Court and money
Debt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.
53 sections
Renting
- Shielding an Eviction Case25 Del. C. § 5720 — a dismissed, settled or won case, or 5 years after a judgment is paid, taken off the public recordalso here
- Housing Discrimination6 Del. C. § 4603 — source of income and housing status among the protected grounds, a year to complain, and 2 years to suealso here
Work and pay
- Discrimination at Work19 Del. C. § 711 — employers of 4 or more, a charge within 300 days, and suit within 90 days of a right to sue notice
- Getting Paid19 Del. C. § 1102 — a payday at least once a month, wages within 7 days of the pay period, and attorney's fees in a suit
- The Last Paycheck19 Del. C. § 1103 — the next regular payday or three business days after the last day, and a penalty of ten percent a day
- Minimum Wage19 Del. C. § 902 — $15.00 an hour since January 1, 2025, and $2.23 for tipped work
- Equal Pay19 Del. C. § 1107A — equal pay for equal work regardless of sex, recovered as unpaid wages
- Hurt at Work19 Del. C. § 2341 — notice within 90 days, a claim within 2 years, and two thirds of wages while totally disabled
- The Job After an Injury19 Del. C. § 2365 — firing someone for a workers' compensation claim is unlawful, and 2 years to sue
- Unemployment After a Job Ends19 Del. C. § 3314 — quitting without good cause or a firing for just cause bars benefits, and 15 days to appeal
- Working Under 1619 Del. C. § 506 — no work under 14, and under 16 no more than 4 hours on a school day or past 7:00 p.m.
- Paid Family Leave19 Del. C. § 3704 — up to 12 weeks at 80% of wages, capped at $900 a week in 2026 and 2027, with the job held
- Jury Duty and Your Job10 Del. C. § 4515 — no firing for a jury summons, and 90 days to sue for lost wages and the job back
Family, children and school
- Getting Divorced13 Del. C. § 1505 — 6 months of residence, a marriage irretrievably broken, and usually 6 months apart
- Custody After a Split13 Del. C. § 722 — the child's best interests, no preference for either parent by sex, and frequent contact with both
- Grandparent Visitation13 Del. C. § 2412 — a grandparent, aunt, uncle or adult sibling may ask, and a parent's objection must be shown unreasonable
- A Protection From Abuse Order10 Del. C. § 1045 — a Family Court order for up to 1 year, or 2 for no contact, with an emergency hearing the same day
- A Lethal Violence Order10 Del. C. § 7704 — family or police can ask a court to take firearms from someone who is a danger, for up to 5 years
- Reporting Child Abuse16 Del. C. § 903 — every person who knows or suspects abuse reports it, immediately by phone when a child is in danger
- Changing a Name10 Del. C. § 5901 — a verified petition in the Court of Common Pleas, or the Family Court for a minor or a divorce
- Getting Married13 Del. C. § 107 — a license at least 24 hours before, good for 30 days, at 18 or older
- Turning Eighteen1 Del. C. § 701 — full legal age at 18 for all purposes, unless a law says otherwise
- School Attendance14 Del. C. § 2702 — enrolled from 5 to 16, truant after more than 3 unexcused days, and fines for the parent
- Breaking a Protective Order11 Del. C. § 1271A — a class A misdemeanor, a class F felony with injury or a weapon, and arrest on probable causealso here
Debt, buying and money
- Unfair and Deceptive Practices6 Del. C. § 2513 — deception or a hidden material fact in a sale is unlawful, whether or not anyone was fooled
- A Sale at the Door6 Del. C. § 4404 — 3 business days to cancel, a refund within 10 business days, and no knocking after 8 p.m.
- The Lemon Law6 Del. C. § 5004 — 4 repair attempts or more than 30 days out of service in the first year, then a new car or a refund
- What Creditors Cannot Take10 Del. C. § 4913 — most of each paycheck, 1 garnishment at a time, and clothing, books and family items
- When Your Data Is Breached6 Del. C. § 12B-102 — notice within 60 days, the Attorney General told above 500 residents, and a year of credit monitoring for a Social Security number
- The Hospital Bill6 Del. C. § 2507J — no medical debt on a credit report, no interest, and a payment plan capped at 5% of income
Owning a home, land and animals
Health, aging and estates
- Dying Without a Will12 Del. C. § 502 — a spouse takes everything only without children or parents, and otherwise $50,000, half the rest, and a life estate
- Signing a Will12 Del. C. § 202 — in writing, signed, and witnessed by 2 people, at 18 or older
- Changing or Revoking a Will12 Del. C. § 208 — canceling it, a new will, or a signed and witnessed writing, and a divorce that cuts out the former spouse
- The Will After a Death12 Del. C. § 1301 — the original to the Register of Wills within 10 days of learning of the death
- A Small Estate12 Del. C. § 2306 — personal property of $50,000 or less, no Delaware real estate, and an affidavit after 30 days
- The Spouse's Share12 Del. C. § 901 — a third of the elective estate, claimed in the Court of Chancery within 6 months of the letters
- Signing Over Authority12 Del. C. § 49A-105 — a power of attorney dated, signed before a notary, and before 1 adult witness who is not family or an heir
- A Living Will16 Del. C. § 2508 — a health care agent named in a signed record with an adult witness, and revoked by any clear act
- Who Decides When You Cannot16 Del. C. § 2512 — without an agent or guardian, a default surrogate in a set order of family and friends
- When a Court Appoints a Guardian12 Del. C. § 3901 — the Court of Chancery, a hearing with a lawyer for the person, and an emergency guardian for up to 30 days
- Abuse of an Older or Impaired Adult31 Del. C. § 3910 — anyone with reasonable cause reports, and exploiting $500 or more is a felony
- Helping at the Scene16 Del. C. § 6801 — a volunteer who helps in good faith is not liable, short of gross negligence
Courts and records
- How Long to Sue10 Del. C. § 8119 — 2 years for an injury, 3 years for a contract or a debt
- A Small Claim10 Del. C. § 9301 — the Justice of the Peace Court hears contract and property claims up to $25,000
- Voting After a Felony15 Del. C. § 6103 — eligible again once the whole sentence is served, unless the felony is one that disqualifies for life
- Clearing a Record11 Del. C. § 4373 — a dismissed case expunged automatically, misdemeanors after 5 years, and some felonies after 10
Public records, meetings and voting
- Getting Public Records29 Del. C. § 10003 — a response within 15 business days, the first 20 copies free, and 60 days to sue over a denial
- Open Meetings29 Del. C. § 10004 — every meeting open, 7 days' notice with the agenda, and executive sessions voted on in public
- Identification to Vote15 Del. C. § 4937 — proof of identity at the polls, or a signed affidavit without it, and polls open until 8:00 p.m.
- Registering to Vote15 Del. C. § 2050A — registered automatically at the Division of Motor Vehicles, with a notice to decline
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