10 Del. C. ch. 71 (partial) § 7126

Penalties

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026DelawareHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

10 Del. C. ch. 71 (partial) § 7126
(a) Where the Court after trial finds that a premises is a criminal nuisance, the Court in addition to granting appropriate abatement relief shall impose a civil penalty against a defendant who knowingly conducted, maintained, aided, abetted or permitted the criminal nuisance. The Court shall order civil penalties in the amount of $25,000 or the Court, at its discretion, may order a civil penalty up to $1,000 for each day the criminal nuisance exists, whichever is greater, unless imposition of such penalty would constitute a miscarriage of justice under the totality of the circumstances. In such case, it may lower the penalty amount to the extent necessary to avoid such miscarriage of justice.

(b) For the purpose of imposing a civil penalty pursuant to this section, the following shall be prima facie evidence that the defendant knowingly permitted the criminal nuisance:

(1) The defendant failed to initiate an eviction action pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or a summary possession action pursuant to Chapter 57 of Title 25 or against a tenant after being notified by certified or registered mail of the facts pertaining to the tenant’s alleged illegal activities constituting a criminal nuisance committed on the leased premises which would in turn cause a reasonable person to believe the allegations are likely to be true; or

(2) A closure order was vacated under § 7121 of this title within 2 years before the occurrence of the instant criminal nuisance; or

(3) The defendant furthered, conspired as to, or participated in the commission of a crime on the premises.

(c) The Court at any time shall waive, suspend or revoke any unpaid civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section where it is satisfied that:

(1) The defendant against whom the penalty has been imposed has not violated any order issued pursuant to any provision of this chapter; and

(2) The defendant has transferred title to the plaintiff, a government agency or any other neighborhood or community organization approved by the Court, provided that the recipient is a nonprofit incorporated organization or association which is exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c) and which is authorized by its corporate charter or bylaws to rehabilitate, restore, maintain, manage or operate any commercial or residential premises. Unless otherwise agreed to by the recipient organization, the defendant shall personally retain all state and local tax liability and the obligation shall attach to any other real property in the county owned by the defendant.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under 10 Del. C. ch. 71 § 7126, when a Delaware court determines after trial that a property constitutes a criminal nuisance, it must impose civil penalties on any defendant found to have knowingly conducted, maintained, aided, abetted, or permitted that nuisance. The penalty is set at $25,000 or up to $1,000 for each day the nuisance existed, whichever is greater, though a court may reduce the amount if full enforcement would result in a miscarriage of justice. Penalties may be waived, suspended, or revoked if the defendant has complied with all court orders and has transferred title of the property to a government agency or qualifying nonprofit organization.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Section 7126 of 10 Del. C. ch. 71 places significant financial exposure on property owners who knowingly allow criminal nuisance activity to persist on their premises. Compliant operators generally respond promptly when notified by certified or registered mail of alleged illegal tenant activity—typically by initiating eviction or summary possession proceedings—because failure to act is treated as prima facie evidence of knowingly permitting the nuisance. Owners who find themselves subject to a civil penalty under this section may wish to explore whether property transfer to a qualifying nonprofit or government agency could support a request for penalty waiver under subsection (c).

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 10 Del. C. ch. 71 § 7126, tenants should be aware that a landlord's failure to act on certified-mail notice of alleged illegal activity on the leased premises can be used as evidence against the landlord in a criminal nuisance proceeding—not as a basis for penalizing the tenant directly under this section. The provision is primarily directed at property owners and operators, though the eviction and summary possession processes it references can affect tenants whose alleged conduct underlies a nuisance claim. Tenants facing eviction connected to a criminal nuisance action may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Delaware's nuisance abatement framework.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 21, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

10 Del. C. § 7121
Not yet ingested
26 U.S.C. § 501
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

10 Del. C. § 7113
10 Del. C. § 7108
10 Del. C. § 7111
10 Del. C. § 7111

Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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Fetched:Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 PM UTC