Delaware § 7128 - Recovery of costs.

§ 7128. Recovery of costs.

(a) Whenever an action for abatement relief or penalties brought pursuant to this chapter terminates in a settlement or judgment favorable to the plaintiff, the plaintiff and any other governmental entity shall be entitled to recover the actual cost of the suit, including but not limited to reasonable attorney fees and expenses and disbursements by the plaintiff or any governmental entity in investigating, bringing, maintaining and enforcing the action and any court orders issued pursuant thereto. All defendants shall be jointly and severally liable for the payment of taxed costs imposed pursuant to this section.

(b) A judgment awarding a permanent abatement pursuant to this chapter shall be a lien upon the premises declared to be a criminal nuisance unless title thereto has been transferred pursuant to §§ 7126 and 7127 of this title. In addition, a judgment against an in personam defendant imposing a civil penalty or bill of taxed costs pursuant to this chapter shall be a lien upon the real estate owned by the defendant at the time of such rendition, and also upon all real estate the defendant may subsequently acquire, for a period of 10 years from the date of the judgment, subject to renewal of the judgment pursuant to § 4711 of this title.

72 Del. Laws, c. 484, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 161, §  40;