Search Dover Felony Records
Dover felony records live with the Dover Police Department and the Kent County Superior Court. The police keep arrest files and incident reports for every crime in the city. The court holds the trial docket for every felony charged in Dover. You can pull Dover felony records online through the state court portal, or stop by the police department for a hard copy. Victims of a Dover crime can get a free copy of their own report. Insurance firms and other third parties follow a different set of rules, which this page lays out step by step.
Dover Records Overview
Dover Police and Felony Records
The Dover Police Department Records Unit is the first stop for any felony record tied to a Dover arrest. The records phone is (302) 736-7105. Staff keep regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. You can also walk into the department 24/7 to file a new report or ask a basic question. Victim Services is at (302) 736-7134 or by email at Diane.Glenn@cj.state.de.us.
A victim of a crime listed on a Dover police report can pull a free copy. Show up with a valid photo ID. Call first to check that the report has been processed. Custodial parents can pull a report for a minor child with proof of relation. Next of kin can pull a report for a deceased victim, again with proof.
For non-emergency calls, use (302) 736-7111. For emergencies, dial 911. The department keeps incident logs and arrest files that feed the wider Kent County felony records system. Once a felony charge is filed, the main case file moves to Superior Court.
Note: Dover Police ask callers to verify that a report has been filed and processed before driving to the Records Unit, which saves a wasted trip.
Third Party Report Requests
If you are not the victim on a Dover police report, you need a court subpoena. That rule holds for most private parties, including family members who are not the direct victim. The police cannot hand out a crime report to the public on a whim. The rule lines up with the exemptions in 29 Del. C. Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code.
Insurance firms get one narrow exception. They can buy a copy of a property crime report tied to a client. The fee is $25 per report. Suspect names and investigation notes are held back. Insurance adjusters must send a claim number and proof of coverage.
Fire investigative reports stand on their own track. Dover holds them tight, and they are not released without a court-issued subpoena. A short verification statement is available from the Fire Marshal's Office. Contact Fire Marshal Jason Osika at (302) 736-7099 or Josika@dover.de.us for the verification form.
City of Dover FOIA Requests
Broader Dover felony records requests move through the city FOIA coordinator. Crystal Wheeler holds the role at the City Clerk's Office. Call (302) 736-7008 or email cityclerk@dover.de.us. The city posts an online FOIA request form on its site. The state-wide FOIA page at the Delaware Attorney General's office explains the law in more depth.
Response time is 15 business days. A 30-day extension is allowed on bigger or more complex requests. The city can charge for staff time and for copies. If your request is turned down, you can appeal to the Attorney General within 60 days.
Dover FOIA exemptions match the statewide list. Active investigation notes, personnel files, trade secrets, and attorney-client papers all stay off the public record. Juvenile case files are also exempt and move through a separate Family Court track.
Dover Felony Records at Kent Superior Court
Every felony charged in Dover ends up in the Kent County Superior Court. The court sits in the Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street, a short walk from the State Capitol. The main phone is (302) 735-1900. Clerk hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Delaware Superior Court page covers all three counties. The Kent County location shares space with the Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the Peace Court 16. The Register in Chancery, Prothonotary, and Law Library are also inside. The Attorney General and Public Defender keep satellite offices on site.
To pull a Dover felony case file in person, head to the Superior Court clerk. Copy fees are $5 for the first page and $1 per page after. Certified copies add a $5 fee on top. For a search that runs across years or many defendants, staff may charge extra for time.
Dover Felony Records on CourtConnect
The quickest way to pull Dover felony records from home is CourtConnect, the free state court portal. You can search by last name, by business name, or by case number. A Kent County felony case ID looks like K21A-CR-001234. The portal shows the case number, filing date, status, and docket events.
The screen below is from the CourtConnect landing page, which serves Dover and every other Delaware city.
Docket events include every hearing, motion, and filing. Party names show up, but driver's license numbers and Social Security numbers are redacted. Sealed cases and juvenile files do not show up. To get a certified copy or the full case file, visit the clerk in person.
SBI Felony Records Checks for Dover
The Delaware State Bureau of Identification is based in Dover. The main SBI office is at 1407 N. DuPont Highway, and the SBI phone is (302) 739-5880. This is the place to pull a full Delaware criminal history. The service is fingerprint-based, so you will need a live scan or a printed FD-258 card.
SBI fees and options:
- $72 for a Delaware-only check
- $85 for a Delaware plus FBI check
- $5 for each extra certified copy
- Valid photo ID required at the fingerprint session
- Money order or certified check payable to Delaware State Police
The SBI report covers adult felony convictions, select misdemeanor convictions, pending arrests from the past year, sex offender tier status, and a short list of warrant data. Sealed or expunged files are left out. The broader Delaware State Police website has the full SBI page, along with fingerprint site locations across the state.
Note: The Dover SBI office is the main print site for state criminal history checks, but other State Police Troop sites also serve Kent County residents on a walk-in basis.
Inmate Data for Dover Felony Records
The Delaware Department of Correction runs a public inmate lookup. Search by name or by DOC offender ID. The tool shows the current facility, custody level, and release date. Most sentenced male inmates from Kent County go to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. Women go to the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution.
The Delaware Sex Offender Registry covers Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 offenders. You can search by name, by address, or by city. A Dover city search pulls every registered offender who lives or works within city limits. Each profile has a photo, a short physical description, the offense type, the conviction date, and the current address.
For statewide data tied to criminal justice records, the DELJIS portal has limited public-facing tools. Most of it is closed to the general public and used by law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
Expunging a Dover Felony Record
Some Dover felony records can be cleared after a waiting period. The rules live in Title 11 of the Delaware Code, Chapter 86. Mandatory expungement covers acquittals, dismissals, and nolle prosequi cases. Discretionary expungement covers some conviction records after 7 or more years for felonies and 5 years for most misdemeanors.
Violent felonies, sex offenses, and DUIs are not eligible. For other Dover felony records, you can file a petition with the Kent County Superior Court. Expungement forms sit on the Delaware Courts forms portal, which holds more than 25 forms tied to sealing and clearing criminal records.
Other Dover Felony Record Sources
A few other offices hold pieces of Dover felony records. The Court of Common Pleas handles the first appearance for every Dover felony before it moves up to Superior Court. The Delaware Judiciary locations page lists every court that serves Kent County.
Dover Family Court sits at 400 Court Street. It holds juvenile cases, protection from abuse orders, and support matters. Juvenile records are not on CourtConnect. For adult case files, Superior Court and Common Pleas are the two main sources.
Nearby Cities
Dover sits in central Delaware. These nearby cities keep their own police records and share the same county court.
County Court Jurisdiction
All Dover felony cases move to the Kent County Superior Court at 414 Federal Street in Dover. Visit the county page for the full clerk process and copy fee details.