Felony Records in New Castle
New Castle is a small historic city in New Castle County along the Delaware River, not to be confused with the county itself. Felony records for New Castle come from two spots. The New Castle Police Department on Wilmington Road keeps arrest and incident reports for crimes inside the city. The New Castle County Superior Court in Wilmington handles the felony case file. You can search New Castle felony records online through CourtConnect, the Delaware Judiciary portal. You can also stop by the police station for report copies, or file a written FOIA request for records that are not on the public site.
New Castle Overview
New Castle Police and Felony Records
The New Castle Police Department is the first stop for arrest data and incident reports tied to felony records in the city. The department sits at 900 Wilmington Road. Officers cover the historic district, the waterfront, and the surrounding streets. Staff can pull reports, take public records requests, and answer basic questions about felony cases inside the city limits.
Call (302) 322-9800 to reach the main line. The non-emergency line is the same number. In a life-threatening emergency, dial 911. Victims of crime can get a free copy of an incident report with a valid photo ID. Third-party requests for New Castle felony records usually need a court subpoena or an open FOIA path.
| Agency | New Castle Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 900 Wilmington Road, New Castle, DE 19720 |
| Phone | (302) 322-9800 |
| Emergency | 911 |
The New Castle Police Department also works with the New Castle County Sheriff's Office and the New Castle County Police for wider coverage. County police handle unincorporated areas and provide backup on major felony cases.
New Castle County Superior Court for Felony Records
Felony cases from the city of New Castle go up to the New Castle County Superior Court in Wilmington. The courthouse sits at 500 N. King Street inside the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center. The Superior Court is the trial court for every adult felony filed in the county. Staff at the criminal clerk's office can pull a file by case number or by party name.
The image below is from the New Castle County Sheriff's Office page, which backs up city police on major felony cases and runs courthouse security.
The sheriff's office takes service of process, warrant work, and civil papers tied to felony judgments from New Castle cases.
You can search court records from the Superior Court site. Copy fees run $5 for the first page and $1 per extra page. Certified copies add a $5 certification fee on top. The main court line is (302) 255-0800.
Note: Justice of the Peace Court 11 is also in the city at 550 S. DuPont Highway, which takes bail hearings and small claims but not felony trials.
Searching New Castle Felony Records Online
CourtConnect is the free online tool to look up New Castle felony records from home. The portal pulls from every Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas case in Delaware. Run a search by last name, business name, case type, or case number. The Delaware case ID for a New Castle County felony case looks like N21A-CR-001234.
Each result lists the docket, filing date, party names, the judge, and any hearings on the calendar. Sealed cases and juvenile records stay off the public side. Victim and witness addresses are redacted. To see full documents or get certified copies, visit the clerk in Wilmington in person.
Start a search at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. You can also browse the Court of Common Pleas records for misdemeanor data and preliminary hearings on felony cases.
New Castle Criminal History Checks
The State Bureau of Identification runs the statewide criminal history check. A Delaware rap sheet through SBI covers every felony conviction in the state, some misdemeanors, and active arrests from the past year. SBI is part of the Delaware State Police. The main office is at 1407 N. DuPont Highway in Dover, with eight other fingerprint sites across the state.
Fees set by Delaware law:
- $72 for a Delaware state check
- $85 for a Delaware and FBI combined check
- $5 for each extra certified copy
- Pay by money order or certified check to Delaware State Police
Book a fingerprint slot at (302) 739-5880. More info is on the Delaware State Police page. The DELJIS portal also lists public-facing tools tied to the state criminal justice data system.
Inmate Records Tied to New Castle Felonies
Felony defendants from the city of New Castle often route through the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington for pre-trial detention. Sentenced males may move to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. Women go to the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution. All three sites are run by the Delaware Department of Correction.
The DOC inmate lookup is free and open to the public. Search by name or DOC offender ID. The site shows the current facility, custody level, and the projected release date. Visit doc.delaware.gov to run a search.
Note: Historical inmate records beyond the live lookup may require a formal public records request to DOC under Delaware FOIA rules.
Sex Offender Registry and New Castle Felony Records
The Delaware Sex Offender Registry is the public subset of felony records tied to sex offenses. You can search by name, address, or city to find registered offenders living or working in New Castle. Each listing shows the tier level, photo, conviction type, and current address.
Tier rules under Delaware law:
- Tier 1: 15 years on the registry
- Tier 2: 25 years
- Tier 3: Lifetime
Run a search at sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov. The registry is run by the Delaware State Police and ties into the main SBI rap sheet file for the state.
FOIA and New Castle Felony Records
Delaware's Freedom of Information Act sits in 29 Del. C. Chapter 100. You can see the full text at the Delaware Code site. The law lets any person ask for public records from a state or local agency. The standard response window is 15 business days, with a 30-day extension on complex requests.
FOIA does not open every file. Active investigation records, intelligence notes, and personnel data are exempt. Juvenile records and attorney-client material are also off limits. The Attorney General's FOIA page has sample forms and appeal steps. If your request for New Castle felony records is denied, you can appeal to the AG within 60 days or file a civil action in Superior Court.
Expunging a New Castle Felony Record
Delaware law allows some felony records to be sealed after a waiting period. The full expungement rules sit in Title 11, Chapter 86 of the Delaware Code, with 11 Del. C. ยง 4320 listing the core eligibility test. Mandatory expungement is for acquittals, dismissals, and nolle prosequi dispositions. Discretionary expungement is open after five years for most misdemeanors and seven-plus years for most felonies.
Violent felonies, sex offenses, and DUIs are not eligible. For every other felony record, file the petition with the Superior Court. The Delaware Courts forms portal has more than 25 expungement forms. Pick the right one for your case type, fill it in, and file with the Prothonotary in Wilmington.
Nearby Cities
Other cities in New Castle County share the same Superior Court for felony cases. The clerk in Wilmington keeps all county felony case files.
County Court Jurisdiction
All felony cases from the city of New Castle route up to the Superior Court in the county of the same name.