Rule 202.Extension of time and continuances
Ch. XIV: Child Dependency, Neglect and/or Abuse Proceedings · Last amended 2015 · Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified September 9, 2026
Full Text of Rule 202
Amendment History
Delaware prints each rule’s amendment history as a single “Credits” line naming every order that adopted or amended it. It is reproduced verbatim below.
[Amended effective September 12, 2002; April 20, 2015.]
Plain-English Summary
Extensions of time and continuances beyond the times specified in this section of the rules shall be granted only for good cause shown.
One sentence, and it is what makes the rest of the chapter real. The hearings that follow carry deadlines counted in days from a child's removal, and a deadline that can be moved by agreement is not a deadline. Here nobody's convenience is enough: a party who wants more time must show cause, and the court must find it.
Compare Rule 6, which governs enlargements of time generally and is considerably more forgiving. The difference is the point — a continuance in an ordinary civil case costs the parties time, and a continuance here costs a child months in care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dependency hearing in Delaware be continued?
Extensions of time and continuances beyond the times specified in these rules shall be granted only for good cause shown.