DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday issued the following statement on the confirmations of Judge Abigail LeGrow and N. Chris Griffiths to serve as Justices on the Delaware Supreme Court:

“Thank you to the members of the Delaware Senate for their votes to confirm Judge LeGrow and Chris Griffiths to serve as Justices on the Delaware Supreme Court. Judge LeGrow and Chris have the experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service necessary to serve on the Supreme Court. Their service will be beneficial to all Delawareans. I want to thank these two qualified nominees and their families for their willingness to serve the people of the State of Delaware.”

WILMINGTON, Del. — Governor John Carney on Wednesday shared the following statement on the passing of retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Randy J. Holland:

“This is a tremendous loss for our state. Justice Holland was a true public servant and a steady source of wisdom on Delaware’s Supreme Court for more than three decades. He had a deep knowledge of the Constitution and Delaware’s unique history. His books on the Delaware Constitution have served as a guide for countless public officials in our state. And I have personally sought his counsel many times during my time in office. 

“Justice Holland made his mark in our history books by serving on Delaware’s highest court longer than anyone else. He was a thoughtful, model jurist and will be greatly missed. Tracey and I are praying for Justice Holland’s family, and his many friends across our state, during this difficult time.”

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DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday issued the following statements on the confirmations of Justice Collins J. Seitz, Jr. to serve as the next Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, and Vice Chancellor Tamika Montgomery-Reeves to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court, replacing Justice Seitz. With her confirmation, Vice Chancellor Montgomery-Reeves will become the first African American to serve on the Delaware Supreme Court.

“Thank you to the members of the Delaware Senate for their votes to confirm Justice Seitz as our next Chief Justice,” said Governor Carney. “Justice Seitz is one of Delaware’s finest legal minds, and has the judgment, sense of fairness, and experience necessary to maintain and build on the Delaware courts’ reputation as objective, stable, and nonpartisan.

“Since 2015, Vice Chancellor Montgomery-Reeves has served with distinction on Delaware’s Court of Chancery – our country’s premier venue for corporate litigation,” said Governor Carney. “Before her appointment to the Court of Chancery, Vice Chancellor Montgomery-Reeves practiced corporate law in Wilmington and New York. She has the experience and sense of justice necessary to serve on our Supreme Court. Thank you to the members of the Delaware Senate for their votes to confirm these two nominees.”

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Related news:
Governor Carney Announces Delaware Supreme Court Nominations
Delaware Chief Justice Leo E. Strine, Jr. to Retire from Delaware Supreme Court

Strine previously served as Chancellor of Court of Chancery, and legal counsel to then-Governor Carper

WILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware Chief Justice Leo E. Strine, Jr. delivered a letter to Governor John Carney on Monday, announcing his plan to retire from the Delaware Supreme Court after more than two decades of service on the Delaware bench.   

“I’ve known Chief Justice Strine since we worked together in the office of then-Governor Tom Carper, and I’ve known him to be one of Delaware’s top legal minds, and a real public servant on behalf of the people of our state,” said Governor Carney. “Since our time in Governor Carper’s office, he has served as Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor on Delaware’s Court of Chancery and as Chief Justice, leading our world-class judiciary, helping to protect Delaware’s reputation as the premier venue for business litigation, and working to make our criminal justice system more fair for all Delawareans.”

In his resignation letter, Chief Justice Strine thanked the people of Delaware for allowing him to serve the state since 1992.

“I am also grateful, Governor, that I can say to you with confidence that the Judiciary of this state is strong, that we are addressing our challenging and diverse caseloads with diligence, skill and dispatch, and that we are continually looking for new ways to serve the people of Delaware even more effectively,” said Strine. “In particular, the entire Judiciary is deeply invested in improving access to justice for all Delawareans, and doing what we can to improve the fairness of our criminal justice system. As Carrie and I move on to a new phase of our lives, I just hope that during my nearly 27 years of service to Delaware, I have contributed in some modest way to making our state stronger and more equitable.”

Chief Justice Strine was appointed to his current position in February 2014 by Governor Jack Markell and confirmed by the Delaware Senate, succeeding Chief Justice Myron T. Steele, who had served in the position from 2004-2013. He is the eighth Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court since the modern court was created in 1951. Previously, he served as Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery from 2011-2014, and Vice Chancellor from 1998-2011.

Prior to joining the bench, he served as legal counsel to then-Governor Tom Carper, and he previously served as a corporate litigator at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Chief Justice Strine graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and received his Bachelor’s Degree summa cum laude from the University of Delaware.

Chief Justice Strine intends to retire this fall. Governor Carney will nominate a replacement for consideration by the Delaware Senate.

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DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) have proposed new regulations expanding the scope of legal possession of firearms within Delaware’s state parks, state wildlife areas and state forests. Both agencies submitted the proposed regulations for publication in the Feb. 1 Monthly Register in response to a Dec. 7, 2017 Delaware Supreme Court decision that overturned a Superior Court ruling and expanded the scope of visitors’ ability to possess firearms in Delaware’s state parks under DNREC’s authority and state forests which are under the DDA’s jurisdiction.

Following the Court’s decision to invalidate existing regulations limiting firearms in those state lands, DNREC and DDA earlier issued interim regulations which went into effect on Dec. 26, 2017. The interim regulations, issued by Orders of the DNREC and DDA Secretaries, respect the State Constitutional provisions on firearms cited by the Supreme Court in its ruling, by implementing the State’s interest in ensuring public safety in a less restrictive manner. Interim regulations are effective for 120 days, with the possibility of a 60-day extension, for a total of 180 days before new regulations must be promulgated.

The proposed regulations by DNREC and DDA, pursuant to the Supreme Court ruling, state that visitors may legally possess firearms, as allowed by Delaware law, in state parks, wildlife areas and forests unless they are prohibited by law due to a past conviction for a violent crime, active Protection from Abuse Order, or mental health commitment. This would include, for example, trails, unguarded beaches, parking lots, and vehicles. The proposed regulations prohibit firearms only in certain public facilities and designated areas such as park offices, visitor centers, nature centers, bathhouses, stadiums and facilities while used for events, museums, zoos, stables, educational facilities, dormitories, playgrounds, camping areas, swimming pools, guarded beaches, and water parks. Proposed regulations call for these designated areas to be identified by appropriate signage.

The proposed regulations allow holders of valid Delaware concealed-carry permits to carry within parks, including designated areas, provided only that the permit be produced upon request. The regulations would further allow active-duty law and qualified retired law enforcement officers to carry anywhere within the parks and other areas affected by Supreme Court decision. The proposed regulations can be found on the DNREC website.

A public hearing on the proposed regulations will be held March 12 at 6 p.m. in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Public workshops on the proposed regulations will be held in February in all three counties in advance of the March 12 public hearing. The dates, times and locations of the workshops are:

• New Castle County: Thursday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m., DNREC offices, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720
• Kent County: Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., DNREC R&R Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901
• Sussex County: Thursday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m., Sussex Central High School Auditorium, 26026 Patriots Way, Georgetown, DE 19947

Vol. 48, No. 10

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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