Judicial Officers and Staff

The Family Court has a staff of more than 300 employees including the judiciary. These employees comprise the following primary groups.

JUDGES

Number: The Court is allowed 17 Judges of equal judicial authority, one of whom is appointed by the Governor as Chief Judge and who is the chief administrative and executive officer for the Court. A bare majority of the Judges must be of one major political party with the remainder of the other major political party.

Appointment: The Governor nominates the Judges, who must be confirmed by the Senate.

Tenure: The Judges are appointed for 12-year terms, subject to reappointment.

Qualifications: Judges must have been duly admitted to the practice of law before the Supreme Court of Delaware at least 5 years prior to appointment and must have a knowledge of the law and interest in and understanding of family and child problems. They shall not practice law during their tenure and may be reappointed.

Chief Judge Chandlee Johnson Kuhn
Judge Jay H. Conner	New Castle County
Judge Kenneth M. Millman	Sussex County
Judge William N. Nicholas	Kent County
Judge William J. Walls, Jr.	Kent County
Judge Mark D. Buckworth	New Castle County
Judge William L. Chapman, Jr.	New Castle County
Judge Aida Waserstein	New Castle County
Judge Barbara D. Crowell	New Castle County
Judge Peter B. Jones	Sussex County
Judge Mardi F. Pyott	Kent County
Judge John E. Henriksen	Sussex County
Judge Robert B.Coonin	New Castle County
Judge Arlene Minus Coppadge	New Castle County
Judge Michael K. Newell	New Castle County
Judge Joelle P. Hitch	New Castle County
Judge Alan N. Cooper	New Castle County

COMMISSIONERS

Commissioners hear a broad range of cases including child support, misdemeanor crimes and delinquency, civil protection orders, bail hearings and other cases as assigned. Commissioners are attorneys at law who are nominated by the Governor, confirmed by the Senate and serve an initial 4-year term. Upon second and subsequent appointments and confirmations, commissioners serve six-year terms. Orders from commissioners are subject to review by Family Court Judges.

Family Court Commissioners

Commissioner John Carrow	New Castle County
Commissioner Carolee Grillo	New Castle County
Commissioner DeSales Haley	New Castle County
Commissioner Mary Ann Herlihy	New Castle County
Commissioner Frederic Kenney	New Castle County
Commissioner Jennifer Mayo	New Castle County
Commissioner Mary Much	New Castle County
Commissioner Janell Ostroski	New Castle County
Commissioner Bernard Pepukayi	New Castle County
Commissioner Loretta Young	New Castle County
Commissioner Lester Blades	Kent County
Commissioner David Jones	Kent County
Commissioner Louann Vari	Kent County
Commissioner Pamela Holloway	Sussex County
Commissioner Andrew Southmayd	Sussex County
Commissioner Sonja Wilson	Sussex County

SUPPORT PERSONNEL

The three major administrative divisions of the Court are Court Operations, Fiscal Services and Human Resources. Fiscal Services and Personnel Services perform staff functions, whereas Court Operations is responsible for the delivery of services to the public.