Milford Divorce Decree Lookup
A Milford divorce decree is on file with one of two Family Courts in Delaware. Most of Milford sits in Sussex County, and the north side of town falls inside Kent County. Which county line holds your old home address is what sets where your case was filed. This page walks you through the search for a Milford divorce decree in both spots. You will find the court addresses, phone lines, hours, and the steps for a walk-in or mail request. Nearby courts and help groups are listed as well. Use the info to pick the right office on the first try.
Milford Overview
Where a Milford Divorce Decree Is Filed
Milford straddles the Kent and Sussex line. The south and east sides of town are in Sussex County. The north side falls in Kent County. A Milford divorce decree is held by the Family Court of the county where the filer lived on the day the case was opened. The city itself does not issue or keep these records. The city clerk cannot pull a case file. You have to go to the right county Family Court.
Check your old street address to see which county held it. Tax bills, a past voter card, or a deed will tell you. Call the Kent County Family Court if you are not sure. Staff can run your name in the case system and point you to the right court. A Milford divorce decree from the 1980s or 1990s will be on paper and on microfilm. Files from 1976 to now are kept at the county Family Court. Older files are at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover.
Most Milford residents file in Sussex County. The Georgetown courthouse is closer for the bulk of town. Kent County is about 22 miles north via Route 113.
Note: A Milford divorce decree granted before 1976 is not at the Family Court. Call the Delaware Public Archives at (302) 744-5000 for the older file.
Sussex County Family Court for Milford
The Sussex County Family Court sits at 22 The Circle in Georgetown, DE 19947. Main line is (302) 855-7400. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Records Room handles copy orders for any Milford divorce decree filed on the south side of town. A certified copy is $4.00. Cash, check, or money order made out to Family Court are taken at the counter. Walk-in requests are the fastest route. Bring a photo ID.
Georgetown is about 17 miles south of Milford via Route 113 and Route 9. Off-street parking is open at the courthouse. For a mail request, write a signed letter with both party names, the divorce year, and the case number if known. The letter must be notarized. Mail orders go to the Records Department, 22 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. Most mail requests ship back in 10 to 15 business days.
The Sussex County government runs a small info page that points filers to the right court for a Milford divorce decree. The image below shows that resource.
See sussexcountyde.gov/divorce-decrees for the county-run guide that links to the Family Court. The county clerk does not issue decrees. The Family Court is the one office that does.
Kent County Family Court for North Milford
North Milford residents file in Kent County. The Kent County Family Court is at 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. Main line is (302) 672-1000. The Records Section is at (302) 672-1045. Dover is about 22 miles north of Milford. Take Route 113 north to Route 13 for the fastest drive. Hours match the Sussex site: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed on state holidays.
A certified copy of a Kent County Milford divorce decree is $4.00. The Records Section takes cash, check, or money order. Bring a photo ID for walk-in work. Mail orders need a notarized letter. List both party names, the year of the decree, and the case number if you have it. Mailed checks go to Family Court. Clerks will not release the file without the right ID or a notarized signature. Same-day pickup is the norm for open public records, though busy days may run longer.
Delaware Code Title 13 Chapter 15 sets the rules for every Milford divorce decree. Section 1504 of the code lays out the six-month residency rule. One spouse must have lived in Delaware for six months before the court can grant the decree. Section 1505 names the one ground: the marriage is irretrievably broken. Section 1509 adds the auto restraining order at filing. Read the chapter at delcode.delaware.gov Title 13 Chapter 15.
How to Search a Milford Divorce Decree
Pick the right court first. If you are not sure, start with Sussex. If the case is not there, Kent is the next stop. Walk in during the posted hours. Bring photo ID and the case info. The Records clerk will search the index, pull the file, and print a certified copy while you wait. Plain copies are also on offer for a smaller cost. Paper copies cost $0.50 per page in most county records rooms.
To pull a Milford divorce decree, have these facts on hand:
- Full names of both spouses at the time of the divorce
- Year the decree was granted
- County where the case was filed
- Case number if you have it
- Photo ID for the counter
- Notarized letter for a mail order
Case basics are held in the electronic system. Full files need a trip to the Records Room. Staff cannot read the file out over the phone. They will confirm a name hit and a year, then route you to the right window. Older cases on microfilm take more time at the counter.
The Delaware Family Court main page has the full guide for a divorce decree copy order. That page lists the steps, the fee, and the needed items for walk-in and mail. Use it as a check before you go.
Legal Help for a Milford Divorce
Free legal help is open to Milford filers who cannot afford a lawyer. Delaware Volunteer Legal Services at (302) 478-8680 takes family law cases from low-income residents. DVLS is the main pro bono group in the state. Intake starts by phone. Priority goes to cases with kids or domestic abuse. Apply early. Waiting lists can run long for non-urgent files.
The Resource Center inside each county Family Court gives self-help tools for pro se filers. Form packets are free. Staff cannot give legal advice but can show you where the form goes. Form 442 is the Petition for Divorce or Annulment. Form 240 is the Information Sheet. Form 448 is the Answer to the Petition. Parent Education Class is a must when minor children are in the case under Delaware law. The class is capped at $100 per parent by statute.
Section 1513 of Title 13 shapes property division. Delaware uses equitable distribution, so the court splits assets by fairness, not a straight 50-50. Section 1512 covers alimony, with a cap at 50% of the marriage length for shorter marriages. Longer marriages of 20 years or more have no time cap. A Milford divorce decree can also restore a former name under Section 1514. The judge adds the name change to the final order.
Historical Milford Divorce Records
Divorce files from 1975 and before are not at the Family Court. The Delaware Public Archives at 121 MLK Jr. Blvd North in Dover holds those old records. The main line is (302) 744-5000. Staff-made copies run $0.50 per page. A certified copy from the historical set is $10.00. The research room is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Mail orders are on tiered pricing by page count.
For a pre-1976 Milford divorce decree, call the Archives first. Give a year range and both party names. Staff will check the card index and let you know if the file is on hand. Old files may be on paper, in a bound book, or on microfilm. Some files take a day or two to pull from the stacks. The Archives is a short drive from Milford, about 20 miles north on Route 113.
Milford Counties
Milford filers use one of two county Family Courts. Pick the one that held your old home address.
Nearby Cities
Other Delaware cities near Milford use the same Family Court system. Check the pages below for local court info.