The Delaware State Courts will be closed Wednesday, December 25, 2024 for Christmas Day. Justice of the Peace Court 11 (New Castle County) and Court 7 (Kent County) will remain open 24 hours and Justice of the Peace Court 3 (Sussex County) will be open from 6AM – 12AM (no new cases after 11:00PM).

  1. Delaware Courts
  2. Administrative Office of the Courts
  3. Operating Procedures

Judicial Branch Operating Procedures

Operating Procedures


View individual topics below or view entire document.

Recent Updates

  •  10-21-2024 Under VIII. Personnel, item 2 was renamed and revised with the addition of an interim policy on the use of GenAI by judicial officers and court personnel New
  •  07-31-2024 Under IX. Court Facilities, a new item 3 was added, “Cell Phone/Portable Electronic Devices policy"
  •  10-04-2023 Appendix J. Judicial Branch Personnel Rules was revised
  1. Introduction
  2. Definitions
  3. Administration
    1. Administrative Authority
    2. Judicial Conference
    3. Committee of Presiding Judges
    4. Committees, Boards and Task Forces
  4. Administrative Office of the Courts
    1. Purpose
    2. Amendments to Adopted Policies and Procedures
  5. Budget and Management
    1. Policies and Procedures
    2. Budget
    3. Fiscal Procedures
    4. Grant Funding
  6. Case Management and Litigation
    1. Publication of Opinions
    2. Assignment Judges of Trial Courts
    3. Administration of Litigation
    4. Statistical Standard
    5. Judicial Guidelines for Self-Represented Litigants
    6. Court Interpreters
    7. Court Appointed Attorneys and Ancillary Services in Family Court Civil Cases
  7. Media Coverage, Public Access and Records Management
    1. Media Coverage
    2. Public Access to Court Administrative and Case Records
    3. Online Judicial Opinions and Court Records
  8. Personnel
    1. Policies and Procedures
    2. Communications and Computer Systems Policy and Interim GenAI Policy
    3. Floating Holidays
    4. Tobacco-Free Workplace
    5. Effect of Domestic Violence on the Workplace
    6. Judicial Education
    7. Judicial Branch Employee Training
    8. Policy Distribution
  9. Facilities
    1. Security Committees
    2. Courthouse Operations Policy Committee (COPC)
    3. Cell Phone/Portable Electronic Devices policy
  10. Emergency Closures and Pre-Holiday Reduced Staffing of Judicial Branch Facilities
    1. Emergency Closures of Judicial Branch Facilities
    2. Pre-Holiday Reduced Staffing of Judicial Branch Facilities
  11. Addendum and Appendices
    1. Addendum 1 - Index of Committees, Boards and Task Forces
    2. Appendix A. Policy and Procedure for Determining Need for Additional Judgeships and Other Judicial Officer Positions
    3. Appendix A1. Judicial Branch Hiring Review Policy
    4. Appendix B. Judicial Branch Fiscal Policies and Procedures
    5. Appendix C. Judicial Branch Grant Request Form
    6. Appendix D-1. Policy on Action Docket Standards
    7. Appendix D-2. Policy on Speedy Trial Guidelines - Administration of Criminal Litigation
    8. Appendix D-3. Policy on Speedy Trial Guidelines - Administration of Criminal Litigation
    9. Appendix D-4. Policy on Judicial Reporting on Matters under Advisement
    10. Appendix E. Delaware's Judicial Guidelines for Civil Hearings Involving Self-Represented Litigants
    11. Appendix F. State of Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts Court Interpreter Program
    12. Appendix G. Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters in the Delaware Judiciary
    13. Appendix H. Policies and Procedures for Appointment and Payment of Counsel in Family Court Civil Cases
    14. Appendix I. Template - Policy on Public Access to Judicial Branch Administrative Records
    15. Appendix I-1. Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts Policy on Public Access to Administrative Records
    16. Appendix I-2. Policy on Public Access to Supreme Court Administrative Records
    17. Appendix I-3. Policy on Public Access to Records in the Delaware Court of Chancery
    18. Appendix I-4. Policy on Public Access to Superior Court Judicial Records
    19. Appendix I-5. The Family Court of the State of Delaware Public Access Policy
    20. Appendix I-6. Policy on Public Access to Court of Common Pleas Judicial Records
    21. Appendix I-7A. Policy on Public Access to Administrative Records of Justice of the Peace Court
    22. Appendix I-7B. Policy on Public Access to Court Records of Justice of the Peace Court
    23. Appendix J. Judicial Branch Personnel Rules
    24. Appendix K. Code of Conduct for Judicial Branch Employees
    25. Appendix L. Judicial Branch Policy and Procedures for the Management of Casual/Seasonal and Contractual Employees pursuant to the Affordable Care Act
    26. Appendix M. The Delaware Code of Conduct for Law Clerks
    27. Appendix N. Delaware Judges’ Code of Judicial Conduct
    28. Appendix O. Judicial Branch Authorized Use Policy for the Communications and Computer Systems
    29. Appendix O-1. Interim Policy on the Use of GenAI by Judicial Officers and Court Personnel
    30. Appendix P. Delaware Judicial Branch Floating Holiday Policy
    31. Appendix Q. Judicial Branch Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy
    32. Appendix R. Judicial Branch Domestic Violence Policy
    33. Appendix S. The Delaware Rules for Continuing Legal Education