Directing The Delaware Judiciary To Establish A Pilot Court Date Reminder Program And To Study And Report On The Feasibility Of Expanding The Program Statewide.
Senate Joint Resolution 13 directs the Delaware Judiciary to create a pilot court date reminder program in Justice of the Peace Court for criminal and traffic cases. The program must automatically enroll eligible people with phone numbers unless they opt out, and it must send at least two text reminders before each hearing: one at least seven days in advance and another one day before the appearance. The reminders must include the date, time, and location of the hearing, warn about possible consequences of missing court, and use plain language.
The resolution also requires the Judiciary to study whether the reminder program could be expanded statewide and to report its findings by June 1, 2027. That report must estimate the cost and timeline for expansion to the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and Superior Court, identify any statutory or procedural changes needed, and assess likely effects on appearance rates, bench warrants, arrests, incarceration, case resolution, and potential cost savings for courts and law enforcement. The synopsis indicates that DELJIS would build the program if funding is appropriated.
Because this is a joint resolution rather than a substantive statute, it does not directly amend Delaware law or create a permanent statewide mandate by itself. Instead, it instructs the Delaware Judiciary to implement a pilot reminder system in one court and to produce a feasibility report on broader expansion, potentially informing future legislation, administrative changes, or appropriations. The resolution could affect court operations, case workflows, and communications practices, especially for criminal and traffic matters in Justice of the Peace Court, and may later influence procedures in other courts if the program is expanded.
The overall sentiment appears strongly favorable and bipartisan. The resolution’s findings emphasize that missed court dates impose costs on the justice system and individuals, and that reminder texts have been shown to reduce failures to appear. The unanimous Senate third-reading vote recorded in the context, along with the broad list of sponsors and co-sponsors from both parties, suggests broad support for the concept of using reminders to improve court attendance and reduce avoidable warrants and incarceration.
There is little evidence of major opposition in the available record, but the resolution does raise implementation questions that could become points of contention later. Those include who bears the cost of building and maintaining the system, whether DELJIS or the Judiciary will be responsible for implementation, how automatic enrollment and opt-out will work, and what statutory or procedural changes may be needed to integrate reminders into court workflows. Any future statewide expansion could also prompt debate over funding, privacy, data use, and whether text-based reminders are sufficient for all court users.