Kent Co Family Court Unveils New Courthouse

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(DOVER, Del) – Kent County and the State of Delaware gave a sneak peek into the county’s new Family Court building Friday.

From the moment someone enters the building, the goal is to try and make the experience a little easier for families who are navigating difficult situations.

This according to Delaware Family Court Chief Judge, Michael Newell.

Judge Newell tells WMDT, “We are here to serve the public, and the public are the litigants that have to access this building. So it is important for when they come into the courthouse, they feel that there’s a dignity to the building. They feel safe when they’re walking, through the building.”

In addition to a more welcoming environment, there are more courtrooms of varying sizes, as well as plenty of private meeting rooms for mediation…

Making things feel much less cramped compared to the previous Family Court building.

Sonja Dickerson is the Chief Operating Officer for Kent County’s Family Court, and she says, “The old courthouse, the building courtroom is, was like a size of an office, basically a little bit bigger than a normal office. But you were very close. So something was to happen. Someone could definitely reach out and touch our hearing officers. Here, you have more space.”

And above all else, the new Family Courthouse helps those entering the courts keep one thing through a change in environment: Their dignity.

“It’s about dignity, safety, security and, and a, an open space where people can have their, issues, respectfully heard,” says Judge Newell.

Kent County will be holding a ribbon cutting for the new courthouse on Thursday, September 17th at 2:30 P.M.