Alderman’s Court
The City of Rehoboth Beach Alderman’s Court 37 hears cases related to traffic, misdemeanor criminal, and civil violations of the city’s ordinances. The alderman is nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state senate to decide cases related to all city ordinance violations.
How May We Help You?
Paying a Citation
Traffic/Criminal Citations
For traffic (including bicycle) and criminal citations, payment will not be accepted over the phone.
For traffic and criminal citations, payments may be made in one of three ways:
Important Notice about Using Third-Party Online Bill Payment Services to Pay Your Citation
DOXO is a third-party online bill payment website – and is NOT affiliated in any way with the Alderman’s Court. DOXO may charge additional fees, and the Alderman’s Court cannot control when or even if payments will be received. DOXO also may not provide a means to convey the required information to process your payment correctly, and the Alderman’s Court will not be held responsible for late payments. Please use only the link above to make online payments to the Alderman’s Court 37.
Civil Violations
Payment for civil violations cannot be made online.
For civil violations, payments may be made one of three ways:
Coming to Court
When coming to Alderman’s Court 37, plan to:
- Bring a form of payment. Cash, check, and credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) are acceptable forms of payment.
- Bring a legal form of photo identification (driver’s license, state ID, passport, etc.). For court security purposes, photo identification is required for all defendants AND all individuals accompanying them. Individuals who cannot provide a legal photo identification will not be permitted to enter the courtroom nor the court’s waiting area.
- Bring evidence (vehicle registration card, printed insurance card, etc.).
- Dress appropriately for court (no bathing suits, bare feet, hats, revealing clothing, or attire with offensive messaging). Individuals not in appropriate attire will not be allowed to enter the courtroom nor the court’s waiting area.
Items prohibited in the Alderman’s Court 37 courtroom and waiting area include:
- cell phones and other personal electronic devices
- weapons (guns, knives, batons, pepper spray, etc.)
- all food and drinks.
Making a Mandatory Appearance
Specific traffic and/or criminal violations require a mandatory appearance – a scheduled date and time for you to appear before the alderman to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
If you plead guilty, you will be required to pay the ticket in full or enter into a time-to-pay agreement, which is an agreement made between you and the alderman specifying an amount to be paid and the frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly) until the total amount is paid in full.
If you plead not guilty during your mandatory appearance, a trial will be scheduled for a later date. At the trial, both you and the charging Rehoboth Beach police officer will have an opportunity to present evidence. The alderman will render a decision as to either guilty or not guilty based on the evidence presented. If you are found guilty, you will be required to pay the ticket in full, plus any additional court fees, or enter into a time-to-pay agreement as defined above.
If you cannot attend the mandatory appearance as scheduled, the alderman may allow, with good reason, for one rescheduled appearance. You must contact the court and speak directly with court staff to reschedule a mandatory appearance.
If you are minor (under the age of 18), a parent or legal guardian must accompany you to your mandatory appearance.
If you have failed to appear for your mandatory appearance, you must contact the court immediately and speak directly to court staff to reschedule. Should you fail to contact the court to reschedule or should you fail to appear at the rescheduled mandatory appearance, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.
Pleading Not Guilty and Requesting a Trial
All requests for a trial must be made before the due date indicated on the ticket. Trials cannot be requested after that date.
To request a trial, you must do one of the following:
- Follow instructions for contesting a ticket on the second page of the ticket you received from the Rehoboth Beach police officer.
- You may contact the court directly (by phone, mail, or in person) and indicate your desire to contest the ticket and request a trial.
- Click the button below to complete an online form to plead not guilty and submit the completed form to the court via mail, fax, or email.
You must make this request before the due date on the ticket.
A trial will be scheduled, and a letter will be mailed to you indicating the date and time of your trial.
If you fail to appear at trial, a warrant (called a capias) will be issued for your arrest. The warrant will remain in effect until you appear in court.
FAQs
What happens if I fail to pay my ticket?
If you fail to pay your ticket by the due date indicated:
- a late fee may be added to the amount already owed
- your Delaware driver’s license will be flagged, which may prevent you from renewing your registration, license, or state ID until the fine is paid in full
- a request will be made to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, if you reside in another state, to suspend your license until the fine is paid in full.
What is Probation Before Judgement? Do I qualify? How do I request it?
Probation Before Judgement (PBJ) is an informal probation monitored by the Alderman’s Court. Its purpose is to allow an individual, upon successful completion of a probationary period, to avoid having points assessed on their driver’s license. To request and qualify for PBJ you must:
- contact the court, speak directly to court staff, and request PBJ before the due date indicated on your ticket
- have no traffic violations or previous PBJs within the past five years
- have a valid driver’s license
- not have a commercial driver’s license.
Once your request for PBJ has been made, and it is determined that you qualify, a hearing will be scheduled and a letter will be mailed to you indicating the hearing date and time.
If you reside outside of Delaware, you must obtain a court-certified copy of your driver’s history for the last five years from your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Bring a court-certified copy from each state that you’ve resided in over the past five years to your PBJ hearing.
Ultimately, the alderman will decide if PBJ is appropriate and will determine the terms of the probationary period. If successfully completed, no points will be assessed on your driver’s license. However, should you violate the terms of the probationary period, the court will enter a conviction, and your state DMV will receive notification. It is up to your state DMV to determine whether your driver’s license will be penalized because of the conviction.
Will I receive points on my driver’s license?
If your citation was issued for a moving violation – such as for speeding, running a red light, failing to completely stop at a stop sign, for example – and you plead guilty or are found guilty, points will be assessed and placed on your driver’s license by the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If you are found not guilty, no points will be assessed. If you reside and are licensed in another state, you need to contact your state DMV to determine if points will be assessed.
Will my driver’s license be suspended for operating a vehicle without valid auto insurance on the day I received my ticket?
Per Rehoboth Beach City Code (Chapter 92 §237.4) and Delaware State Code (Title 21 §2118(s)(1)), if you plead guilty or are found guilty of operating a vehicle that is not properly insured, your driver’s license and/or privileges will be suspended for a period of six months.
Can I appeal?
If you are found guilty at trial, you may have a right to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. You must appeal within 15 days from the date of conviction, with the date of conviction counting as day one, and pay all fees associated with the appeal. To appeal, contact Alderman Court’s staff.
May I request a mandatory appearance or trial via Zoom?
No, Alderman’s Court 37 does not conduct mandatory appearances or hearings/trials via Zoom or other digital video conferencing platforms.
Are translators available?
No, translators are not provided at this time.
How can I request a transcript of my case?
Click the link above and complete a request for transcripts/court records. Upon receipt of the completed application and the required $15 fee (per case), a transcript will be prepared and mailed to the applicant. Alternatively, applicants may personally pick up a transcript during normal court business hours.