Search Delaware 72 Hour Booking
Delaware 72 Hour Booking records cover the first stage of jail intake in the state. When a person is arrested by a Delaware police agency, the booking takes place at a Delaware Department of Correction site. Most people look up Delaware 72 Hour Booking data to find out if a friend or family member was jailed, to see the charges, or to check bail terms. The main tools for a Delaware 72 Hour Booking search are the state inmate locator, the DELJIS wanted review, and the CourtConnect case portal. This page shows you where to look and how to pull the booking file you need.
Delaware 72 Hour Booking Overview
What Delaware 72 Hour Booking Records Show
A Delaware 72 Hour Booking record tracks the first hours after arrest. The file starts when the arrestee is moved to a state jail for intake. Staff log the date, time, and place of arrest. They take prints, a photo, and a full list of the person's gear. They note the charges and check for open warrants. All of this goes into the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System, known as DELJIS, which serves as the state's main booking database.
Each Delaware 72 Hour Booking entry names the arrestee, their date of birth, and key traits like height, weight, and eye color. The log shows the arresting agency and the officer who made the stop. It lists each count, the class of each count, and the rough penalty. Bail or bond terms show up next. Most people posted on bond leave within a day. Those held for court go before a magistrate for an initial hearing within 24 hours. That first court step is a key part of Delaware booking flow.
You can review a detailed look at the Delaware State Police arrest archive on the DSP Arrest Archives page, which posts press releases on booking events across Delaware.
The DSP archive lets you scan by date or area, which helps when you track a Delaware 72 Hour Booking event with no case number in hand.
Where to Find Delaware 72 Hour Booking Records
Delaware runs a unified jail system. Unlike most states, the county does not keep its own jail. The Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) books and holds all adult arrestees statewide. That means a 72 Hour Booking out of Kent County lands at the same state site as one from Sussex or New Castle County. The DOC is the largest law enforcement body in the state with over 2,500 staff. You can start your search at the Delaware DOC main site.
The DOC site links out to facility pages, the inmate locator, and victim services for booking case updates.
The main Delaware 72 Hour Booking facilities are:
- Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington (male intake for New Castle County)
- Baylor Women's Correctional Institution in New Castle (all female intake statewide)
- James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna (Kent County and max security)
- Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown (Sussex County intake)
- Plummer Community Corrections Center in Wilmington (work release)
For a live look at who is in state custody, use the Delaware DOC Inmate Locator. The locator runs on the VINE platform and shows custody status 24 hours a day.
You can sign up for alerts by phone, text, or email when a Delaware 72 Hour Booking status changes or the person is set to be released.
Note: The DOC locator is the fastest way to check a live Delaware 72 Hour Booking. For closed cases, use CourtConnect or the state archives.
How to Search Delaware 72 Hour Booking Data Online
Online search is the first step for most Delaware 72 Hour Booking lookups. You need just a full name or a case number to start. The state runs three key public portals, and each one pulls from a different part of the booking flow. Pick the tool based on what you need.
The Delaware CourtConnect portal is the best tool for court case details after a 72 Hour Booking. It pulls records from the Supreme Court, Superior Court, Court of Chancery, Family Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney. The portal shows case status, scheduled hearings, and docket entries tied to the booking.
You must register for a free account to use some features of CourtConnect. Basic search is open to all.
DELJIS, the state's core criminal data hub, runs an open tool for active warrants. Check the DELJIS homepage to enter name and date of birth and see if a capias or warrant is out.
If the state flags a warrant, the tool tells you the issuing court and the charge. Keep in mind that full DELJIS data is closed to the public.
To go further, the DSP wanted status page walks you through the steps for an online review of your own wanted status.
If you find a warrant, plan to handle it through an attorney. Walking into a station with an open capias leads to a 72 Hour Booking on the spot.
Delaware State Police and Booking Info
The Delaware State Police (DSP) is the main state law agency. The DSP runs troops across all three counties and books most major arrests. Troop 1 covers the north, Troop 2 sits in Bear, Troop 3 works Kent County from Camden, Troop 4 is in Georgetown, Troop 6 is in Wilmington, and Troop 7 is in Lewes. You can find troop contact info on the Delaware State Police site.
Press releases on each troop page list booking data for major cases, the charges filed, and the court of arraignment.
For official state and FBI background checks, the DSP State Bureau of Identification is the right office. Fees run $52 for a state check and $65 for a state-plus-FBI check. Walk-in hours run 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and you need to book an appointment. See the steps on the DSP background check page.
You need a photo ID, but no social security card or birth certificate. Prints are taken on site.
Delaware Court Records After Booking
Most Delaware 72 Hour Booking cases move to the Court of Common Pleas or Superior Court within days. The Superior Court handles all felony counts and civil cases over $75,000. You can find court staff and filing info on the Delaware Superior Court site.
The Superior Court sits in each county seat: Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. Cases are tracked by docket number.
Misdemeanor counts and the first steps of most felony matters start at the Court of Common Pleas. The court hears civil claims between $15,000 and $75,000 too. Visit the Court of Common Pleas site for location and contact data.
Common Pleas also handles traffic cases and some preliminary hearings after a booking event.
Under Title 11 of the Delaware Code, the state keeps full records of arrest and conviction data. You can review the rules at Title 11 Chapter 85, which covers the State Bureau of Identification and the rules for sharing criminal history data.
Title 11 § 8513 lays out the data the state must retain and the rules on who may ask for it. Sealed cases still show arrest info unless a court expunges the file.
FOIA and Delaware 72 Hour Booking Requests
Delaware's Freedom of Information Act sits in Title 29, Chapters 10001 to 10007. The law grants state citizens the right to view and copy most public records, and it covers agency records tied to a Delaware 72 Hour Booking. The Open Government portal is run by the Attorney General and is the start point for a FOIA filing.
The portal lets you pick the right public body, send a form, and track the reply.
Public bodies have 15 business days to reply to a FOIA filing on Delaware 72 Hour Booking material. The first 20 pages of black and white copies are free. Extra pages cost $0.10 each. Oversized pages run $2 to $3 per sheet. Color copies carry a $1 add-on. Staff time may be billed in quarter-hour blocks at the lowest qualified pay rate. Note that fees for legal review are banned under the statute.
The DSP runs its own FOIA contact for booking files. See the DSP FOIA page for the current coordinator and the mail address in Dover.
You can email or mail a clear, short request. Cite the case number, date of arrest, or subject's full name so staff can find the file fast.
Note: Under 29 Del. C. § 10002(l)(4), active criminal files are not public. You may need to wait until the case is closed to get full Delaware 72 Hour Booking paperwork.
Old Delaware 72 Hour Booking Files and the Public Archives
The state moves old inmate and court files to the Delaware Public Archives. The archive holds the full paper trail for felony cases for 20 years past closing. Misdemeanor files stay 10 years. Capital case files are held for all time. Basic arrest data is held for good. Visit the Delaware Public Archives site for the request form.
You need the type of record, the county, the name, the date, and the volume or page if you have one.
If the case is less than 20 years old and still active in the court system, check CourtConnect first. If it is older, the archive is the right path. Staff can pull records on site in Dover or mail a copy for a small fee.
Delaware 72 Hour Booking by County
Delaware has three counties. Each one has its own court seat and its own booking site. Pick a county below to see local agencies, fees, and contact info for 72 Hour Booking records in that area.
72 Hour Booking in Major Delaware Cities
Most city police departments in Delaware book arrestees at a state site. Pick a city to find the local police, the booking jail, and the FOIA contact for 72 Hour Booking data in that town.