Welcome to the Delaware
Justice of the Peace Court

    As the place where justice starts, it is the mission of the Justice of the Peace Court to serve the people of Delaware by efficient and accessible administration of justice for all, and to treat all persons with integrity, fairness, and respect. Legal Jurisdiction of the Justice of the Peace Court is explained in our Jurisdiction section.

News:

Renovations at Justice of the Peace Court #3/17 Location Prompt Shift in Operations beginning on January 28, 2008.

The Justice of the Peace Court along with the Delaware Judiciary is instituting a new case management system to better serve our customers. Learn more.

LANDLORDS AND TENANTS    You are invited to the next DELAWARE LANDLORD/TENANT CODE SEMINAR. Come listen to legal professionals speak about the landlord/tenant code and what it means to you. Learn how to facilitate pre-court resolution and better understand the code.  Know your options and have a full understanding of the legal process prior to going to court. The next date, time, and location will be posted at a later date. For further information, please call the Delaware Legal Help Link at 478-8850. Read more.

Some of the features on our website include:

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>> Click here to select topic << Abandoned personal property Amount of civil claim Appeals Attorneys (Do I need one?) Attorneys (finding an attorney) Bill of Particulars Brochures and videos Caseload statistics Certificate of Representation Collecting judgments Complaint Form (Form 1) Complaints (samples and instructions) Constable sales (procedures) Continuance policy Counterclaims Courts (list of JP Courts) Court rules (civil) Court rules (criminal) Criminal and traffic procedures Default judgments Defendants (civil) Defendants (criminal) Evidence, Rules of Evidence (questions and answers) Fees (civil) Fee waivers (civil) Filing or defending a civil action Form 50 Forms (civil) Frequently asked questions Garagekeepers liens Glossary of legal terms History of the court Holiday closings Hours and locations Interpreters Job opportunities Justices of the Peace Jurisdiction Landlord/Tenant Code (summary)(off site link) Landlord/Tenant (Summary Possession) procedures Legal assistance Legal Memoranda Levies Location of Courts Manufactured Homes Communities Act (summary) Marriage licenses Mission statement New trial, motion for News Non-suits Phone numbers for JP Courts Points for motor vehicle offenses (off site link) Policy Directives Post-judgment procedures (civil) Probation before judgment Reviving a judgment Sample Complaints Satisfaction of judgments Service of process (general) Service of process on corporations Service of process on defendants not in Delaware Special needs Special process servers Summary Possession procedures TDD phone numbers Third party claims Traffic tickets Trials (what to expect) Truancy Court Vacating a default judgment Vacating a non-suit judgment Victims of crime information Videophones Wage garnishment Weather closings

How To » Start/respond to/appeal a general civil action (i.e. breach of contract, damage to property, return of property) up to $15,000 » How to start/respond to/appeal a landlord tenant claim » Form 50 - Certificate of Representation » How to collect a judgment » How to start/contest a garagekeeper's lien » How to obtain title to abandoned personal property » How to appeal a case Information about procedures in: » Traffic cases » Criminal cases; victim's assistance; bail; probation before judgment

Resource Information » Court Rules including JP Court civil and criminal rules; Delaware Code; Landlord Tenant Code; Rules of Evidence » Chief Magistrate's Legal Memoranda » Chief Magistrate's Policy Directives » Glossary of legal terms » Caseload Statistics  » Brochures and Videos - general civil actions;sample civil complaints; Landlord Tenant; evidence Other » Frequently Asked Questions » Feedback » Special Needs and Court Interpreters » Truancy Court