Annual Report of the Delaware Judiciary VVVVVV Fiscal Year 1999 1 2 1999 Annual Report of the Delaware Judiciary Published by the Administrative Office of the Courts 820 N. French Street 11th Floor Wilmington, DE 19801 302-577-2480 E. Norman Veasey Chief Justice Supreme Court of Delaware 3 Contents 5 Message from Chief Justice E. Norman Veasey 6 Highlights and Developments 8 Fiscal Overview 9 Supreme Court 11 Court of Chancery 13 Superior Court 15 Family Court 17 Court of Common Pleas 19 Justice of the Peace Court 22 Alderman’s Courts 4 Message from Chief Justice E. Norman Veasey SUPREME COURT OF DELAWARE E. NORMAN VEASEY CHIEF JUSTICE December 1999 To Governor Thomas R. Carper, Members of the General Assembly, and Citizens of the State of Delaware: It is my honor to present the 1999 Annual Report of the Delaware Judiciary. Because of the excellent relationships among the exe cutive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the hard work of judges and court staff at every level, there have been major accomplishments in the past fiscal year. More cases than ever before have been presented to the judicial branch in fiscal year 1999, and more work has been completed than in any prior year. This continuous growth in workload—not only in the sheer number of cases, but also in their complexity—has been a challenge to the dedicated and energetic judicial officers and staff of our state. They deserve our thanks and praise for their unceasing efforts to administer justice to all of the citizens of Delaware. Perhaps fiscal year 1999 will be best remembered for two very important accomplishments: (1) the General Assembly and Governor provided much of the funding needed to build the New Castle County Courthouse (which is currently under construction) as well as for acquisition and improvements of court facilities in Kent and Sussex Counties; and (2) the creation of new judgeships for the Family Court and Court of Common Pleas in Kent and Sussex Counties. I want to express my thanks to the Governor, the members of the General Assembly and the judiciary for their tireless dedication to justice this past year. The quality of life for citizens of Delaware, as well as our national reputation, will grow as we continue to strive for excellence and increase our efforts to build public trust and confidence in the judicial system. Respectfully, E. Norman Veasey Chief Justice 5 Highlights and Developments COURT FACILITIES New Castle County Courthouse relocation of the law library to the basement Significant progress was made in of the adjacent O’Brien Building. FY1999 towards building a new court facility in Wilmington. During the year, Sussex County Courthouse architects, engineers, interior designers and The FY 2000 Bond Bill appropriated $7 a construction manager were selected for the million for the continuing renovation of the justice center project. The official ground- Sussex County Courthouses which was breaking ceremony was held on May 18, 1999 for the New purchased by the state in 1997. Key officials from the Castle County Courthouse and was attended by numerous Department of Administrative Services and the Courthouse judges and state officials. Space Planning Committee, chaired by Resident Judge The Executive Committee, established by the FY 1998 William Swain Lee, continue to work diligently with space Bond Bill, continued to oversee all aspects of the building planners and architects in allocating space within the existing program. The Executive Committee consists of the co-chairs facility. In FY 1999, the State also contracted to purchase to the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Improvement the Wilmington Trust Building located on The Circle in Programs, respective chairs of the senate and house judiciary Georgetown. Once renovated, this building will house the committees, two members of the judiciary appointed by the Supreme Court and Court of Chancery in Sussex County. Chief Justice, and three members of the executive branch including the Secretary of Administrative Services, the Justice of the Peace Court Director of Division of Facilities Management and the State Fiscal Year 1999 marked another year of significant Budget Director. progress for Justice of the Peace Court building projects. The FY 2000 Bond Bill appropriated $60 million for the In July of 1998, Court 20, the Wilmington criminal–traffic construction and design of the New Castle County court, moved into a newly renovated leased facility at the Courthouse. Public Safety Building located on North Walnut Street in Wilmington. Court 2, located near Lewes, Kent County Courthouse moved into a new built-to-suit facility in August Planning and evaluation of space needs for the of 1998. judiciary in Kent County continued in FY 1999. Significant