Delaware Code
Subchapter VII. Offenses Against Public Health, Order and Decency
§ 1448C. Civil procedures to relinquish firearms or ammunition.

(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) “Ammunition” means as defined in § 1448(c) of this title.
(2) “Dangerous to others” means that by reason of mental condition there is a substantial likelihood that the person will inflict serious bodily harm upon another person within the reasonably foreseeable future. This determination must take into account a person's history, recent behavior, and any recent act or threat.
(3) “Dangerous to others or self” means as “dangerous to others” and “dangerous to self” are defined in this subsection.
(4) “Dangerous to self” means that by reason of mental condition there is a substantial likelihood that the person will sustain serious bodily harm to oneself within the reasonably foreseeable future. This determination must take into account a person's history, recent behavior, and any recent act or threat.
(5) “Law-enforcement agency” means an agency established by this State, or by any county or municipality within this State, to enforce criminal laws or investigate suspected criminal activity.
(b) If, after October 30, 2018, a law-enforcement agency receives a written report about an individual under § 5402 or § 5403 of Title 16, the law-enforcement agency shall determine if there is probable cause that the individual is dangerous to others or self and in possession of firearms or ammunition.
(1) a. If the law-enforcement agency determines that there is probable cause that the individual is dangerous to others or self and in possession of firearms or ammunition, the law-enforcement agency shall do both of the following:

1. Immediately seek an order from the Justice of the Peace Court that the individual relinquish any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual.
2. Immediately refer the report under § 5402 or § 5403 of Title 16 and its investigative findings to the Department of Justice.
b. In making the probable cause determination under paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section, a law-enforcement agency must determine if the individual is subject to involuntary commitment under § 5009, § 5011, or § 5013 of Title 16. If the individual is subject of involuntary commitment, the law-enforcement agency may not seek an order under this paragraph (b)(1).
(2) The Department of Justice may, upon review of the report and the law-enforcement agency's investigative findings, petition the Superior Court for an order that the individual relinquish any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual. The Department of Justice must file 1 of the following with the Superior Court within 30 days after the entry of the Justice of the Peace Court's order under paragraph (d)(1) of this section:

a. A petition under this paragraph (b)(2).
b. A petition requesting additional time to file a petition under this paragraph (b)(2) for good cause shown.
1. If the Superior Court denies the Department of Justice's request for additional time to file a petition under this paragraph (b)(2)b., the Department of Justice has either the remainder of the 30 days provided by this paragraph (b)(2) or 7 days from the date of the Superior Court's denial, whichever is longer, to file a petition with Superior Court under this paragraph (b)(2).
2. If the Superior Court approves the Department of Justice's request for additional time to file a petition under this paragraph (b)(2)b., the Court may not grant the Department more than 15 days to file the petition from the date of the Court's approval.
(3) If the Department of Justice does not file a petition with Superior Court under paragraph (b)(2) of this section within the timeframes under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the Justice of the Peace Court's order is void and a law-enforcement agency holding the firearms or ammunition of the individual subject to the order must return the firearms or ammunition to the individual.
(c) (1) The following procedures govern a proceeding under paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section:

a. The Justice of the Peace Court shall immediately hear a request for an order under paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section.
b. The law enforcement agency has the burden of demonstrating that proof by a preponderance of the evidence exists to believe that the individual subject to a report under § 5402 or § 5403 of Title 16 is dangerous to others or self and in possession of firearms or ammunition.
c. The individual does not have the right to be heard or to notice that the law-enforcement agency has sought an order under paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section.
(2) The following procedures govern a proceeding under paragraph (b)(2) of this section:

a. The individual has the right to be heard.
b. If a hearing is requested, it must be held within 15 days of the Department of Justice's filing of the petition under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, unless extended by the Court for good cause shown.
c. If a hearing is held, the individual has the right to notice of the hearing, to present evidence, and to cross examine adverse witnesses.
d. If a hearing is held, the hearing must be closed to the public and testimony and evidence must be kept confidential, unless the individual requests the hearing be public.
e. If a hearing is held, the hearing must be on the record to allow for appellate review.
f. The Department of Justice has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the individual is dangerous to others or self.
(3) a. The Justice of the Peace Court may adopt additional rules governing proceedings under paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section.
b. The Superior Court may adopt additional rules governing proceedings under paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(d) (1) If the Justice of the Peace Court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that an individual is dangerous to others or self, the Court shall order the individual to relinquish any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual. The Court may do any of the following through its order:

a. Require the individual to relinquish to a law-enforcement agency receiving the Court's order any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual.
b. Prohibit the individual from residing with another individual who owns, possesses, or controls firearms or ammunition. Nothing in this section may be construed to impair or limit the rights, under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution or article I, § 20 of the Delaware Constitution, of an individual who is not the subject of the Court's order of relinquishment.
c. Direct a law-enforcement agency having jurisdiction where the individual resides or the firearms or ammunition are located to immediately search for and seize any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual.
(2) If the Superior Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that an individual is dangerous to others or self, the Court shall order the individual to relinquish any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual. The Court may do any of the following through its order:

a. Require the individual to relinquish to a law-enforcement agency receiving the Court's order any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual.
b. Allow the individual to voluntarily relinquish to a law-enforcement agency receiving the Court's order any firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual.
c. Allow the individual to relinquish firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual to a designee of the individual. A designee of the individual must not reside with the individual and must not be a person prohibited under § 1448 of this title. The Court must find that the designee of the individual will keep firearms or ammunition owned, possessed, or controlled by the individual out of the possession of the individual.
d. Prohibit the individual from residing with another individual who owns, possesses, or controls firearms or ammunition. Nothing in this section may be construed to impair or limit the rights, under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution or article I, § 20 of the Delaware Constitution, of an individual who is not the subject of the Court's order of relinquishment.
e. Direct a law-enforcement agency having jurisdiction where the individual resides or the firearms or ammunition are located to immediately search for and seize firearms or ammunition of the individual if the Department of Justice shows that the individual has ownership, possession, or control of a firearm or ammunition.
(e) (1) An individual subject to the Superior Court's order of relinquishment may petition the Relief from Disabilities Board for an order to return firearms or ammunition under § 1448A(l) of this title.
(2) If the basis for relinquishment under this section is removed by the Relief from Disabilities Board established by § 1448A(l) of this title, any firearms or ammunition taken from the individual must be restored in a timely manner without the additional requirement of petitioning under § 1448A(l) of this title.
(f) Any party in interest aggrieved by a decision of the Superior Court's order of relinquishment under this section may appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
(g) (1) The State Police and the Department of Justice shall work with county and municipal law-enforcement agencies and the Department of Health and Social Services, and its Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, to develop appropriate internal policies and regulations to ensure that personnel who act under this section are trained on appropriate mental health risk assessment procedures and to look for histories of violence.
(2) The Supreme Court, Superior Court, Justice of the Peace Court, Department of Justice, State Police, State Bureau of Identification, Delaware Criminal Justice Information System Board of Managers, and the Department of Health and Social Services may promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this section, § 1448(a)(2) of this title, and §§ 5402 and 5403 of Title 16.

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