History of the Delaware Supreme Court
The modern Supreme Court was established
in 1951 by constitutional amendment. The State's first separate
Supreme Court initially consisted of three justices and was enlarged
to the current five justices in 1978.
Prior to 1951, Delaware was without
a separate Supreme Court. The highest appellate authority prior
to the creation of the separate Supreme Court consisted of those
judges who did not participate in the original litigation in the
lower courts. These judges would hear the appeal en Banc (collectively)
and would exercise final jurisdiction in all matters in both law
and equity.
Please refer to the following documents
chronicling the history of the Court:
For biographical information pertaining
to current Justices of the Delaware Supreme Court, please refer
to the Judicial Officers page.
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Delaware Supreme Court Golden Anniversary Book
(1951-2001)
To commemorate the Court's
Golden Anniversary, Justice Randy J. Holland and Helen
L. Winslow, Esquire, as editors, recently released a
history of the separate Supreme Court entitled "Delaware
Supreme Court Golden Anniversary 1951-2001."
The book features a preface by Chief Justice E. Norman
Veasey and a history of the Delaware courts by Justice
Maurice A. Hartnett III. The book contains biographies
of each justice who has served on the separate Supreme
Court as well as twenty-four chapters by thirty authors
on topics that include criminal law, corporate law,
family law and individual rights.
Copies of the book can be purchased by the public for
$25 each by contacting:
Steve Taylor
Supreme Court Administrator
820 North French
Street, 11th Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801 |
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