Guide
Delaware Expungement Research Resources
In Delaware, the State Bureau of Identification is the first stop to learn whether you qualify for expungement under Title 11, Chapter 43 of the Delaware Code. The official Delaware sources are listed below.
- Delaware Courts, Expungement and Pardon of Criminal RecordCourt help page listing the expungement laws and pardon forms
- Board of Pardons, How to Apply for an ExpungementContact the State Bureau of Identification first to check eligibility
- Delaware Code Title 11, Chapter 43, Subchapter VIIExpungement of criminal records
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in Delaware
Delaware closes the courtroom by statute, the same section, 13 Del. C. 1516(d), provides that no record or evidence in a divorce case shall be impounded or access to it refused, and the Family Court's Rule 90.1(c) makes the records of its proceedings private unless a statute or rule requires otherwise. Under 13 Del. C. 1516 all divorce hearings and trials are private, and the court may open one only to a person with a direct and legitimate interest in the particular case or a legitimate educational or research interest in the work of the court. The Family Court's Public Access Policy of May 8, 2007 states that case records are generally open except as the policy provides, lists records made inaccessible by statute, common law or court rule, medical and psychological records, criminal history, presentence reports and similar items as closed, and provides that records sealed or closed to the public by court order or decision shall not be disclosed unless a judge authorizes it; the court's privacy chart cites 13 Del. C. 1516 and Family Court Civil Rules 90.1(c) and 42.2 for divorce, alimony and property division, and Rule 90.1(c) opens the records of Family Court proceedings only to the court and its staff, the parties and their attorneys, other courts and public agencies, and persons the court specifically approves because they have a legitimate interest, unless a statute or rule requires otherwise.
A party who wants a document or file sealed must move the Family Court, but 13 Del. C. 1516(d) provides that no record or evidence in a divorce case shall be impounded or access to it refused, and Rule 90.1(d) lets the court restrict access to residential and employment addresses. The policy is at courts.delaware.gov.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state