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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) The Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction as follows:
(1) To receive appeals from the Superior Court in civil causes and to determine finally all matters of appeal in the interlocutory or final judgments and other proceedings of the Superior Court in civil causes; provided that on appeal from a verdict of a jury, the findings of the jury, if supported by evidence, shall be conclusive.
(2) To receive appeals from the Superior Court in criminal causes upon application of the accused in all cases in which the sentence shall be death, imprisonment exceeding 1 month, or fine exceeding $100, and in such other cases as shall be provided by law; and to determine finally all matters of appeal on the judgments and proceedings of the Superior Court in criminal causes; provided, however, that appeals from the Superior Court in cases of prosecution under Section 8 of Article V of this Constitution shall be governed by the provisions of that Section.
(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Section to the contrary, to receive appeals from the Superior Court in criminal causes, upon application by this State in all causes in which the Superior Court, or any inferior court an appeal from which lies to the Superior Court, has granted an accused any of the following: a new trial or judgment of acquittal after a verdict, modification of a verdict, arrest of judgment, relief in any post-conviction proceeding or in any action collaterally attacking a criminal judgment, or a new punishment hearing in a capital case after the court has imposed a sentence of death, or any order or judgment declaring any Act of the General Assembly, or any portion of any such Act, to be unconstitutional under either the Constitution of the United States or the State of Delaware, inoperative or unenforceable, except that no appeal shall lie where otherwise prohibited by the double jeopardy clause of the Constitution of the United States or of this State. Notwithstanding anything in this Article to the contrary, the General Assembly may by statute implement the jurisdiction herein conferred.
(b) Wherever in this Constitution reference is made to a writ of error or a proceeding in error to the Superior Court, such reference shall be construed as referring to the appeal provided for in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this Section.
(c) To receive appeals from the Superior Court in cases of prosecution under Section 8 of Article V of this Constitution and to determine finally all matters of appeal in such cases.
(d) To receive appeals from the Court of Chancery and to determine, finally, all matters of appeal in the interlocutory or final decrees and other proceedings in chancery.
(e) To issue writs of prohibition, quo warranto, certiorari, and mandamus to the Superior Court, and the Court of Chancery; or any of the Judges of the courts and also to any inferior court or courts established or to be established by law, and to any of the Judges thereof and to issue all orders, rules, and processes proper to give effect to the same. The General Assembly shall have power to provide by law in what manner the jurisdiction and power hereby conferred may be exercised in vacation and whether by 1 or more Justices of the Supreme Court.
(f) To issue such temporary writs or orders in causes pending on appeal, or on writ of error, as may be necessary to protect the rights of parties and any Justice of the Supreme Court may exercise this power when the court is not in session.
(g) To exercise such other jurisdiction by way of appeal, writ of error, or of certiorari as the General Assembly may from time to time confer upon it.
(h) To hear and determine questions of law certified to it by other Delaware courts, the Supreme Court of the United States, a Court of Appeals of the United States, a United States District Court, a United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the highest appellate court of any other state, the highest appellate court of any foreign country, or any foreign governmental agency regulating the public issuance or trading of securities, where it appears to the Supreme Court that there are important and urgent reasons for an immediate determination of such questions by it. The Supreme Court may, by rules, define generally the conditions under which questions may be certified to it and prescribe methods of certification.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Constitution of the State of Delaware, Art. IV, § 11. Jurisdiction of Supreme Court - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/de/constitution-of-the-state-of-delaware/de-const-art-4-sect-11/
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