SUPERIOR COURT
History
|
Superior Court's 175th Anniversary Commemoration
 |
| Photographs Courtesy
of New Castle Weekly |
Historic New Castle County
Courthouse
New Castle, Delaware |
The 175th anniversary of the court's creation
under the Delaware Constitution of 1831 was commemorated with
a Special Session of the Superior Court.
Delaware judges, government officials, and
distinguished guests gathered for the celebration at the historic
New Castle County Courthouse, in New Castle, Delaware on April
9, 2007.
To learn some little known facts about the early days of the court
and the people involved, read the complete 175th
Anniversary Ceremony transcript.
Although Superior
Court's heritage can be traced back more than 339 years to
December 6, 1669, our law courts which represent today's Superior
Court jurisdiction, were decreed under the Constitution of 1831.
The law courts included Superior Court, which heard civil
matters, the Court of General Sessions, which heard criminal
matters, and the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which heard
capital cases and consisted of all four law judges for the other
two courts.
Excerpt from the event April 9, 2007 commemoration:
"Today, Monday, April 9, 2007, marks the 175th Anniversary of the first session held by the Superior Court.
Resident Judge Samuel M. Harrington, one of the original Superior Court judges appointed after approval of the Constitution of 1831, recorded in Volume 1 of his reports – and I quote --
"The Superior Court held its first session at Georgetown in Sussex County on Monday, the 9th of April 1832."
This special session today is being held to commemorate this milestone in the Court's history," President Judge James T. Vaughn Jr.
|
| Read Complete Transcript >> |
| View
the judges that served under the Constitution of 1831 >> |
|
|
|
|
SUPERIOR COURT
FIRST FACTS |
 Superior Court's heritage can be traced back more than 343 years to
December 6, 1669.
—
The red sash worn by the High Courts in the 17th century is worn today by the judges on ceremonial occasions.
—
A court designated as a Superior Court first appeared in the Constitution of 1831.
—
Bailiffs once carried tipstaffs. One side of the pointed tip was white, to represent the presumption of innocence. The other side was red to represent a finding of guilt. Upon conviction, the tipstaff was turned so that the red side faced forward in the courtroom and while the defendant was being escorted to and from the courtroom.
—
Jurisdiction over capital cases was vested in the Court of Oyer and Terminer until 1951 when it was transferred to the Superior Court
—
In 2012, Superior Court rated #1 overall for the ninth consecutive year in the State Liability Systems Study of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/Harris Poll.
View Report >>
—
On October 6, 2003, Superior Court was the first state court in the nation to require statewide electronic filing of certain categories of civil cases.
—
On July 28, 2000, Superior Court was the first state court to adopt a rule allowing briefs and appendices to be filed on
CD-ROM.
—
In 1999, Superior Court began to use its Wilmington, Delaware eCourtroom, purported to be the nation's first actively used eCourtroom.
—
In 1999, Superior Court began to use its Automated Sentencing Order Program. The application issues sentence orders almost simultaneously with judge's pronouncement.
—
Begun in 1994, Superior Court had the first statewide Drug Court in the nation.
—
In 1991, Superior Court created CLAD the first electronic docketing & filing system for civil cases in the U.S.
|
|
|
|
