Judiciary mourns passing of retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice

DELAWARE – The Delaware Judiciary has announced the passing of retired Supreme Court Justice Randy Holland, who passed on Tuesday, March 15th.

Justice Holland was appointed and reappointed to the Delaware Supreme Court by three different Governors and served with four different Chief Justices during his tenure on the beach. When he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1986 by Governor Mike Castle, Justice Holland became the youngest person to ever serve on the state’s highest court. He went on to become the Court’s longest serving Justice at his retirement in 2017. Throughout his 30 years on the bench, Justice Holland wrote more than 700 reported opinions and several thousand case dispositive orders.

Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. released the following statement on Justice Holland’s passing:

“The Delaware Judiciary mourns the loss of one of our greatest public servants. Randy Holland served on the Delaware Supreme Court for over 30 years. He wrote cogent and authoritative opinions in all areas of the law that have withstood the test of time. He championed the highest ethical standards for Delaware lawyers and judges. As president of the American Inns of Court, he worked to further its nationwide mission to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bench and bar. Most recently, he chaired a court committee to work on bail reform in domestic violence cases. What Justice Randy Holland will be most remembered for is his kindness, humility, and graciousness, and his personal notes written with a blue felt tip pen. The Supreme Court will recognize this giant of a man in a future event. His family will be in our prayers.”

Delaware Governor John Carney also released a statement Wednesday afternoon:

“This is a tremendous loss for our state. Justice Holland was a true public servant and a steady source of wisdom on Delaware’s Supreme Court for more than three decades. He had a deep knowledge of the Constitution and Delaware’s unique history. His books on the Delaware Constitution have served as a guide for countless public officials in our state. And I have personally sought his counsel many times during my time in office.”

“Justice Holland made his mark in our history books by serving on Delaware’s highest court longer than anyone else. He was a thoughtful, model jurist and will be greatly missed. Tracey and I are praying for Justice Holland’s family, and his many friends across our state, during this difficult time.”