Judicial Preferences


Judge Jon E. Abramczyk Civil Case Management Preferences

Updated: August 28, 2026

For Attorneys & Legal Staff Only:

Ahdel Candelaria Vega, Judicial Assistant
Chambers
Phone: (302) 255-0657

SirTerrance Sirmans, Judicial Civil Case Manager
Prothonotary's Office
Phone: (302) 255-0805

Rochelle Warren, Judicial Criminal Case Manager
Prothonotary's Office
Phone: (302) 255-0691

Emma Healy, Law Clerk
Chambers
Phone: (302) 255-0636

Fax Numbers:

Chambers Fax: (302) 255-2273 *

Prothonotary Fax: (302) 255-2598 *


* Please advise the Judicial Assistant or Civil Case Manager by phone or email that a FAX transmission has been or is about to be sent to Chambers or the Prothonotary.

General Communication Preferences

Only counsel, not legal staff, may write directly to Judge Abramczyk. All correspondence must be signed by an attorney in the law firm of the attorney of record and copied to opposing counsel, or the party if self-represented.

A letter to Judge Abramczyk must be docketed electronically in the subject case. An electronic copy, as docketed, should be transmitted via email to Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant and Civil Case Manager. No courtesy hard copy of letters need be delivered to Judge Abramczyk's chambers.

Any letter to the Court requesting Court action of some kind (in instances where a motion is otherwise not appropriate) must state the position of each other party or otherwise represent that opposing counsel or the self-represented party could not be reached.

Any motion or letter requesting rescheduling, additional time, expansion of a page limit or word count, or other similar action must state the position of each other party or otherwise represent that opposing counsel or the self-represented party could not be reached.

A teleconference with the Court may be scheduled by contacting Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov.

Represented parties shall arrange the required services. If a party is self-represented, Counsel for any represented party shall make the necessary arrangements and forward the required link to the self-represented party.

Email-Specific Preferences

Email should be limited to administrative issues except as set forth later in these preferences. All emails should include the name of the subject case, the civil action number, and should be addressed to the Judicial Assistant.

Administrative emails are not docketed. Substantive emails must be docketed by the sending party and may be sent only when (a) Judge Abramczyk has approved such email filing in the subject case or (b) exigent circumstances exist.

Comments or questions from lawyers, paralegals, and other legal staff about Judge Abramczyk's preferences are welcome and should be directed to Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov.

SELF REPRESENTATION:

Where a party is representing themselves, the references to "Counsel" within these preferences apply to the self-represented party.

RELATED CASES:

Counsel should always identify any "related" Superior Court cases on the Case Information Statement filed with the complaint or with the answer so that the new case is assigned to the same judge. If counsel belatedly realizes that the Case Information Statement(s) omitted reference to another pending case, and that the subsequent civil case was assigned to a different judge, counsel shall promptly notify the Judicial Case Manager for the judge assigned to the subsequently filed case.

TRIAL SCHEDULING:

After responsive pleading(s) are filed and/or default judgment(s) entered, Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant will, with input from the parties, prepare a Trial Scheduling Order ("TSO"), that (1) sets the earliest feasible trial date, and (2) is best suited to the particular case.

The standard Trial Scheduling Order form should be followed for most civil cases. The TSO sets forth firm deadlines. Failure to meet deadlines, including discovery deadlines without good cause, may result in the Court's refusal to allow extensions. TSO amendments must be made by: (1) motion; or (2) joint stipulation and must be ordered by the Court. Any motion must state the position of each other party or otherwise represent that opposing counsel or the self-represented party could not be reached. If a party seeks to extend discovery or expert deadlines, without affecting remaining scheduled dates, the motion or stipulation should so state. The parties are to use the Amended Trial Scheduling Order form and note the original and proposed (or agreed to) amended dates.

If any attorney believes that a TSO should have been issued, but one has not been issued, counsel should contact the Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov, to request a TSO.

CONFERENCES:

If a scheduling conference is needed it will usually be held by video or telephone, but may be conducted by videoconference or in a courtroom when the circumstances require. Another attorney in the law firm of counsel for a party (other than the attorney(s) who signed the complaint or the responsive pleading) may participate in the Conference provided (1) the attorney understands the case, (2) the case is not complex, and (3) the attorney knows the trial attorney's trial availability. If counsel other than a signatory of the complaint or the responsive pleading plans to attend, that counsel should notify chambers at least the day before the conference by contacting Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov.

At least one sponsoring Delaware attorney per party must participate in a conference with counsel admitted pro hac vice. This appearance may be either by phone or in person.

If mediation resolves a case, or in the event a case settles, Plaintiff's counsel shall notify chambers immediately by email to Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov.

