Page 5 - Delaware Lawyer - Summer 2023

EDITOR’S NOTE
This issue of Delaware Lawyer spotlights the Superior Court of Delaware. As Delaware’s court of general jurisdiction, the Superior Court handles thousands of mat- ters each year, including both criminal and civil cases, and appeals from the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and num- erous administrative agencies. Given the Superior Court’s efficiency in managing its busy docket of criminal litigation, complex commercial, contract, tort and other litiga- tion, it is not surprising that the Superior Court is consistently ranked as one of the nation’stopcourtsofgeneraljurisdiction.
The first article is authored by Presi- dent Judge Jan R. Jurden of the Superior Court. This article traces the history of the Superior Court and provides an insightful and first-hand perspective from the Presi- dent Judge on the past and present state of the Superior Court and what is planned for the future — including, but not limited to,
the Court’s focus on employee recruitment and retention, technology, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
The second article is authored by re- tired Superior Court Judge Andrea L. Rocanelli and Kali E. Swoyer of Dela- ware ADR, LLC. This article, written from the unique perspective of a for- mer Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, retired jurist, and current mediator and profes- sional neutral for complex commercial disputes, focuses on Delaware counsel’s role in business dispute resolution and provides useful insight for Delaware lawyers serving as Delaware counsel in alternative dispute resolution.
The third article, authored by for- mer Vice Chancellor and Superior Court Judge Joseph R. Slights III and Benjamin M. Potts, highlights the Superior Court’s Complex Commercial Litigation Division (CCLD). Created in 2010, the Superior
Court’s CCLD has become an established forum for complex business disputes that are lacking the equitable hook for the Court of Chancery. This article exam- ines the origins of the CCLD, the success and growth of the CCLD, and how Dela- ware’s judiciary and bar can continue to build and expand on the CCLD.
The fourth article, authored by Rich- ard R. Wier, Jr., provides a behind-the- scenes glimpse into the trial of Herbert Steigler, a complex murder case tried in the Superior Court in 1969. The Her- bert Steigler trial presented interesting facts and many novel evidentiary and constitutional issues.
The final piece, “Of Counsel,” cel- ebrates retired Judge Henley Graves, who served as a judge on the Superior Court bench for three decades.
Carla M. Jones
Carla M. Jones
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SUMMER 2023 DELAWARE LAWYER 3