Delaware Probate Guide

The Delaware judiciary's own self-help pages, and the first stop for a family that wants the court system's plain-language explanation before deciding whether to hire someone. It links the fee schedules, the forms libraries, interpreter services and the hours and locations of every Delaware court.

The statewide statute text behind almost everything on these pages: wills, probate, letters, inventories, accounts, creditor claims, intestate succession, guardianship and trusts. Each section prints its own amendment chain inline, so you can see when a rule was last changed without leaving the page.

The section behind the Delaware small-estate affidavit, including the $50,000 ceiling and the words that set what the affidavit measures against what it can actually transfer. The ceiling was raised from $30,000 on June 10, 2026, and most published Delaware guidance has not caught up.

The only cash allowance in the Delaware estates code: up to $7,500 to a surviving spouse. Subsection (b) is the part that catches people out, because the allowance has no effect unless a written demand reaches both the Register of Wills and the personal representative within 9 months of the death or 6 months of the grant of letters, whichever period is shorter.

The court with oversight of Delaware decedents' estates and adult guardianships. Its site lists the three Registers of Wills offices with their addresses and phone numbers, which is the practical reason to start here rather than at a search engine.

The judiciary's own fee index. Read it for what it does NOT contain: there is no Register of Wills schedule here, because Delaware sets those fees locally under 12 Del. C. § 2510 rather than statewide. A probate fee quoted from this page would be the wrong office's fee.

The rulebook that governs Delaware estate administration in practice. Rule 190 excuses a represented personal representative from appearing in person, and Rule 192 is the whole of Delaware's compensation law: commissions and fees in a reasonable amount, presumed reasonable unless a beneficiary files an exception to the account.

How guardianship of an adult with a disability works in Delaware, written by the court that hears it. This is the route for a person who can no longer manage their own affairs and signed no power of attorney while they could. The petition packets, the supporting affidavits and the court's Handbook for Guardians of Adults with Disabilities are all linked from here.

Guardianship of a MINOR is heard in Family Court, not in the Court of Chancery, so a family arranging care for a child after a death starts here. The site publishes the instruction packet and explains the administrative fee waiver.

How to order a certified death certificate in Delaware, including who is eligible to request one, what proof of identity is required, and the application form itself (death24.pdf) linked from the page. Certified copies are the first document most banks, insurers and title offices ask for after a death, so order several at once: most institutions will not return the copy you send them.

What the Division of Motor Vehicles requires to move a Delaware title, including a transfer after the owner's death. The vehicle is often the one asset a family can move without any court paperwork at all.

The form that names a beneficiary on a Delaware vehicle title while the owner is alive, so the vehicle passes on death without becoming part of the estate. Filing it in advance is the cheapest estate planning most Delaware households will ever do.

The published regulation governing when Delaware may seek repayment of certain long-term-care medical assistance from a deceased person's estate. This is the rule most families have never heard of until a claim arrives.

Free civil legal services for Delawareans in need, with dedicated units for people with low incomes, people with disabilities, people age 60 and older, and victims of crime. Start at the home page and use its intake path to check whether you qualify.

A civil legal aid provider offering advice and assistance to low-income Delaware families, with an emphasis on the rights that keep a household stable. Its site also publishes self-help forms and sample letters for people handling a matter without representation.

Free legal help for Delawareans who cannot pay, delivered pro bono through volunteer advocates rather than staff attorneys. Adult guardianship is one of the matters it takes, which is the estate-adjacent proceeding families most often need help with.

The association's page for members of the public, routing to its own lawyer-referral system, to the free-representation providers, and to the Delaware attorney lookup. The page states plainly that the association itself gives no advice, so treat it as a routing map rather than an answer.