KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Delaware

SS1FORSB282 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.

Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.
  • This Act amends the Delaware Wrongful Conviction Compensation and Services Act (DWCCSA) in several ways.
  • First, in order to make a prima facie showing of entitlement to compensation, under the Act, a petitioner must show that the petitioner did not commit a felony arising from the same transaction as the crime for which the petitioner was originally convicted.
  • Second, the Act modifies what attorneys' fees may be recovered for an action to overturn, reverse, or vacate a conviction and an action under the DWCCSA.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

No action history is stored for this bill yet.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION AND SERVICES.
This Act amends the Delaware Wrongful Conviction Compensation and Services Act (DWCCSA) in several ways. First, in order to make a prima facie showing of entitlement to compensation, under the Act, a petitioner must show that the petitioner did not commit a felony arising from the same transaction as the crime for which the petitioner was originally convicted.
Second, the Act modifies what attorneys' fees may be recovered for an action to overturn, reverse, or vacate a conviction and an action under the DWCCSA. Under the Act, a petitioner who prevails on a cause of action against the state for wrongful conviction shall be awarded reasonable attorneys' fees, based on hours reasonably expended at the prevailing market rate for similar legal services in the state at the time of an award for damages for wrongful conviction, regardless of when the legal services were actually provided. Attorneys' fees of $300,000 or less will be paid to the petitioner's attorneys in a lump sum; attorneys'