25 Del. C. ch. 56 § 5602

Right to legal representation

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026DelawareEviction & Just Cause

Operative Text

25 Del. C. ch. 56 § 5602
(a) (1) a. Except as provided under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a tenant has the right to legal representation as provided under this chapter if the tenant’s household income over the immediately preceding 12 months is not greater than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, as established and updated periodically by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

b. For the purpose of determining household income, a cosignor of a rental agreement and all members of the cosignor’s family who reside with the cosignor are included in the household income calculation if the tenant is a full-time student, as designated by the institution in which the tenant is enrolled.

(2) A tenant is not eligible to receive legal representation from a designated organization if any of the following apply:

a. The tenant’s landlord has an ownership interest in 3 or fewer rental units and is not represented by an attorney or an agent authorized by a rule of the Delaware Supreme Court.

b. A designated organization determines that there is a conflict of interest.

c. A designated organization declines representation for 1 or more of the following reasons:

1. A tenant does not comply with the application or representation process.

2. Rules of professional conduct warrant withdrawal.

3. An attorney deems the tenant’s defense or appeal to lack merit.

d. Other circumstances exist which make legal representation infeasible to render.

(b) A covered individual is entitled to receive legal representation from a designated organization in a covered proceeding and as soon as practicable after any of the following:

(1) A landlord provides a notice to the tenant as follows:

a. Under § 5502 of this title that rent is past due.

b. Under § 5513 of this title that the tenant has violated a material provision of the rental agreement.

c. Under § 5106 of this title that the rental agreement is terminated, if the rental agreement is 1 that may only be terminated for good cause or a material violation by the tenant.

(2) The initiation of a covered proceeding.

(3) The covered individual has been notified that the covered individual’s housing subsidy has been terminated.

(4) The determination by a designated organization that a proceeding arising from the landlord-tenant relationship on behalf of a covered individual should be initiated.

(c) A covered individual’s opportunity to receive legal representation must be provided by the time of a covered individual’s first scheduled appearance in a covered proceeding.

(d) In a case involving rental arrears, a covered individual shall immediately be referred by the covered individual’s legal representative to the Delaware Housing Assistance Program, or any successor rental assistance program, and shall receive assistance in applying for and obtaining housing assistance as part of the individual’s legal representation.

(e) The rights in this section are subject to, and qualified by, the availability of legal representation under § 5604 of this title and the implementation period under § 5607 of this title. An individual does not have a cause of action against the Coordinator or designated organization based on the unavailability of legal representation.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 5602 of Delaware's landlord-tenant code establishes a right to free legal representation for qualifying tenants facing certain housing proceedings. Tenants whose household income does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guidelines are generally eligible, though several exceptions—such as when the landlord owns three or fewer units and is unrepresented, or when a designated organization identifies a conflict of interest—can limit or eliminate that eligibility. The right attaches at key moments, including when a landlord issues a notice of past-due rent, a notice of lease violation, or a termination notice, and must be made available no later than the tenant's first scheduled court appearance. In rental-arrears cases, legal representatives are also required to connect covered individuals with the Delaware Housing Assistance Program.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 5602, landlords who own three or fewer rental units and who are not represented by an attorney or a Delaware Supreme Court–authorized agent are exempt from the provision that entitles tenants to a designated organization's legal representation. Compliant operators generally keep accurate records of their ownership portfolio size and representation status, since these factors determine whether the exemption applies. Landlords should also be aware that the right to representation can be triggered as early as the issuance of a past-due-rent notice under § 5502, a lease-violation notice under § 5513, or a termination notice under § 5106, meaning proceedings may involve represented tenants from a very early stage.

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

For Tenants

Section 5602 gives eligible tenants—those with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines—the right to free legal representation through a designated organization in covered proceedings such as eviction cases. This right can arise as soon as a landlord issues a notice of past-due rent, a lease-violation notice, or a termination notice, and must be made available by the time of a tenant's first scheduled court appearance. Tenants who believe they qualify can explore this right by contacting a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider, and those facing rental arrears should know that § 5602(d) requires their legal representative to connect them with the Delaware Housing Assistance Program.

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

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

25 Del. C. § 5604
25 Del. C. § 5607
25 Del. C. § 5604
25 Del. C. § 5602
25 Del. C. § 5602

Related Rules

§ 151.20
TEMPORARY EVICTION CONTROLS AND RENT REDUCTIONS FOR MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED IN THE JANUARY, 1994 EARTHQUAKE
§ 1
Definitions
§ 2
Eviction of tenants prohibited; exceptions

Source Information

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