Practical Law State Q&As: Delaware Litigation

Morris Nichols attorneys Bill Lafferty, John DiTomo, and Matt Clark contributed eight guides on Delaware litigation to Practical Law Litigation. 

1. Litigation Overview: Delaware, a Q&A guide providing an overview of general litigation information in Delaware. This resource outlines the structure of Delaware's state courts, the statutes and rules governing litigation procedures, and the process for attorney admissions, including admission without examination, pro hac vice admission, and registration for in-house counsel.
2. Provisional Remedies: Delaware, a Q&A guide to the various provisional remedies available in Delaware state courts. This Q&A addresses the legal standards in Delaware for obtaining provisional remedies, the application procedures for each remedy, and limitations imposed on each remedy. Answers to questions can be compared across a number of jurisdictions (see Provisional Remedies: State Q&A Tool).
3. Responding to Discovery Subpoenas: Delaware, a Q&A guide on the different ways to respond to a discovery subpoena issued in a Delaware civil proceeding.
4. The Responding to a Complaint: Delaware guide addresses the time to respond, extending the time to respond, pre-answer motions, answers, replies to the answer, counterclaims, crossclaims, third-party claims (also known as impleader) and defensive impleader.
5. Their Commencing an Action: Delaware guide addresses the requirements for drafting and filing initiating papers, serving process, and amending the complaint.
6. Additional Civil Appeals: Delaware, a Q&A guide to appealing from an intermediate appellate court to the court of last resort in Delaware.
7. Reference the Initial Civil Appeals: Delaware guide when starting an appeal (as of right or by permission), obtaining a stay pending appeal, completing preliminary requirements (like mediation), submitting a factual record or appendix, briefing the appeal, arguing the appeal and requesting rehearing.
8. The helpful Drafting and Issuing Discovery Subpoenas: Delaware guide addresses the state statutes and rules governing discovery subpoenas, the types of discovery subpoenas available, the requirements for drafting and serving a discovery subpoena, and the methods of enforcing a discovery subpoena.

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William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Litigation Overview: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (February 24, 2025).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Commencing an Action: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (February 15, 2025).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Provisional Remedies: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (October 2, 2023).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Responding to Discovery Subpoenas: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (August 9, 2023).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Drafting and Issuing Discovery Subpoenas: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (August 9, 2023).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Responding to a Complaint: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (August 9, 2023).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Initial Civil Appeals: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (March 9, 2023).

William M. Lafferty, John P. DiTomo, Matthew R. Clark, “Additional Civil Appeals: Delaware,” State Q&A, Practical Law Litigation (March 7, 2023).