Wilmington Felony Records
Wilmington felony records sit with two main offices. The Wilmington Police Department keeps arrest files and incident reports for crimes that took place inside city limits. The New Castle County Superior Court, also based in Wilmington, tries every adult felony case tied to the city. You can search Wilmington felony records online through the state court portal, or stop by the Records Unit on North Walnut Street for a hard copy. Victims of crime can pull their own Wilmington felony records for free with a valid photo ID. Other requests move through FOIA.
Wilmington Records Overview
Wilmington Police and Felony Records
The Wilmington Police Department runs the Records Unit at 300 North Walnut Street in downtown Wilmington. This is the first stop for any incident report, arrest log, or crime case file tied to the city. The Records Unit phone is (302) 576-3607. Staff work the standard city business hours, Monday through Friday. Victim Services can be reached at (302) 576-3613 for help with sensitive cases.
A victim of a crime in Wilmington can get a free copy of the report. You must show up in person with a valid photo ID, and the report needs to be processed first. The Records Unit tells most victims to wait 7 to 10 days after the incident before they come in. Call ahead to save a trip. The same rule applies to family members of deceased victims, who can pull a file with proof of their link.
For felony records tied to Wilmington police arrests, the case file moves up to the New Castle County Superior Court once charges are filed. The city police keep the front-end records. The court keeps the trial file.
Note: The Wilmington Police Records Unit asks victims to call before they visit, since reports need processing time and same-day pickup is not promised.
Collision and Accident Reports
Collision reports run on a different track than crime reports. If you need a Wilmington crash report, send a written request by mail. The fee is $20 per report. Make the check or money order out to the Wilmington Police Department. Mail it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Records Unit at 300 North Walnut Street, Wilmington DE 19801.
Who can ask? Drivers and passengers in the crash, their lawyers, and their insurance carriers. Pedestrians and cyclists hit in the crash also qualify. The Records Unit does not sell crash reports to the general public.
Insurance adjusters should send the claim number and the names of all involved parties. Attorneys should include a letter on firm letterhead. Response time is usually two to three weeks after the request hits the mailroom.
Wilmington Felony Records in Superior Court
Every felony charged in Wilmington ends up in the New Castle County Superior Court. The court sits at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, about a five-minute walk from the police station. The court phone is (302) 255-0800. Clerk hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
You can pull Wilmington felony records through CourtConnect, the free online portal run by the Delaware Superior Court. Search by last name, business name, or case number. The case ID for a New Castle County felony looks like N21A-CR-001234. The docket shows filing date, party names, hearings, and final disposition.
The page below shows the CourtConnect landing page used to pull Wilmington felony records from home.
The search is free. You can see the full docket without a login. To get a certified copy of a ruling or the full case file, you must visit the court clerk at the Justice Center or file Form ADM_ADM_03_A. Copy fees are $5 for the first page and $1 for each page after that.
Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
Wilmington is home to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution. This is the main pre-trial jail for the county. Anyone arrested on a felony in Wilmington goes here first if they cannot make bail. Sentenced male inmates often move to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. Women move to the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution.
The Delaware Department of Correction runs a public inmate lookup. Search by name or by DOC offender ID. The tool shows the current facility, the custody level, and the release date if one is set. DOC also keeps visit schedules and mail rules for each site.
FOIA and Wilmington Felony Records
The Delaware Freedom of Information Act lets any person ask for city records. Wilmington follows the state FOIA, which is found at 29 Del. C. Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code. A FOIA request to the Wilmington Police goes to the Records Unit. A request for other city records goes to the City Clerk. Both use the same 15 business day response window.
Wilmington FOIA requests should name the records with care. A vague request slows things down. Name the date range, the report type, and the case number if you have one. The city can charge for staff time and for copies.
Some records stay off limits. Active investigation files are exempt, as are personnel files, attorney-client notes, and certain intelligence records. If your request is turned down, you can appeal to the Delaware Attorney General's FOIA unit within 60 days.
Note: Wilmington cannot release the suspect's name or notes on an active investigation, even under FOIA, until the case has moved past the investigation stage.
Fingerprinting for Wilmington Felony Records
The Wilmington Police Department offers fingerprinting services tied to licensing and personal criminal history requests. Bring a valid photo ID. The fingerprint card is forwarded to the Delaware State Bureau of Identification for the actual criminal history pull. SBI is part of the Delaware State Police.
The SBI fee is $72 for a Delaware-only check or $85 for a Delaware plus FBI check. Extra certified copies run $5 each. Pay by money order or certified check made out to Delaware State Police. The main SBI office is at 1407 N. DuPont Highway in Dover. A fingerprint site in Wilmington also serves city residents.
SBI reports list adult felony convictions, select misdemeanor convictions, pending arrests within the past year, sex offender registration data, and limited warrant info. Sealed or expunged files are left out. Juvenile records are kept on a separate track.
Sex Offender Registry
The Delaware Sex Offender Registry is open to the public and covers all three tiers. Level 3 means high risk, Level 2 means moderate, and Level 1 means low. You can search by name, by address, or by city. A Wilmington address search will pull every registered offender who lives or works in the city.
Each profile has a photo, a short physical description, the offense type, the conviction date, and the registered home address. The registry is a live felony record source for sex crime convictions.
Expunging Wilmington Felony Records
Some felony records in Wilmington can be cleared after a waiting period. The rules sit in Title 11 of the Delaware Code, with Chapter 86 covering expungement in detail. Mandatory expungement is for acquittals, dismissals, and nolle prosequi cases. Discretionary expungement is for 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 Wilmington felony records, you can file a petition with the New Castle County Superior Court. Expungement forms sit on the Delaware Courts forms portal. Pick the form that matches your case type. File it with the Prothonotary at the Justice Center.
Other Wilmington Felony Record Sources
A few other offices hold pieces of Wilmington felony records. The DELJIS portal is the state's criminal justice information system. Most of it is closed to the public, but some public tools are open. The Court of Common Pleas handles the preliminary hearing for every Wilmington felony before it moves up to Superior Court.
The Delaware Judiciary court locations page lists every court that serves Wilmington. That includes the Justice of the Peace Court 2 on Augustine Cut-Off and Justice of the Peace Court 11 on South DuPont Highway in New Castle. JP courts handle traffic, small claims, and first hearings for some felonies.
For sentencing data and release info, try DOC. For the most current felony docket, try CourtConnect. For city-held reports, try the Police Records Unit.
Nearby Cities
Wilmington sits at the top of Delaware. These nearby cities keep their own police records and share the same county court.
County Court Jurisdiction
All Wilmington felony cases move to the New Castle County Superior Court for trial. Visit the county page for the full clerk process, copy fees, and courthouse details.