Delaware act adds mail with proof of delivery to support jurisdiction statute

Delaware approved House Bill 343 on July 23, 2026, amending the statute that addresses commencement of support proceedings and obtaining jurisdiction over a respondent. The enrolled session law, 85 Delaware Laws chapter 388, adds a method described as any form of mail with proof of delivery to the list in 13 Delaware Code section 511(b).

Section 511 addresses proceedings alleging that a defendant owes a duty of support and has refused or failed to provide it. Before the new numbered method, the statute’s listed routes included service of a Family Court summons by an authorized person, appearance by the respondent or counsel, a consistent court rule, and other methods provided by law. Chapter 388 adds the mail provision as subsection (b)(5) and moves the existing residual “otherwise provided by law” provision to subsection (b)(6). The act also changes punctuation in the preceding items.

The distinction between the act’s approval date and its effective date matters. The one-page session law says it was approved July 23, but it does not state an effective date. The effective date has not been independently established for this draft, so approval should not be treated as proof that the amendment applied on that date.

The new wording concerns a method listed for acquiring jurisdiction in the support statute. The session-law text does not itself specify every operational step, delivery requirement, or circumstance in which mail is sufficient. Readers should consult the statute, applicable Family Court rules, and other controlling requirements when assessing a particular proceeding.

The Delaware General Assembly’s daily record separately identifies HB 343 as signed and describes its support-service purpose. That synopsis supplies context; the chapter text controls the change described here.