APPEALS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COURTS:

If there is an unusual delay in the preparation of the record, Appellant's counsel should write to the Court to advise of the problem. Judge Abramczyk may take appropriate action to accelerate this process pursuant to the Superior Court Appellate Administrative Order (March 21, 1995). Oral argument is usually held in administrative appeals only if requested.

FORMATTING:

All motions shall be formatted in the manner set forth in Superior Court Civil Rule 78(b). All briefs shall be formatted in the manner set forth in Superior Court Civil Rules 107(b), (d), (e), and (h). Exhibits and appendices to briefs, courtesy copies of motions, or letter applications must all be individually tabbed. No briefs, exhibits, or appendices may be clipped or fastened with paper clips, binder clips, or metal three-ring fasteners, but must be stapled or bound.

When responding to a motion, avoid using terms and phrases typically used in answers to complaints (Admitted, Denied as Stated, etc.) in numbered paragraphs corresponding to the numbered paragraphs in the motion. Instead, each argument in the motion should be addressed substantively.

Any motion requesting rescheduling, additional time, expansion of a page limit or word count, or other similar action must state the position of each other party or otherwise represent that opposing counsel or the self-represented party could not be reached.

Proposed orders shall state with particularity the motion the proposed order addresses (for example, "Proposed Order Granting Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment").

Motions will usually be heard in a courtroom, unless the parties obtain permission from the Court to hold the hearing by videoconference.

COURTESY COPIES:

Two copies of all motions, and briefs should be sent to chambers contemporaneously with filing. One hard copy of each appendix should be sent to chambers. If the appendices or exhibits are voluminous, i.e. would fill more than half a banker's box, counsel are encouraged to attach certain key documents, for example contracts or expert reports, as exhibits to the brief and provide all other documents in an appendix contained on a thumb drive.

ROUTINE MOTIONS:

Routine Motions are defined in Paragraph VI.A.3. of the NCC Plan. Judge Abramczyk hears routine motions every Monday at 9:00 a.m. in person. Counsel must obtain permission from the Court to schedule the motion via CourtScribes. Routine motions are scheduled by Judge Abramczyk's civil case manager, SirTerrance Sirmans at sirterrance.sirmans@delaware.gov. Judge Abramczyk may decide to hear a routine motion at a different time and, if so, counsel will be advised. An attorney should contact Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov, if that attorney believes the complexity or length of the argument on a motion suggests that another date and time would be more appropriate.

The provisions of Section VI of the NCC Plan and Superior Court Civil Rule 78(b) to the contrary notwithstanding, in Judge Abramczyk's cases: (1) routine Motions must be filed no less than 15 calendar days prior to the noticed date and (2) responses are due no later than 7 calendar days after the filing of the motion. A courtesy copy of both the motion and response (with exhibits) must be delivered to chambers. If no response is timely filed, the Court may deem the motion unopposed and grant the motion in advance of the hearing date.

A motion to continue a trial date shall be scheduled as a routine motion and must state the position of each other party or otherwise represent that opposing counsel or the self-represented party could not be reached.

If counsel does not oppose a routine motion, non-opposing counsel should so notify the Court by letter. If possible, an unopposed motion should represent that non-opposition in the motion itself (if such non-opposition is known to the movant) in which event no further notification is necessary.

If counsel intends to withdraw or re-notice a motion, they must promptly notify Chambers and file the corresponding documentation prior to the scheduled hearing.

If an Order is entered before the hearing, the Court will promptly notify the parties of that disposition.

Questions regarding routine motions, including scheduling, should be addressed to Judge Abramczyk's Civil Case Manager, SirTerrance Sirmans at sirterrance.sirmans@delaware.gov.

Judge Abramczyk may refer substantive non-routine discovery motions to a Commissioner. The Commissioner's assistant, Megan Barry, megan.barry@delaware.gov, will schedule any required hearing dates.

DISPOSITIVE AND DAUBERT MOTIONS:

Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for oral argument on dispositive or Daubert motions through Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov. If a party does not file a dispositive or Daubert motion within 4 days after obtaining the date and time for oral argument, the scheduled time may be canceled.

A response (with all supporting authority) to any such motion is due no later than 14 days (excluding weekends and holidays) after the filing of the motion. Any reply is due no later than 7 days (excluding weekends and holidays) after the filing of the response. The original motion, response, and reply shall be e-filed with 1 courtesy copy promptly delivered to chambers. The motion and response shall not exceed 10 pages, including exhibits, unless permission has previously been granted to exceed this limit. Replies shall not exceed 6 pages unless permission has previously been granted to exceed this limit. Counsel should submit a request for additional pages by stipulation or motion (noticed at the convenience of the Court) at least two business days prior to the filing deadline, stating the number of additional pages requested and indicating the opposing party's position. The motion, response, and reply shall include a notice of hearing, indicating the date and time for argument. If no response is timely filed, the Court may deem the motion unopposed and grant the motion without a hearing.

