CHAPTER 77
FORMERLY
SENATE BILL NO. 24
AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 9, TITLE 10, DELAWARE CODE, RELATING TO PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN A CRIME CLASSIFIED AS A FELONY AND BY PERMITTING THE RELEASE OF THE NAME OF SUCH DELINQUENT AND HIS PARENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware:
Section 1. Amend Title 10, Delaware Code, by striking §972 in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof a new §972 to read as follows :
§ 972. Proceedings; privacy, informality
(a) All proceedings before the Court and all records of such proceedings may be private except to the extent that the Court may consider publication in the public interest except as provided below in subparagraph (b) ; provided, however, that proceedings in a crime classified as a felony shall be open to the public. Proceedings may, within the Court's discretion, be informal, but shall be consistent with decorum and the law.
(b) All records concerning any child shall be made duly available to the Superior Court and the Department of Health and Social Services, and whenever a child is arrested for a crime classified by Title 11 as a felony, the clerk of the Family Court shall release the name of the child and the names of his parents upon request by a responsible representative of public information media.
Approved June 16,1978.