Search Wilmington DUI Records

Wilmington DUI records are kept at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center at 500 N. King Street, just blocks from the city's downtown core. Wilmington is Delaware's largest city and the seat of New Castle County. Felony DUI cases are heard at Superior Court inside the Justice Center, while first and second DUI offenses land at the Court of Common Pleas in the same building. You can search Wilmington DUI cases by name or case number through CourtConnect, or request an arrest report from the Wilmington Police Department Records Division for any city-level DUI stop.

Wilmington Police DUI Records

The Wilmington Police Department has authority to enforce DUI laws within city limits and make arrests for impaired driving. Officers patrol major corridors like I-95, I-495, Market Street, and Kirkwood Highway. Wilmington Police reports for DUI arrests include the arrest narrative, chemical test results, citations, and any related traffic crash reports. These go into the Wilmington Police Records Division, which handles record requests.

Wilmington Police participate in OHS-funded DUI checkpoint operations and high-visibility enforcement campaigns. The city's Alderman's Court handles municipal code violations, parking infractions, minor traffic offenses, and some misdemeanor matters, though most Wilmington DUI arrests move to the Court of Common Pleas or Superior Court at the Justice Center. Wilmington also has a Ban the Box policy on city jobs, which changes how DUI records on an applicant's history are considered in hiring for city government roles.

If you need a Wilmington DUI arrest report, start with the Records Division. Records staff can walk you through forms and fees. For the court docket side of the same Wilmington DUI record, head to the Justice Center clerk's counter or run the case through CourtConnect.

Leonard L. Williams Justice Center DUI Records

The Superior Court at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center handles all felony DUI cases arising in Wilmington. The court is at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Main number is (302) 255-0800. Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The same building holds the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and a Justice of the Peace Court. A Wilmington DUI case can enter the system at any of those three levels.

For a formal record request at Superior Court, use Form ADM_ADM_03_A from the Delaware court forms page. Public access terminals at the Justice Center let you search the case index for free. Staff can direct you to a terminal but cannot run searches on your behalf. Per page copy fees apply, and certified copies cost extra. Specialty dockets at the Justice Center include drug court, mental health court, and Veterans Treatment Court, any of which may take a qualifying Wilmington DUI defendant through a rehabilitation-focused alternative.

Some Wilmington DUI records are not public. Juvenile cases, expunged files, and sealed records do not appear on CourtConnect. Personal identifiers like Social Security numbers and account numbers are redacted from public filings. If a Wilmington DUI file is not showing online, ask at the clerk's counter whether it was sealed or simply not digitized.

Delaware State Police and Wilmington Checkpoint DUI Records

Delaware State Police Troop 1 provides coverage for the Wilmington area. DSP patrols I-495 through Wilmington for DUI enforcement, including commercial vehicle DUI detection. DUI-related vehicular assault cases are prosecuted through Superior Court when impaired driving causes injury in a Wilmington crash. Press releases documenting Wilmington DUI cases often appear on the DSP newsroom.

Multi-agency DUI checkpoints in Wilmington typically run on Kirkwood Highway. A checkpoint in New Castle County on September 26, 2025 screened 228 vehicles, made 5 DUI arrests, and produced 12 other traffic arrests. Delaware State Police, OHS, and Wilmington Police all contribute officers to these operations. The state news site publishes the official results.

The image below is from the Delaware state news page documenting a DUI checkpoint in the Wilmington area of New Castle County.

Checkpoint results give a snapshot of DUI enforcement activity around Wilmington each quarter.

Statewide Search for Wilmington DUI Records

Most Wilmington DUI cases appear on CourtConnect. Free registration is required. Searches can be run by party name, business name, case number, or police report number. The system shows docket entries, party info, hearings, and dispositions.

To run a useful CourtConnect search for a Wilmington DUI record:

• Enter the defendant's full name as it appears on the citation
• Add a case number or approximate arrest date to narrow results
• Pick the court level if known (Superior, Common Pleas, JP)
• Look for a New Castle County filing
• Note the docket number for the clerk counter request

CourtConnect covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court cases. Some older Wilmington DUI files are not digitized and require an in-person courthouse visit to view. Juvenile, adoption, guardianship, mental health, expunged, and sealed records never appear on the public portal.

Certified Criminal History for Wilmington DUI Records

For a certified Delaware criminal history showing any Wilmington DUI convictions, the State Bureau of Identification in Dover is the official source. SBI is at the Blue Hen Corporate Center, 655 S. Bay Road, Suite 1B, Dover, DE 19901, phone (302) 739-2528. Wilmington residents can travel to Dover for fingerprinting or use another appointment site listed on the SBI fingerprinting page. A state criminal history check is $52.50 and a combined state and federal check is $69.00.

The DMV also factors into Wilmington DUI records. Every DUI arrest triggers an administrative license revocation under § 4177A. The Wilmington DMV office at (302) 434-3200 handles hearings and reinstatement for city residents. A DUI revocation sits on the driving record for at least five years, and reinstatement requires completion of the § 4177D alcohol program.

Reinstatement fees for a Wilmington DUI run about $143.75 through the DMV. Drivers also have to clear the DSARP evaluation, which runs $150, and enroll in the DUI education class, which costs $400. A First Offender Election program is available for qualifying first-time Wilmington DUI defendants, with a one-year license suspension, a $250 fine, DUI course completion, and an ignition interlock device requirement when driving resumes.

What Wilmington DUI Records Contain

A Wilmington DUI case file typically pulls together material from multiple agencies. The arresting officer's report, the chemical test results, and any dashcam or bodycam evidence sit alongside the court docket and the sentencing order. The file moves through Justice of the Peace Court first, then up to Court of Common Pleas or Superior Court depending on the offense level.

A Wilmington DUI record often includes:

• Police arrest report from Wilmington Police or DSP Troop 1
• Chemical test result and forensic toxicologist certificate
• Citation under 21 Del. C. § 4177
• Bail and release conditions from the initial JP Court hearing
• Plea or trial disposition from Court of Common Pleas or Superior Court
• Sentencing order with IID and treatment requirements

Under 21 Del. C. § 4177(h), chemical test reports signed by a certified forensic toxicologist are prima facie evidence at trial. The defense can request live testimony if the request is filed at least 15 days before the trial date. Under § 2746, only a licensed doctor, registered nurse, LPN, or other trained healthcare worker can draw blood for a DUI test. Those certifications live inside the Wilmington DUI case file.

Related Delaware DUI Record Pages

Wilmington DUI cases feed into the New Castle County court record. Other cities in the county also file into the same Justice Center.