History

The Family Court of the State of Delaware has its origin in the Juvenile Court for the City of Wilmington which was founded in 1911. A little over a decade later, in 1923, the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court for the City of Wilmington was extended to include New Castle County. In 1933, the Juvenile Court for Kent and Sussex Counties was created. From the early 1930's there was a campaign to establish a Family Court in the northernmost county, and this ideal was achieved in 1945 when the Legislature created the Family Court for New Castle County, Delaware. In 1951, legislation was enacted to give the Juvenile Court for Kent and Sussex Counties jurisdiction over all family matters, and in early 1962 the name of the Juvenile Court for Kent and Sussex Counties was changed to the Family Court for Kent and Sussex Counties. As early as the 1950's the concept of a statewide Family Court had been endorsed. The fruition of this concept was realized with the statutory authorization of the Family Court of the State of Delaware in 1971.