Find New Castle Criminal History
New Castle criminal history records are held by the New Castle City Police Department, the Superior Court of Delaware at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, and the State Bureau of Identification. Arrest reports, incident files, and court dockets from cases inside the historic city feed into the statewide SBI rap sheet system. Residents can pull up New Castle criminal history case data online through CourtConnect or at the local police counter. This page walks through each office, what it keeps, and how to request a file.
New Castle Overview
New Castle City Police Criminal History
The New Castle City Police Department is one of the oldest police agencies in the country. Its roots go back to 1672, when Edmund Cantwell served as High Sheriff over the town. Today the department patrols the historic city and keeps arrest records, incident reports, and local criminal files for events inside city limits. The mission is to protect life and property and keep a safe setting for residents and visitors. The department works with the New Castle County Police and the Delaware State Police on joint cases.
See the department home page for contact info and forms. The site is at New Castle City Police.
The site lists department news, contact numbers, and the records desk. A New Castle criminal record request starts here when the event took place inside city limits. Bring ID and any case number you have. For events that took place outside city limits on county land, the New Castle County Police Records Unit is the right desk instead.
A New Castle criminal record request needs a short checklist. The full name of the subject. A date of birth. The approximate date of the event. A case number if you have one. Valid photo ID. Some files sit behind a FOIA request under Delaware law. The response window runs 15 business days. Fees cover copies and any certification. The department does not run certified statewide rap sheets on its own. That work runs through the State Bureau of Identification at a State Police troop.
Note: New Castle City Police is separate from New Castle County Police. The city force covers the historic city. The county force covers unincorporated land around it.
County Resources for New Castle Criminal History
Some New Castle criminal history pulls touch more than one agency. The New Castle County government site lists county offices tied to records work. The NCC Police Records Unit is at 3601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720. Phone is (302) 395-8171. Counter hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The NCC Sheriff's Office is at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720. Phone is (302) 395-8450. The sheriff handles warrant service and civil process, not primary arrest records.
A New Castle criminal history file splits into four groups. Arrest Records cover custody events. Conviction Records cover guilty verdicts and pleas. Court Records cover every filing in the case. Incarceration Records cover time served. Each group sits with a different office. That is why a full New Castle criminal history check often takes more than one call.
New Castle files its data into the statewide SBI system. SBI is the rap sheet source of truth for Delaware. A local police file holds the details of one event. The SBI sheet ties all events under the subject's name and date of birth into one record. Certified SBI checks run $72 for state and $85 for state plus federal. Fingerprints are required. Results go to the requesting agency within several business days.
New Castle Criminal History Fingerprint Checks
The nearest SBI site for New Castle residents is State Police Troop 2 in Newark at 100 LaGrange Avenue. The troop is the north SBI desk. Appointments are required. Walk-ins are not taken. Booking goes through IdentoGO, the statewide scheduler. For a step-by-step look at the SBI process, see the Delaware certified criminal history page from the State Police.
The SBI check is the certified version of a New Castle criminal history. It runs on fingerprints rather than a name check. A name search can miss records filed under a different spelling or tied to an alias. A print check catches all files under one subject. That is why certified SBI results are the standard for agencies that need a full rap sheet. Results go back to the requesting agency within a few business days. Applicants do not walk out with a printed sheet the same day.
Service codes route the check to the right purpose. Code 27RVGT covers personal criminal history pulls. Code 27S8N2 covers permit-to-purchase checks. Code 27S23V covers expungement applications. Code 27S47F covers Delaware Volunteer Fire Service checks. Each code carries its own fee and routing rules. SBI staff process prints through IdentoGO and send the result back to the agency or court.
What to bring:
- Photo ID (driver license or state ID)
- Service code from the requesting agency
- Payment in an allowed form
- IdentoGO appointment confirmation
New Castle Criminal History Court Files
New Castle court cases run through the county courthouse at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The main clerk number is (302) 255-0800. Public counter hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction for felony cases tied to New Castle. The Court of Common Pleas at the same building handles misdemeanor cases. The Delaware Courts site holds the full court directory.
The court file is the long form of a New Castle criminal history for any given case. It holds the indictment, pre-trial motions, plea papers, trial exhibits, and sentencing order. The Prothonotary's Office handles record pulls. Fees apply for certified copies and extended searches. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you pull case data without making an appointment. Court staff cannot give legal advice but can point you to the right form.
Online lookups run through CourtConnect. The tool covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court. It does not hold Family Court juvenile files. Those are sealed under Delaware law. CourtConnect lists the docket, the parties, the charges, the events, and the disposition. It does not show the full filing text. For the full file, go to the courthouse and ask at the Prothonotary's counter.
To request a criminal file in person, fill out the court's Application for Access to Court Records. You need the defendant's full name, date of birth, approximate case date, and case number if you have one. Staff pull the file and make copies. Certified copies carry a per-page fee and a cert stamp charge. Federal cases filed in Wilmington run through the United States District Court for the District of Delaware on a separate docket system called PACER.
Jail, Registry, and Victim Alerts
New Castle arrestees are booked at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. The jail runs under the Delaware Department of Correction. Booking records, charges, and custody status feed into the DOC system. The DOC inmate locator is the public search point for current custody.
Victim alerts run through VINE. Families and victims can register to get notices about court dates, custody changes, and release events. The service is free and covers all Delaware jails. The Delaware Sex Offender Central Registry is public and searchable by name, address, city, county, or zip code. New Castle residents can sign up for email alerts tied to their zip code.
Note: Booking info at Howard R. Young may not show on CourtConnect for several days after an arrest. Check back if the first search shows no record.
FOIA and Expungement for New Castle Criminal History
New Castle criminal records sit under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act at Title 29, Chapter 100. Public bodies respond within 15 business days. Fees can apply for searches and copies. Juvenile files, sealed cases, and open investigation files are not public. Any denial must cite a specific legal basis. Requesters can appeal to the Attorney General.
Expungement falls under Title 11, Chapter 43, Subchapter VII. Section 4373 covers mandatory expungement. Section 4374 covers discretionary expungement. The application goes through SBI with a filing fee. If SBI finds the case qualifies, applicants mail back signed paperwork with a money order payable to Delaware State Police. The Clean Slate Act, in effect since August 1, 2024, clears some convictions automatically after a set period. Certain felonies, DUIs, domestic violence cases, and sex offenses stay on the record.
Nearby Cities and County
New Castle is just south of Wilmington along the Delaware River. Nearby cities with their own pages are listed below.