Hours & Locations

General

Every person entering all State of Delaware courthouses through the public entrance and loading dock(s) must be screened by Capitol Police, or court security officer responsible for conducting screening, where appropriate. Capitol Police, Family Court and the Justice of the Peace Court shall also screen all items carried into the courthouse through the public entrance and loading dock using x-ray machines, magnetometers, security wands or other appropriate screening methods.

Employees and attorneys (with proper identification)

All employees who work at facilities with employee entrances, attorneys and visitors shall be screened when entering courthouse facilities. Judicial officers will be screened when using the public entrance. Employees should prominently display their state ID and attorneys should provide Capitol Police with their Attorney Identification Card/license when entering court facilities to expedite the screening process. Attorneys shall also be allowed to bring their cell phones into the courthouse while on official business

Employees who work at a court facility and attorneys who frequent a court facility often shall be subject to the following minimum screening at the court facility:

Minimum screening procedures for employees and attorneys (with proper identification) shall consist of:

• Screened through the magnetometers. If a magnetometer is set off by the person walking through it, the person will be subject to follow-up screening to ensure that the person does not have any prohibited items.
• X-raying all packages, containers, briefcases, pocketbooks and other bulk objects in courts where X-ray machine exists.

Employees who work at a court facility and attorneys who frequent a court facility often may be subject to the following supplemental screening, when appropriate:

Supplemental Screening Procedures for employees and attorneys (with proper identification) may consist of:

• Inspection of outer clothing/garments or shoes/footwear,
• A thorough follow up search with a wand, if reasonable suspicion exists to believe there may be an undetected threat through normal screening.

Note: The Justice of the Peace Courts are exempt from screening employees at designated facilities.

Other persons entering a court facility

Members of the public and others entering a court facility shall be subject to the following minimum screening.

Minimum screening procedures for members of the public and others shall include the following:

• Emptying everything in their pockets, placing contents in the container provided.
• Removing their belt.
• Walking through the magnetometers.
• Inspection of pocketbooks and outer clothing.
• Inspection of canes, walkers, wheelchairs and baby coaches
• X-raying packages, containers, briefcases and other bulk objects in courts where X-Ray machines exist.

Members of the public and others entering a court facility may be subject to the following supplemental screening, when appropriate:

Supplemental Screening Procedures for members of the public and others may consist of

• Inspection of shoes/footwear and/or outer clothing, which may include removal of shoes or outer clothing to be screened by the magnetometer.
• Conducting a private thorough search, if reasonable suspicion exists to believe there may be an undetected threat through normal screening.

Note: Special consideration and screening procedures will be given to people with special needs, such as a pacemaker or in a wheelchair. Additional screening measures may be put in place in the event of a threat to ensure the security of the courts.