An appendix may exceed 25 pages as necessary.

Oral argument on issue-dispositive motions ordinarily will be held in a courtroom.

PRETRIAL STIPULATIONS:

Counsel are expected to utilize Superior Court Civil Form 46 for Pretrial Stipulations. All legal or evidentiary issues worthy of pretrial identification and focus should be included in the stipulation with citation(s) of legal authorities relied upon. Legal issues raised in the pretrial stipulation will be resolved at the Pretrial Conference if possible.

PRETRIAL CONFERENCES:

Trial counsel, including pro hac vice counsel, must attend the Pretrial Conference. Pretrial conferences will usually be held by video conference.

JURY INSTRUCTIONS:

Jury instructions are due in accordance with the trial scheduling order, (TSO). In the event the TSO does not provide a deadline, proposed jury instructions must be filed the Wednesday before the trial date. A copy of proposed instructions must be sent in Microsoft Word format by e-mail to Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov. In some instances, the Court may require instructions to be filed with the Pretrial Stipulation so they may be discussed at the Pretrial Conference. This can help to focus the parties and the Court on the expected formulation of legal issues at trial.

MOTIONS IN LIMINE:

Any particularly significant issue in a jury case, should be raised by motion in limine. Motions in limine are usually filed and responded to well before the Pretrial Conference. Deadlines included in the Trial Scheduling Order control.

There is no bright line test for whether a legal or evidentiary issue should be (1) raised by a motion in limine, (2) simply identified in a Pretrial Stipulation, or (3) not mentioned at all (if truly minor). If the issue is particularly significant and should be resolved at the Pretrial Conference, a motion in limine should be filed. Daubert motions shall not be filed as motions in limine.

The Court will usually rule on all motions in limine at the Pretrial Conference, unless resolution at trial or post-trial is more appropriate.

BASIC PRECEPTS:

Counsel should familiarize themselves with and abide by the courtroom professionalism standards adopted by the Court in 2004. View: Expectations of the Superior Court for Attorneys' Professionalism in a Courtroom Setting (April 18, 2004).

In cases with pro hac vice representation, local counsel is expected to attend trial and will be excused only for good cause. If local counsel has been excused and circumstances develop at trial, Judge Abramczyk may require local counsel to attend and actively participate in the remainder of the trial. Delaware counsel should at all times be prepared to try the case in the event the Court finds it necessary to revoke pro hac admission.

As trial issues arise, counsel should confer with opposing counsel before bringing the issue to the Court's attention to avoid unnecessary surprise to any other party and to seek resolution of the issue without undue delay and unnecessary Court involvement.

Trial days customarily begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude no later than 4:30 p.m., with an hour for lunch (in addition to other shorter recesses).

Counsel desiring a courtroom with specific technology support should contact the Court Security Office (302) 655-0586 or (302) 255-0587 several days before the trial.

Counsels are encouraged to use the electronic presentation devices in the courtroom to expediate handling of exhibits and witness examinations. To ensure competent use of the courtroom facilities, counsel intending to present any evidence via electronic media should: (1) confer with opposing counsel to ensure all necessary redactions or revisions are completed before the start of trial; (2) ensure the media source is compatible with the Court's courtroom technology; (3) ensure that counsel or someone employed by counsel is available and competent to present the evidence at trial; and (4) ensure one copy of the evidence presented (and a transcript thereof, if applicable) is prepared and ready to be marked and submitted as a Court exhibit at the time the evidence is presented. The Court prefers 1 hard copy of exhibits and 1 digital copy to be sent to Chambers prior to trial. (In cases involving a high volume of exhibits, however, hard copies may not be feasible.)

The Court expects the use of joint exhibits, whenever possible. Witness binders are helpful. Exhibits should be pre-marked whenever possible.

Counsel intending to use demonstrative evidence during opening statements should confer with opposing counsel several days before the trial and seek to resolve any issues regarding such evidence.

Court submissions that are likely to be revised by the Court, i.e., proposed jury instructions and voir dire questions, should be submitted in Microsoft Word format by email to Judge Abramczyk's Judicial Assistant, Ahdel Candelaria Vega at ahdel.candelaria-vega@delaware.gov.

Counsel requiring use of an interpreter shall contact the Court Interpreter Coordinator at (302) 255-0166. Counsel is responsible for the coordination of a court certified interpreter for all court appearances where needed.

Counsel shall avoid "speaking" objections, substantive objections ordinarily should be addressed at sidebar. Objections as to form should be resolved immediately in the presence of the jury.