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).

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Preparing for Your Family Court Hearing and Submitting Evidence


Prepare for your Family Court hearing by reading our guide booklets:

 Preparing for your Family Court Hearing
 Submitting Evidence

View Preparing For Your Court Hearing in it's entirety or click on the chapter links below.

Recording of any kind during a Family Court proceeding (including mediation) is PROHIBITED and may result in further action from the Court.

CHAPTER 1: Court Hearing Quick Reference Guidelines

Introduction
Practice
Organize
Tips and Reminders for Your Hearing Day

CHAPTER 2: General Information

What Happens Before a Court Hearing?
What Happens at a Court Hearing?

CHAPTER 3: Opening Statements

What is an Opening Statement?
Who Makes the First Opening Statement?
Do I have to Make an Opening Statement?

CHAPTER 4 - Telling Your Side of the Story

When May I Talk at a Hearing and How Do I Tell My Side of the Story?

  1. Before Anyone May tell the Court Information He/She Must Swear to Tell the Truth
  2. What if I Do Not Remember Something While I am Telling the Judicial Officer My Side of the Story?
  3. Will the Judicial Officer Listen to Everything I Want to Say or Look at Everything I Want to Show?
  4. How Do I Go About Showing the Court Something Such as a Paper?
  5. When I Finish Telling My Side of the Story, May I Go Back to My Seat?
  6. May I Have Other People Tell Things to the Court?
  7. If I Want the Court to Look at a Paper or a Photograph, How Many Copies of the Paper or How Many Original Photographs Must I Bring to the Hearing?
  8. What Happens When I am FInished Asking the Person Questions?
  9. What Do I Do if I Want More Than One Person to Talk To the Court?
  10. What Do I Do after I Have Had Everyone Speak that I Want to Speak at the Hearing?

CHAPTER 5: The Other Party's Case

What Do I Do When the Other Side or a Different Party Gets to Tell His/Her Side of the Story?
What Do I Do if I Do Not Agree with What the Other Side is Saying?
What Happens if the Other Side or Another Party Has Other People to Help Prove His/Her Case?

CHAPTER 6 - Closing Arguments

What is a Closing Argument?

CHAPTER 7: The Court's Decision

The Court's Decision

CHAPTER 8: Flowcharts

Court Procedure Flowchart
Telling Your Side of the Story
Other People giving Information to the Court (Witness Testimony)

CHAPTER 9: Glossary of Legal Terms