The Delaware State Courts will be closed on Tuesday, November 5th for Election 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 – 12PM (no new cases after 11:00PM).

Sussex County Courts including Justice of the Peace Court 2, 4, and 17 will be closing at noon on Thursday, November 7th for Return Day. JP Court 14 will be closed the entire day due to proximity to Return Day events.

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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