expansion of Court 11 in New Castle On May 28, 1999, a final report entitled, Program was accomplished in December of 1998 by moving Analysis and Master Plan for the Kent County the Administrative Office to the newly renovated Courthouse, was issued. The master plan leased facility at 30 Parkway Circle in New Castle. recommended the acquisition of the Kent County A new state-owned facility for Justice of the Peace Courthouse along with a multi-phase approach to Courts 7 and 16 and the Voluntary Assessment the expansion and renovation of the facility. Along with Center was completed in May of 1999. This new facility the purchase of the courthouse, the master plan recom- was a significant improvement over the old building which mended the acquisition of the O’Brien building and an the Court had occupied for a number of years in a former addition to the existing courthouse. railroad station in Dover. This past year also saw incremental improvements to the In June of 1999, Court 15, a criminal-traffic court, moved courthouse with renovations being completed in the base- into a newly renovated leased facility at 130 Hickman Road ment. FY 2000 plans include continued renovations and in Claymont. Certified Court Interpreters’ Program Language barriers are preventing millions of non- prospective interpreters. The tests were administered to English-speaking Americans from receiving equal access Spanish interpreters in two phases, the first consisting of to the judicial system. During Fiscal Year 1999, the sight and simultaneous interpreting, and the second phase Administrative Office of the Courts received a $10,000 for consecutive interpreting. Twenty-seven applicants grant from the Criminal Justice Council to expand the were tested in Phase I and four passed. Phase II will be Certified Court Interpreters’ Program, which is designed conducted in October, 1999. to provide qualified interpreters to meet the judicial needs A brochure detailing the program and qualifications of growing ethnic populations. for interpreters was developed in both English and Two orientation sessions were held statewide for 40 Spanish and circulated throughout the State. 6 Highlights and Developments Staff Training and Courses Sessions Participants Development Balancing Differences 8 93 in the Workplace Code of Conduct for During fiscal year 1999, the 8 584 Non-judicial Staff Staff Training and Development Program offered 13 different Court Clerks Conference 1 61 training classes to judicial branch staff. Training topics included: Code of Conduct, Court Managers & 1 25 Diversity, Computer Training (four software Supervisors Conference applications), Customer Service, Orientation for New Court Employees, and conferences for court Computer Training 21 133 managers, supervisors, support staff , and clerks. Giving Good Advice with- The Staff Training and Development Program also 2 109 provided funding for 15 different court managers and/ out Giving Legal Advice or supervisors to attend the FrontLine Leadership Orientation for New Court training series offered by the Training and Develop- 3 64 Employees ment Department of the State Personnel Office. The Staff Training and Development Program is Support Staff Conference 1 50 managed by the Training and Staff Development Officer in the Administrative Office of the Courts. Customer Service 16 333 Liaisons from each of the six state courts, as well as staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts, serve Relationship Strategies 3 10 on the Staff Training Advisory Board. The board identifies and coordinates staff training initiatives. TOTAL 61 1,463 Technology Update Technology Policy Committee Judicial Branch Technology Plan strengthen the JIC help desk Chief Justice E. Norman Understanding the need to operation have resulted in the Veasey established the Technology migrate from an obsolete hardware hiring of a help desk manager and Policy Committee, a subcommittee and software environment, the the reassignment of vacant of the Executive Committee of the Administrative Office of the Courts positions to assist with important Judicial Conference. This group, developed a three-year plan to user support functions. consisting of the presiding judges stabilize existing systems prior to and court administrators from the moving to a client/server platform. Other Developments Superior Court, Court of Common Four steps are essential to success During FY 1999, a financial Pleas, Family Court, and Justice of in this transition: improved management team was established the Peace Court, provides infrastructure maintenance, better at the JIC. Y2k testing of case leadership and policy oversight to court operations support, enhanced management and other software technological initiatives of the systems development methodolo-