The Sussex County Courthouse is closed today March 28, 2024, due to a water leak.

The Delaware State Courts will be closed on Friday, March 29, 2024 in observance of Good Friday. Justice of the Peace Court 11 (New Castle County) and Court 7 (Kent County) will remain open 24 hours and Justice of the Peace Court 3 (Sussex County) will be open from 6AM-Midnight (no new cases after 11PM).

About Us


The Honorable Vivian L. Medinilla, Judge


Judge Vivian L. Medinilla

The Honorable Vivian L. Medinilla received her appointment as the first Latina to the Superior Court of the State of Delaware in February 2013.

J. Medinilla currently serves on the Court's Complex Commercial Litigation Division. She serves as the Court’s Civil Administrative Judge. She was a presiding judge on the Court’s Asbestos Litigation Docket for three years.

Judge Medinilla received her J.D., cum laude, from the Widener University Delaware Law School, and her B.S. in Business Administration with minors in International Business and Spanish from the University of Delaware.

Prior to her judicial appointment, she served as Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families, where she led the State agency on efforts to improve the child welfare, juvenile justice, and child mental health systems. Before her Cabinet appointment, she served as president and owner of the state's first multi-lingual law firm, and prior to her practice, she was an associate at Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP, where she practiced in civil litigation.

She is an adjunct professor at the Widener University Delaware Law School. She serves as past-Chair of the National Conference of State Trial Judges of the Judicial Division for the American Bar Association (ABA). She serves as Vice President of District Directors for the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ). She served as their representative to the House of Delegates for the ABA. She also currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Ursuline Academy. She previously served on the Executive Committee for the Delaware State Bar Association and on various Boards of Directors, including the Salesianum School, the Latin American Community Center, and St. Francis Healthcare.

J. Medinilla received the Women’s Leadership Award for the Delaware State Bar Association in 2020. She was inducted into the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame in 2012. She was the recipient of the Strong, Smart & Bold Award from Girls, Inc. in 2012, the Distinguished Hispanic Delawarean Award in 2010, and the Haskell/Wyeth Award from Delaware Futures in 2009. In 2014, she received the Angela Boyle '53 Service Award from Ursuline Academy, and named first Chairperson to serve on the Delaware Hispanic Commission. Judge Medinilla's term ends February 5, 2025.