Find Probate Court Records in Lewes

Lewes probate court records are maintained at the Sussex County Register of Wills in Georgetown. Lewes is a city in Sussex County, and all estate filings for Lewes residents including wills, administration accounts, estate inventories, and letters testamentary are handled by the Register of Wills at 5 E. Pine Street in Georgetown. Lewes has some of the oldest recorded probate and estate history in Delaware, with wills on file dating to the early 18th century. Anyone searching Lewes probate court records for a historical estate or a recent filing should start with the Sussex County Register or the Delaware Public Archives, which holds filings from approximately 1680 through 1925.

Lewes Probate Court Records: County Office

All probate court records for Lewes residents are filed at the Sussex County Register of Wills in Georgetown. The Register is Gregory Fuller. The office is at the Sussex County Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine St., P.O. Box 743, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone is (302) 855-7875. Fax is (302) 853-5871. Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The building locks at 4:00 PM daily. The office closes to the public at 3:00 PM on the last Monday of each month.

Appointments are required to open or close a probated estate. Walk-ins are accepted but scheduled appointments take priority. Estate searches cannot be performed by emailing the office. Submit the Estate Search Request Form or mail your request to Georgetown with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $5.00 check. Sussex County charges a closing fee of 1.25% of the net personal estate value. Small estates under $30,000 in personal property with no solely-owned real estate may use the simplified Small Estate Affidavit.

The City of Lewes official site at ci.lewes.de.us provides city government information and links to county services.

Lewes is located in Lewes and Rehoboth Hundred, the historical administrative division of Sussex County referenced in many early probate records and land filings.

Lewes Historical Probate Records and Research

Lewes has some of the oldest probate court records in Delaware because it was one of the earliest European settlements in the state. The Lewes Historical Society is an essential resource for anyone researching the earliest Sussex County estate history, particularly for records related to Lewes and Lewes and Rehoboth Hundred. The society's library holds local history collections that are critical for research into colonial-era and early American estates in the area.

A documented example of an early Lewes estate is the 1713 will of Thomas Fisher of Lewes, which left property including two lots in Lewes on Second Street with a dwelling house, outhouse, and orchard fencing. This type of detailed property description is common in early Sussex County wills and helps researchers understand property boundaries and family connections. The Lewes Presbyterian Church records also contain death records such as Nathaniel Waples Esq. of Indian River, who died February 28, 1798, providing supplementary documentation for estate research.

The Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds most pre-1900 Sussex County records, including wills, probate files, land records, and court records. For Lewes-area estates from 1682 through approximately 1925, the statewide probate database is the starting point. Email archives@delaware.gov to request copies with all information from your index search. The Nabb Research Center at Salisbury University also holds Sussex County records including Will Books (1677-1949) and Orphan's Court records (1728-1944).

A historical example from early Lewes wills documents the kind of property and social relationships that appear in these records, showing how the probate system documented life in this coastal community over the centuries.

Note: The Lewes Historical Society may require appointments for research access. Contact the society directly for current hours and access policies before planning a visit.

Lewes Probate Court Records: Search Options

For recent Lewes probate court records filed after approximately 1925, contact the Sussex County Register of Wills in Georgetown at (302) 855-7875. Active and recent estate cases can be searched through the Delaware CourtConnect system by party name. Estate searches at the Register's office require the Estate Search Request Form and a $5.00 search fee. No records are released without the completed form.

Sussex County probate collections available at the Delaware Public Archives and through FamilySearch include Sussex County Wills (1682-1851 and 1851-1959), an Index to Wills (1684-1948), Guardian Accounts, Orphan's Court Dockets and Minute Dockets (1728-1802), and estate case files from 1700 through 1956. FamilySearch provides digital access to many of these collections. Some are freely browsable online while others require access through a Family History Center or affiliated library. The Georgetown Public Library and Rehoboth Beach Public Library also maintain local history collections relevant to Lewes-area research.

Under Delaware Title 12, wills are proved before the Register of the county in which the testator lived at the time of death. For Lewes residents, that is always the Sussex County Register of Wills in Georgetown. Non-resident wills are filed in the county where the person owned property in Delaware.

Sussex County probate procedures, including information about fees, timelines, and the estate closing process, are available through the Sussex County Register of Wills page at sussexcountyde.gov. Simple estates in Sussex County typically take 8 to 12 months to close after the 8-month creditor claim period expires.

Sussex County probate resources, including historical collections relevant to the Lewes area, are available through genealogical and legal research databases covering the region.

Nearby Delaware Cities

These cities are also in Sussex County and file probate court records at the same Register of Wills office in Georgetown.