Delaware Code
Subchapter I. Lien of Judgments
§ 4711. Time limitation of judgment lien; extension of time.

(a) No judgment for the recovery of money entered or recorded in the Superior Court, whether rendered by that Court or transferred thereto from the Supreme Court, or from the dockets of a justice of the peace or the Court of Common Pleas, or operative by virtue of any writ of testatum fieri facias, or otherwise, howsoever recorded in the Court, shall continue a lien upon real estate for a longer term than 10 years next following the day of entry or recording of such judgment, or, in case the whole or any part of the money for which the judgment is recovered or rendered shall not be due and payable at or before the time of its entry or recording, the day on which such money shall have become wholly due and payable, unless, within the term of 10 years, the lien of such judgment is renewed and continued by a written agreement, signed by the plaintiff, or if there is more than 1, 1 or more of the plaintiffs therein, or the assignee or assignees thereof, or the person or persons to whose use such judgment shall have been marked, such person's or persons' executors or administrators, and by the defendant or defendants therein, such defendant's or defendants' executors or administrators, and, in order to bind lands conveyed by the defendant or defendants by deeds of record subsequent to such judgment, the terre tenant or terre tenants of the real estate bound by such lien, or, in case of a judgment upon a mechanic's lien, the terre tenant or terre tenants of such real estate, or by the attorneys of record of the respective parties to such judgment, or of the persons interested therein, in substantially the following form, after stating the title of the cause:

(b) No judgment which is a general lien, including judgments for costs and judgments in favor of the State or any political subdivision thereof, shall remain a lien for more than the 10-year period hereinabove provided, unless renewed for a further 10-year term in accordance with the provisions of this section
(c) This section shall not apply to those judgments entered of record pursuant to court-ordered restitution awards as provided in § 4101(b) of Title 11; however, no such judgment will attach to a parcel of real property for more than 7 years after the convicted person has sold, transferred, or lost their ownership interest in that specific parcel of real property.
(d) Unless extended by the procedure set forth in § 4715 of this title or the express conditions of a criminal sentencing order, the automatic lien on real property that is derived from a criminal judgment filed with the prothonotary expires 7 years from the date the convicted person sold, transferred, or lost their ownership interest in that specific parcel of real property. If a lien on real property is removed, a criminal judgment's personal liability against a defendant remains valid and enforceable. This subsection applies to all of the following:

(1) Liens on real property derived from a criminal judgment filed with the prothonotary after October 21, 2022.
(2) Liens on real property derived from a criminal judgment filed with the Prothonotary before October 21, 2022 if the judgment is extended under § 4715 of this title by October 22, 2023.

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