New Castle City Criminal Court Records
New Castle criminal court records cover arrests, charges, and case files tied to the city of New Castle in New Castle County. The city shares its name with the county, but the two are not the same. You can search New Castle criminal court records through the New Castle City Police Department, the city FOIA process, and the New Castle County Superior Court in Wilmington. Read on for the direct route to police reports, case dockets, and certified criminal history reports.
New Castle Records at a Glance
New Castle City Police Criminal Court Records
The New Castle City Police Department sits at 1 Municipal Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720. The main phone is 302-322-9800. The email is Police@newcastlecity.delaware.gov. Fax is 302-322-9825. Non-emergency calls after hours run through New Castle County dispatch at 302-573-2800. The county dispatch desk is staffed 24 hours a day. Always dial 911 for an active emergency.
The New Castle City Police home page has contact details and links to records.
The department handles arrests, traffic, and local reports for the small city. The patrol supervisor line is 302-573-2800. Officers route records requests through the City Clerk under FOIA.
Fingerprints are available at the department for a few uses. Car seat installation appointments include a fingerprint option. Other fingerprint needs should go through the state's IdentoGO system. The city does not issue certified criminal history reports.
The New Castle City important numbers page has the full list of contacts.
The page covers police, public works, library, and court contacts. City Administrator Antonina Tantillo can be reached at 302-322-9812. The New Castle Public Library, at 302-328-1995, helps the public with civic info and online access.
Note: New Castle City Police records cover the arrest and local case work, but court files from the case live at the New Castle County courthouse in Wilmington.
Citizen Complaints and Oversight
New Castle City runs a formal citizen complaint process. You can contact the on-duty patrol supervisor, email command staff, or call an on-call staff officer. Every complaint interview gets recorded. The Professional Standards Board is a second review option.
The Internal Affairs Officer is Keith Dempsey. The email is keith.dempsey@cj.state.de.us. Criminal complaints about police conduct get referred to the DOJ Civil Rights and Public Trust section. This adds a second layer of review for serious cases.
The New Castle City Police citizen complaints page walks through each step. The Delaware Attorney General Public Trust Division also takes complaints about records access and police conduct.
New Castle Criminal Court Records FOIA
Delaware's public records law runs under Title 29, Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code. New Castle City posts its FOIA form online. You fill it in, sign, and send.
The New Castle City FOIA page has the form and rules.
Required fields on the form include the public body name (New Castle City), your full name, address, email, phone, date, and a clear description of the records you want. A vague request will slow the reply. A specific case number or date range speeds things up.
Delaware law sets the response window at 15 business days. If the city needs more time, staff will send a notice with the new date. Costs may apply for large copy jobs or staff time. FOIA requests themselves count as public records.
Section 10002(l)(4) of Title 29 keeps active criminal files out of FOIA reach. Police investigative files, grand jury work, and open case materials are exempt. Court dockets and filed case papers are still open at the courthouse under court rules, not FOIA.
If a FOIA request gets denied, you can appeal to the Attorney General within 60 days. The AG reviews the denial and can order release. Most denials for active criminal files rely on the Section 10002(l)(4) exemption.
New Castle County Criminal Court Records
Felony and serious misdemeanor cases from the city of New Castle get heard at the New Castle County Superior Court. The court is at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Wilmington. Call 302-255-0800. The drive from New Castle city runs about 15 minutes up I-495.
The New Castle County Superior Court page lists hours, judges, and the Prothonotary contact. You review New Castle criminal court records at the courthouse. Files cannot leave the building. Copy fees start at $2 per page for plain copies and $15 for the first three certified pages.
The Court of Common Pleas hears lower-level misdemeanors and appeals from JP Court. The Family Court handles juvenile criminal cases. Juvenile files stay sealed to the public except by court order.
Justice of the Peace Court 11 serves the New Castle area. JP Court 11 sits at 2 Penns Way #100A. Call 302-323-4450. This court handles traffic, minor crimes, and small civil claims.
The New Castle County Sheriff sits at 87 Reads Way, New Castle. The sheriff serves court papers and runs evictions. The sheriff does not run a jail. Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington is the primary detention site.
Statewide Criminal Court Records Tools
A few state tools support New Castle criminal court records work. CourtConnect is the state case search. It does not show criminal case details, but it can link to civil orders tied to a criminal defendant.
The Delaware Criminal Justice Information System, known as DELJIS, holds the state's main criminal history repository. Full access needs law enforcement credentials. The public gets parts through linked tools.
The Delaware State Police wanted list is public. Search by name, photo, or offense. Tips can be anonymous. The DSP home page links to the sex offender registry and the victim notification tool.
Third-party aggregators also collect New Castle criminal court records from many sources. Use with care. A certified report must come from the State Bureau of Identification or the court itself.
Fees Forms and Timing
Fees shift with the office and the record type. Here is a short list to help you plan.
- State-only certified criminal history: $72
- State plus federal report: $85 (legal mandate needed)
- Plain copy at courthouse: $2 per page
- Certified copy at courthouse: $15 for first three pages
- FOIA copy costs: vary by office
The Delaware Courts forms page has the forms you need. ADM_ADM_03_A handles Superior Court criminal file access. MISC35 covers JP Court file access. CRF35 is the criminal case continuance form. CF49 is the fee waiver form. PRO35 handles probation modifications.
Processing time runs 15 business days for FOIA. Court file pulls can be same-day if the file is on site. Older New Castle criminal court records may sit at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. Those take longer. A call to the Office of the Prothonotary can check the file's location before your trip.
Types of New Castle Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records cover several classes. Each type lives at a specific office. Arrest records live with the New Castle City Police. Booking records live with Howard R. Young Correctional Institution. Court dockets live with the New Castle County Superior Court. Case files live there too.
Sentencing records live at the court that heard the case. Probation files live with the Department of Correction. A motion for early termination of probation uses Form PRO35. The form goes to the sentencing judge.
Warrant records are a special class. A warrant shows an open charge but no conviction. Once an arrest happens, the warrant closes and the court file opens. The state's wanted list and the court case file both have a place in New Castle criminal records work.
Note: Sealed and expunged records stay in DELJIS for official use only. The public cannot view them without a court order.
Fingerprint Checks for New Castle
The State Bureau of Identification issues Delaware's certified criminal histories. Each report uses fingerprints. Name-only checks do not produce a certified report. Wilmington is the closest fingerprint site to the city of New Castle. You book the visit through IdentoGO.
The State Bureau of Identification page lists fees, service codes, and site hours. Bring a valid driver's license or state ID. Walk-ins are not offered. Results come by mail within two to four weeks.
Service codes point to the right request type. 27RVGT is the personal criminal history code. 27S23V covers an expungement application. 27S8N2 covers a handgun qualified purchaser permit. The code must match your purpose.
Related New Castle County Resources
The city of New Castle sits inside New Castle County. The two names are the same, but the county covers a much larger area. Criminal court records for all New Castle County cities route through the Superior Court in Wilmington.
Nearby qualifying cities with their own pages include Delaware City, the small town on the Delaware River south of New Castle. Wilmington, Newark, and Middletown also have their own pages and use the same Superior Court. The Delaware Courts locations page has the full court map.
The Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds older New Castle criminal court records once the courthouse retention window closes. Class A and B felony files stay on site for 25 years. Class C through G stay for 15. Older cases move to the archives. The archives site has a catalog search for historical records.