Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Delaware
The Delaware lemon law for new cars, the rules for used cars, where to file a complaint, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Delaware: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | Fee disputes are not handled by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; it refers them to the Delaware State Bar Association's Fee Dispute Committee, which hears disputes between lawyers and clients (and between successive lawyers on the same matter). To start, the initiating party signs a Petition and an Agreement to Arbitration and delivers them to the Committee Chair (not to the DSBA office). The committee does not give legal advice about fee agreements. ODC referral: https://courts.delaware.gov/odc/complaint.aspx |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection of the Supreme Court of Delaware can reimburse people who suffered financial losses from a lawyer's dishonest conduct. File a signed and notarized Statement of Claim with the Fund at The Renaissance Centre, 405 North King Street, Suite 500, Wilmington, DE 19801 (ARMS_LFCP@delaware.gov); no lawyer is needed. Claims are screened for eligibility and investigated, and the Trustees decide in their discretion whether and how much to pay, considering the money available, the number of claimants and hardship. The Fund also advises reporting attorney theft to the Attorney General's Office and to Disciplinary Counsel. |
Delaware rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Delaware's lemon law covers passenger motor vehicles bought or leased in Delaware or registered by the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (excluding motor home living quarters). A reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed if, within the warranty term or one year from delivery, whichever is earlier, substantially the same defect was repaired four or more times and still exists, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 calendar days in total. The presumption applies only if the manufacturer received direct written notice and a chance to repair. If the defect is not fixed, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a comparable new one acceptable to the consumer or repurchase it and refund the full purchase price and related costs, minus a limited allowance for use; the consumer has an unqualified right to choose a refund instead of a replacement. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: 6 Del. C. §§ 5001, 5003, 5004 |
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| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: the presumption that the manufacturer had a reasonable number of repair attempts (4 or more repairs of the same problem, or more than 30 calendar days out of service, within the warranty term or 1 year after delivery, whichever is earlier) does not apply unless the manufacturer has received prior direct written notice from or on behalf of the consumer and has had an opportunity to repair the problem. 2) Final repair attempt: no separate final-repair step is described beyond that opportunity to repair. 3) Arbitration: Delaware has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. If the manufacturer has an informal dispute program certified by the Division of Consumer Protection, the consumer must use it first before the lemon law remedies are available; if the program is not certified, the consumer may go directly to the lemon law remedies. A certified program must hold hearings in Delaware and generally decide within 65 days after the consumer starts the process by written notice. 4) Deadline: the lemon law chapter does not state a separate deadline to file a claim or lawsuit. In a court action the court may award the consumer costs and reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not mention a fee for the manufacturer's program. A violation of the chapter is also an unlawful practice under 6 Del. C. § 2513 (§ 5009). Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | File a Consumer Complaint Form with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit, or call 800-220-5424 or email consumer.protection@delaware.gov for help. An intake investigator gathers information; possible law violations go to a supervisor for review, while contract disputes are usually handled through informal mediation by phone or letter. If mediation fails and no law was broken, the consumer may need to contact an attorney. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Delaware State Bar Association's Online Lawyer Referral Service (OLRS) is strictly a referral service: you submit a request online, and participating attorneys may choose to respond and set an appointment, with "a $35.00 fee for the initial 30 minute interview"; further fees are negotiated with the attorney. The DSBA asks people not to call its office for referrals; the online system is the only way it helps people find a lawyer, and it cannot recommend an attorney. |
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| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) assists the Delaware Supreme Court in regulating lawyers. It evaluates and investigates complaints that a lawyer violated the Delaware Lawyers' Rules of Professional Conduct and may start formal disciplinary proceedings. File the ODC Complaint Form online (preferred), or mail a printed form to ODC, Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Suite 500, Wilmington, DE 19801; complaints are not accepted in person or by phone, and a separate form is needed for each lawyer. ODC notifies you in writing of the outcome; the process is generally confidential and ODC does not decide fee disputes. Public discipline (disbarment, suspension, interim suspension, public reprimand, transfer to disability inactive status) is listed in the Digest of Lawyer Discipline. Phone: (302) 651-3931. Digest of Lawyer Discipline: https://courts.delaware.gov/odc/digest/ ; FAQs: https://courts.delaware.gov/odc/faqs.aspx |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Delaware Legal Help Link (delegalhelplink.org) is a free online intake, available 24/7, for people who meet certain standards including federal poverty income guidelines; completing an intake does not guarantee representation. It is a collaboration of the Delaware State Bar Association, Delaware Bar Foundation, Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Widener University Delaware Law School, Community Legal Aid Society, Inc., and Legal Services Corporation of Delaware, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Delaware · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.