Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 114

GENERAL PROVISIONS.

An Act concerning the Seals of the Courts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

SECTION 1. That the seal of the Court of Chancery now used in the respective counties of this State, shall be taken, adjudged and deemed the seal of the Court of Chancery, established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of, and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies, to which a seal of office ought to be affixed ; and that the seal of the Superior Court now used in the respective counties of this State, shall be taken, adjudged and deemed the seal of the Superior Court, established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of, and affixed to all writings, papers and copies, to which the seal of office ought to be affixed ; and that the seal of the Court of Oyer and Terminer now used in the respective counties of this State, shall be taken, adjudged, and deemed the seal of the Court of Oyer and Terminer of the respective counties established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies, to which the seal of office ought to be affixed.

SECTION 2. That the seal of the Orphans' Court, used in Sussex county shall be taken, adjudged and deemed the seal of the Orphan's Court of Sussex county, established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies, to which the seal of office ought to be affixed.

SECTION 3. That the Secretary of State shall be and he is hereby authorized to procure as soon as he conveniently can, a new seal for the Orphans' Court of New Castle county, and a new seal for the Orphans' Court of Kent county ; each of said seals to be of the same size, and with the same device as the seal now in use in the Orphans' Court of Sussex county ; there shall be engraven upon the seal for New Castle county, the words "Orphans' Court, New Castle County, Delaware"; and upon the seal for Kent county, the words "Orphans' Court, Kent County, Delaware" ; the said seals to be by the said Secretary of State delivered to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of the respective counties of New Castle and Kent, and shall be taken, adjudged and deemed the seal of the Orphans' Court of the counties of New Castle and Kent respectively, established by the amended Constitution of this State and may and shall be made use of and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies, to which the seal of office ought to be affixed. And when the new seals shall be procured and delivered to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of the counties of New Castle and Kent respectively, the said clerks shall cause the seals heretofore used, as the seals of the Orphans' Court of the said counties of New Castle and Kent, to be broken and destroyed in the presence of the Sheriff of each of the said counties.

SECTION 4. That the Secretary of State shall be and he is hereby authorized to procure as soon as he conveniently can, a new seal for the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, the said seal to be of the same size, with the same device as the seal formerly used by the Court of Errors and Appeals, and shall have engraved thereon the words, "Seal of the Supreme Court," Delaware, the said seal shall be delivered by the said Secretary of State to the clerk of the Supreme Court, and shall be taken, adjudged and deemed to be the seal of the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies, to which the seal of office ought to be affixed.

And when the new seal shall be procured and delivered to the clerk of the Supreme Court as aforesaid, the said clerk shall cause the seal of the Court of Errors and Appeals, which has heretofore been temporarily used as the seal of the "Supreme Court" to be broken and destroyed in the presence of the Sheriff of Kent county.

SECTION 5. That the Secretary of State shall be and he is hereby authorized to procure as soon as he conveniently can, a new seal for the Court of General Sessions of the same size and with the same device as the seal formerly used in the respective counties of this State, as the seal of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and Gaol Delivery ; and three shall be engraven upon the seal for New Castle county the words "Court of General Sessions, New Castle County" ; upon the seal for Kent county the words, "Court of General Sessions, Kent County" ; and upon the seal for Sussex county the words, "Court of General Sessions, Sussex County" ; the said seals to be by the said Secretary of State delivered to the Clerk of the Peace of the respective counties of this State, and shall he taken, adjudged and deemed the seal of the Court of General Sessions of the respective counties of this State, established by the amended Constitution of this State, and may and shall be made use of and affixed to all writings, papers, and copies to which the seal of office ought to be affixed. And when the new seals shall be procured and delivered to the Clerk of the Peace of the respective counties of this State, the said clerks shall cause the seals heretofore used as the seals of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and Gaol Delivery in the respective counties of this State, to be broken and destroyed in the presence of the Sheriff of each of the said counties.

SECTION 6. That the State Treasurer shall pay to the said Secretary of State to defray the expenses of procuring and purchasing said seals the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, and that the said Secretary of State shall lay before the legislature at its next session, an account of his expenses in procuring and purchasing said seals, which said account when adjusted and allowed by the legislature, shall be deducted from the said sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, and the balance, if any remaining, shall be refunded by the said Secretary of State to the State Treasurer.

Approved March 17, A.D. 1898.