(a) A juvenile against whom delinquency proceedings have been initiated shall have the right to counsel at all stages.
(b) If a juvenile is not represented by counsel at his or her initial Family Court appearance, the Court shall order the Chief Defender to assign counsel to represent the juvenile.
(c) The juvenile's right to be represented by counsel under subsection (a) of this section shall not be waived:
(1) By a juvenile of any age where the delinquent act the juvenile is accused of is a felony.
(2) By a juvenile of any age who is in the custody of the Division of Family Services.
(3) By a juvenile who is younger than 16 years of age at the time of the attempted waiver.
(4) By a juvenile whose family member, guardian, or custodian is the alleged victim of the delinquent act or whose interest is determined by the Court to be adverse to the juvenile's interest.
(d) Unless prohibited pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, a juvenile may waive the right to counsel in accordance with Family Court Rules. However, no such waiver shall be permitted unless the juvenile has been informed of the juvenile's right to counsel, and the consequences of a waiver, through an in-person meeting with counsel.
Structure Delaware Code
Title 10 - Courts and Judicial Procedure
Chapter 9. THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
§ 1002. Delinquent child not criminal; prosecution limited [Effective until Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1002. Delinquent child not criminal; prosecution limited [Effective Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1003. Commencement; parties.
§ 1004. Duties of officer having child in custody.
§ 1004A. Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program.
§ 1005. Other courts; issuance of warrants; powers and duties.
§ 1006. Process; service; return; interim order; investigation.
§ 1007. Disposition of child pending adjudication; payment for care [Effective until Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1007. Disposition of child pending adjudication; payment for care [Effective Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1007A. Determination of competency of child.
§ 1007B. Use of restraints on a child.
§ 1007C. Appointment of counsel for juveniles [Effective until Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1007C. Appointment of counsel for juveniles [Effective Apr. 3, 2023].
§ 1008. Committee on Dispositional Guidelines for Juveniles.
§ 1009A. Probation before adjudication of delinquency.
§ 1010. Proceeding against child as an adult; amenability proceeding; referral to another court.
§ 1011. Transfer of cases from Superior Court to Family Court.
§ 1013. Automatic expungement of juvenile record by effect of a Delaware gubernatorial pardon.
§ 1014. Juvenile expungement; statement of policy.
§ 1015. Filing an expungement petition.
§ 1016. Definitions applicable to juvenile expungements.
§ 1017. Mandatory expungement.
§ 1017A. Mandatory expungement; automatic.
§ 1018. Discretionary expungement.
§ 1019. Effect of expungement; disclosure of expunged records.
§ 1021. Prosecution of adults; process; bail.
§ 1022. Duties of other courts.
§ 1024. First offenders domestic violence diversion program.
§ 1025. Expungement of adult police and court records.
§ 1042. Commencement of action; procedure.
§ 1043. Ex parte orders and emergency hearings.
§ 1044. Nonemergency hearings.
§ 1045. Relief available; duration of orders, modification and termination.
§ 1046. Enforcement; sanctions for violation of order.
§ 1047. Nonpreclusion of remedies.
§ 1049B. Judicial enforcement of order.
§ 1049C. Nonjudicial enforcement of order.
§ 1049D. Registration of order.
§ 1049I. Enforcement of Canadian domestic-violence protection order by law-enforcement officer.
§ 1049J. Enforcement of Canadian domestic-violence protection order by the Court.
§ 1049K. Registration of Canadian domestic-violence protection order.
§ 1049N. Uniformity of application and construction.
§ 1049O. Relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.
§ 1052. Appeals from custody orders.
§ 1053. Appeals by the State in Family Court cases.
§ 1061. Examination; treatment; payment.
§ 1062. Assignment of prosecutors and public defenders.
§ 1063. Proceedings; privacy, informality.
§ 1064. Merger; effect on Judges; employees; cases; records; prior offenses.
§ 1065. Obtaining personal jurisdiction.
§ 1066. Subpoenas and warrants in criminal cases and juvenile delinquency proceedings; enforcement.