Delaware Code
Subchapter III. Procedure
§ 1015. Filing an expungement petition.

(a) Persons eligible to petition for expungement. —
Persons eligible to petition for expungement. A child, through his or her parent, guardian, guardian ad litem, or attorney, or upon becoming an adult, may file a petition seeking to expunge part or all of the child's juvenile arrest record. For the purposes of §§ 1016-1019 of this title, the child or person seeking an expungement is deemed “the petitioner.” A petition for expungement may include all cases for which the petitioner is eligible for expungement under § 1017(a) or § 1018(a) of this title.
(b) Prohibitions to expungement. —
Except for cases eligible for expungement under § 1017(a)(1) through (a)(2) of this title, all of the following apply:

(1) No person who has been adjudicated delinquent of first-degree murder (§ 636 of Title 11), second-degree murder (§ 635 of Title 11), first-degree kidnapping (§ 783A of Title 11), manslaughter (under either § 632(2) or (5) of Title 11), rape in the first degree (§ 773 of Title 11), rape in the second degree (§ 772 of Title 11), arson in the first degree (§ 803 of Title 11), or an attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in this paragraph (b)(1) is eligible for a juvenile expungement under § 1017 or § 1018 of this title.
(2) No person who has an adult conviction is eligible for a juvenile expungement.
(3) No person is eligible for an expungement while such person has pending criminal charges.
(4) Offenses under Title 21 are not eligible for expungement and are not considered an adjudication or conviction for purposes of this statute. However, a felony conviction for driving a vehicle while under the influence is considered a conviction for purposes of this statute.
(c) Jurisdiction. —
All such petitions shall be filed in the Family Court in the county where the most recent case was terminated, disposed of, or concluded, even if the petition includes cases from more than 1 county.
(d) Contents of petition. —
(1) The petition shall set forth the relevant facts and request expungement of the police records and court records, and all indicia of arrest, including any electronic records, relating to the charge or charges.
(2) For discretionary petitions filed pursuant to § 1018 of this title, the petition shall also specifically set forth relevant facts demonstrating that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to the arrest and, where applicable, adjudication, of petitioner causes, or may cause, circumstances which constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner.
(3) Except as permitted by the Court pursuant to § 1017(c) of this title, the petitioner shall attach a copy of that petitioner's criminal history as maintained by the State Bureau of Identification to any petition filed pursuant to this subchapter. The State Bureau of Identification may charge a reasonable fee in providing a certified copy of the petitioner's criminal history. The Court shall summarily reject any petition for expungement that does not include the petitioner's criminal history.
(e) (1) The Family Court shall consider the entire criminal history as maintained by the State Bureau of Identification in granting or denying the petition, consistent with §§ 1017 and 1018 of this title.
(2) The Court shall either grant the petition, ordering the expungement of part or all of the petitioner's juvenile criminal history, including all indicia of arrest, except for Title 21 offenses, or deny the petition. The Court may not order that only a portion of the petitioner's juvenile criminal history be expunged, unless any of the following apply:

a. The State, under § 1018(f) of this title in the interests of justice, petitions the Court to expunge an arrest that would otherwise not qualify for immediate and mandatory expungement under this subchapter.
b. A case is eligible for expungement under § 1017(a)(1) through (a)(2) of this title.
(3) The Court may order expungement of charges originating in a different county.

Structure Delaware Code

Delaware Code

Title 10 - Courts and Judicial Procedure

Chapter 9. THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

Subchapter III. Procedure

§ 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.

§ 1009. Adjudication; disposition following adjudication; commitment to custody of Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families; effect [Effective until Apr. 3, 2023].

§ 1009. Adjudication; disposition following adjudication; commitment to custody of Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families; effect.

§ 1009. Adjudication; disposition following adjudication; commitment to custody of Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families; effect [Effective Apr. 3, 2023].

§ 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.

§ 1023. Disposition.

§ 1024. First offenders domestic violence diversion program.

§ 1025. Expungement of adult police and court records.

§ 1031. Disposition.

§ 1041. Definitions.

§ 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.

§ 1048. Jurisdiction.

§ 1049. Title.

§ 1049A. Definitions.

§ 1049B. Judicial enforcement of order.

§ 1049C. Nonjudicial enforcement of order.

§ 1049D. Registration of order.

§ 1049E. Immunity.

§ 1049F. Other remedies.

§ 1049G. Short title.

§ 1049H. Definitions.

§ 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.

§ 1049L. Immunity.

§ 1049M. Other remedies.

§ 1049N. Uniformity of application and construction.

§ 1049O. Relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.

§ 1049P. Transition.

§ 1051. Appeals generally.

§ 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.