IMPORTANT INFORMATION for the PANDEMIC

We will try to keep this up-to-date as we navigate the current situation.

NEWS from the Courts

There is nothing more powerful than people supporting each other and bearing a crisis together.  Together, we are strong.

—DELAP saves attorneys—

Click the Button Above to see the amazing resources available through the

Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program (DELAP).

Click on the Court or Agency in the Menu below to see new information or links:

The Governor moved the Delaware Primary to June 2.  see this and other new delays in punitive actions such as evictions HERE.

The Governor ordered a lock-in for all non-essential activity.  Legal services, however, were deemed essential. 

Governor’s Executive Order No. 11 – including Remote Notarization Changes;

Governor of Delaware John Carney’s Response  Delawareans with questions about COVID-19 or their exposure risk can call the Division of Public Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 or 711 for people who are hearing impaired from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or email DPHCall@delaware.gov

Supreme Court Administrative Order 19, reopening of Courts for Jury Trials beginning JUNE 2021.  See order.

Chief Justice’s inital order closing Courts can be found HERE.

See the Administrative Office of the Courts COVID Info page HERE.

Subsequent orders:

The CLE Commission has waived live CLE requirements for all attorneys up through December 31, 2021. 

In order to contribute toward the CLE requirement, distance learning credits must be earned through participation in approved programs offered by Accredited Providers of Distance Learning.

Distance learning credits in excess of twelve (12) will not carry forward towards future annual compliance deadlines.

Credits not classified as distance learning will carry forward if applicable.

CLE Commission Rules

CLEs.  While many live CLE events have been suspended, members may watch numerous online video CLEs (currently discounted 10%) at www.dsba.org/cle.  Remember, you may watch 12 hours of your 24 hours on video.

Compliance deadlines for December 2019 reporting have been updated as follows:

  • Transcript Verification is extended and now due by 4/30/20,
  • Completion of Makeup Plan is extended and now due by 5/31/20 and;
  • Report of Completion is now due 6/15/20.

The 2021 Delaware Bar Exam WILL BE HELD as a remote online exam from July 26 to July 28, 2021.  For more information, consult the notice by the BBE.

The 2020 Delaware Bar Exam was postponed (from July 2020) to Sept. 11, 2020, then ultimately cancelled. For more information on the Board’s Requirements or the location of the Bar Exam, go to the Board of Bar Examiner’s website.

Clerkship requirements for the current year have been reduced from 21 weeks to 14.  See order.

For the JP Court homepage and COVID response, click HERE.

Federal District Court has modified its rules for the pandemic.  See their website: https://www.ded.uscourts.gov/

Phase II Reopening Plan (9/15/2020)

*** Click other courts in the menu above for their specific rules or changes. ***

Other Important News and References:

REMOTE NOTARIZATION –

Governor’s Executive Order No. 11 – including Remote Notarization Changes;

PENNSYLVANIA CLE COMMISSION

The Pennsylvania CLE Commission has made a one-time accommodation – Suspension of the distance learning cap will apply to 2020 CLE deadlines and the standard cap of six (6) hours earned through this delivery method will resume with 2021 annual compliance deadlines.  Go to PACLE here.

The Pennsylvania CLE Commission similarly has extended the deadline for April 30 compliance to August 31, 2020.  No other deadlines were changed.

COVID-19 RESOURCES

Email DSBA.  Please know that as a member of this organization, you can always ask us to find out information for you.  Just email and we’ll do our best!

Feeling Anxious?

DSBA, in partnership with DE-LAP, can help.

In this period of monumental change, both professionally and personally, The Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program (DE-LAP) understands that the legal culture is often resistant in asking for help.

For that reason, the Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program (DE-LAP) together with The Delaware Lawyers Assistance Fund (DELAF) have developed a FREE, CONFIDENTIAL call-in service for Delaware’s legal professionals. This service is a free and confidential way for Delaware Judges, Lawyers and Legal Professionals to discuss your own anxieties with DE-LAP’S CORE TEAM of licensed, health-care professionals during this coronavirus crises and time of upheaval.

If you, or someone you know, needs to just talk – please take advantage of DE-LAP’s new, mental health call-in service to our team of licensed health-care professionals, designed especially for the legal culture.

Call the DE-LAP CORE LICENSED TEAM DIRECTLY, or for more information call DE-LAP’s confidential line (302) 777-0124 .

DE-LAP’S CORE LICENSED TEAM IS:

Dr. Sarah Falgowski, M.D.
Delaware Psychiatry and Wellness
1500 Shallcross Avenue,
Ste 1A-5
Wilmington, DE 19806
Phone: (302) 588-2680
Fax: (302) 202-3239
e-mail: delawarepsychiatry@gmail.com

Rich Lombino, Esq, LCSW
Therapist & Lawyer
Lombino Counseling LLC
1521 Concord Pike, Suite 301
Wilmington, DE 19803
Phone: (302) 273-0700
Fax: (302) 273-0605
e-mail: info@richlombino.com
web: www.richlombino.com

Alice R. O’Brien, MS, NCC, LPCMH
Counseling at Sussex Cottage
4800 Lancaster Pike
WIlmington, DE 19807
Phone: (302) 521-3859
e-mail: aliceob@comcast.net

OTHER DE-LAP RESOURCES:

We Do Together What Need Not Be Done Alone!

TBD, Executive Director
The Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program
(DE-LAP)
405 N. King Street, Suite 100B
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 777-0124
Cell: (410) 409-8874
www.de-lap.org

DE-LAP is a Confidential, Free, Non-Judgmental Service Just for Delaware Lawyers and Judges

CHECK IT OUT ON YOUR PHONE, TABLET OR COMPUTER, DE-LAP’S NEW WEBSITE AT SAME ADDRESS: WWW.DE-LAP.ORG

FREE, CONFIDENTIAL AND NON-JUDGMENTAL, DE-LAP has assisted the Delaware Bar with quality of life and quality of professionalism issues. We Do Together What Need Not Be Done Alone!