Delaware § 6106 - Process; notice of publication.

§ 6106. Process; notice of publication.

(a) Upon the filing of a complaint under this chapter, the prothonotary shall issue summons, in appropriate form, directed to all of the defendants designated or named in the complaint, which summons shall be personally served in like manner as other writs of summons in the Court in accordance with Rule 4(d) and (f)(1)(I), (III), (IV) of the Rules of the Superior Court.

(b) If it appears by affidavit of the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney that any defendant cannot be personally served with summons, because he or she is outside of this State, or because after diligent inquiry his or her place of residence cannot be ascertained by the plaintiff, or if any defendant is an infant or incompetent person or under some other legal disability, the Court may make an order directing that service shall be made upon any such defendant by publishing a notice, substantially in the form prescribed in subsection (c) of this section, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the proceeding is pending, at least once a week for 2 successive weeks. Such service by publication shall be supplemented by service by registered mail, where practicable, as the Court in its order may direct. Notice to unknown owners shall be given by publication in like manner by notice addressed to “unknown owners,” coupled, if practicable, with an appropriate identification of the alleged source of their interest in the property, as the Court may direct. Proof of publication and of mailing, if required, shall be made by affidavit of the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney on or before such time as the Court may fix.

(c) The notice referred to in subsection (b) of this section shall set forth the name of the Court, the title of the action, the name or names of the defendant or defendants to whom it is directed, a statement that the action is one for the condemnation of property, a brief description of such property reasonably sufficient for its identification, the extent of the interest to be taken, the authority for the taking, and the use or uses for which the property is to be taken. The notice shall also state that any defendant shall serve and file, in accordance with the rules of court, an answer within 20 days after the date of the first publication of the notice, in default of which no objection or defense to the taking of the property will be heard. The notice shall also specify the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney therein.

48 Del. Laws, c. 271, §  6;  10 Del. C. 1953, §  6106;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;