2019 Delaware Code
Title 13 - Domestic Relations
Chapter 5. Desertion and Support
Subchapter II Civil Enforcement
§ 515 Procedural rights of parties.
(a) All parties to a civil action brought pursuant to this chapter shall possess all procedural rights which such parties would have heretofore possessed in an action for support or separate maintenance in the Court of Chancery of the State, including but not limited to the following:
(1) Right to institute and retain complete control of the suit;
(2) Right to select counsel;
(3) Right to appeal to the Supreme Court of the State, on the record, from interlocutory or final orders or judgments. Such appeal shall be in the form and manner provided by the Rules of the Supreme Court.
(b) For purposes of this section, a child born out of wedlock shall possess the same procedural rights as a child born in wedlock and the mother of a child born out of wedlock shall possess the same procedural rights as the mother of a child born in wedlock.
(c) A complete record shall be made of all proceedings in which testimony is taken under this section, by court stenographer, tape recorder, or other device, the method to be at the discretion of the Court.
(d) The Family Court shall by rule provide for expedited procedures for the determination and enforcement of support obligations established under this chapter, Chapter 4 and Chapter 6 of this title. These procedures shall include, except in appropriate cases and on a showing of good cause as herein provided, the mandatory use of such expedited process before a hearing can be held before a judge. The Court shall by rule adopt procedures to provide, in appropriate cases, for the determination that there is good cause to proceed directly to a hearing before a judge.
59 Del. Laws, c. 567, § 1; 65 Del. Laws, c. 228, § 4; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.
