person or certified requests
Mail requests work well for people who live in Lewes, Seaford, or other coastal towns where the drive to Georgetown is a chore.
Sussex County Divorce Records Fees
Sussex County follows the Delaware fee schedule for divorce records. A certified copy of a decree is $4 for the first copy, then $1 for each added copy requested at the same time. Non-certified copies are $1 per page. The court takes cash, check, money order, and credit/debit cards. Mail requests should include a check or money order made payable to the Family Court.
The DHSS Vital Statistics Georgetown office offers divorce verification letters at $25 for the first letter and $10 for each extra. A verification only confirms that a divorce took place. It is not the decree. For items like a passport update or a name change at the Social Security Administration, a verification may work. For court filings and most legal needs, you want the certified decree from the Family Court.
Tip: Fees can change. Call (302) 855-7473 to confirm the current charge before you send payment for a Sussex County divorce record.
Sussex County Recorder of Deeds
The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds sits at 2 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. It holds land records that may include property transfers tied to divorce settlements. Quitclaim and partition deeds from divorce cases are filed here as separate instruments from the court decree. The screenshot below shows the Recorder's Office page.
Online deed searches on the Sussex County site let you look up records by grantor or grantee name, property address, or instrument number. This can help trace how a marital home changed hands after a divorce.
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Copies are $2 per page with an added fee for certified copies. Certified deeds are often needed when clearing title after a divorce or refinancing a property.
Pre-1975 Sussex County Divorce Records
Before 1975, the Superior Court heard all Sussex County divorce cases. Those files are now with the Sussex County Prothonotary's Office at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947, right next to the Family Court. The Prothonotary's Office keeps records from 1935 to 1975 in a mix of formats. Some years are in original file folders. Others are on microfilm. Name indexes cover the entire period, so a case can be found with just the names of the parties and a rough year.
A formal request with ID and payment is needed to access these old files. Fees match the statewide schedule: $15 for the first three pages of a certified copy, $2 per page after that, and $1 per page for non-certified copies. Some records are stored off-site, so advance notice can help cut the wait. Staff can refer researchers to the Delaware Public Archives if the requested file is not in the Prothonotary's Office.
Delaware Divorce Laws in Sussex County
All divorce filings in Sussex County follow Title 13, Chapter 15 of the Delaware Code. Residency comes first. At least one spouse must have lived in Delaware for six months before filing under 13 Del. C. § 1504. The rule is the same statewide. Coastal residents who just moved to Delaware from Maryland or Pennsylvania must wait out the six-month period before filing in Sussex County or any other Delaware county.
Grounds for divorce are listed in 13 Del. C. § 1505. The most used ground is irretrievable breakdown with six months of separation. Other grounds include incompatibility, voluntary separation, mental illness, and misconduct such as adultery, cruelty, or desertion. Property gets split under 13 Del. C. § 1513 through equitable distribution. The judge decides what is fair based on income, marriage length, and contribution.
Historical Sussex County Divorce Records
For records before 1935, the place to go is the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. The Archives hold Court of Common Pleas files (pre-1830s) and Superior Court records (1830s to 1975) for Sussex County. Some of Sussex's oldest records are from the colonial era and are among the most historic in Delaware. The image below shows the Archives research room.
The Archives keep indexes and finding aids for Sussex County court records. Researchers can search by name, date, or series. Digital resources and printed guides help narrow a search before a visit.
Research room hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Copies are $0.50 per page. Fragile files can be photographed by researchers under staff rules. Sussex County has a long documentary record, and the Archives is the best single stop for cases that pre-date the current court system.
Legal Help for Sussex County Divorce
Sussex County has several sources of legal help for divorce cases. Community Legal Aid Society (CLASI) covers low-income family law work across Delaware. Legal Services Corporation of Delaware also handles civil cases at no cost for those who qualify. The Family Court has a self-help page with forms, step-by-step guides, and fee details for pro se filers. The Delaware State Bar Association runs a referral service that can put you in touch with a Sussex County family law attorney.
Note: Court staff can explain forms and filing steps but cannot give you legal advice. A lawyer is the right call if you need legal strategy.
Cities in Sussex County
Sussex County includes Seaford, Lewes, and the Sussex side of Milford. All divorce filings in the county go through the Family Court in Georgetown. Click a city below for local info on libraries, municipal resources, and how to get a divorce record in that area.
Nearby Counties
Sussex County is bordered by Kent County to the north. New Castle County sits further north and covers the top third of Delaware. Milford cases can fall in either Kent or Sussex depending on where the filing was made.