Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 9419 – Rights of qualifying neighborhood or homeowners’ associations
(a) Residents of neighborhoods where illegal drug activity occurs shall collectively be entitled to all of the rights, privileges and notice requirements otherwise provided to victims under this chapter, provided that:
(1) There exists within the residents’ neighborhood a neighborhood or homeowners’ association, which shall serve as the residents’ designated agent for all purposes under this chapter;
(2) The neighborhood or homeowners’ association has been legally incorporated in accordance with Delaware’s General Corporation Law;
(3) The neighborhood or homeowners’ association has been recognized by its local government jurisdiction, through actual practice or by specific designation, as duly representative of the residents of its surrounding neighborhood; and
(4) The neighborhood or homeowners’ association has given prior written notice to all state and local police authorities whose jurisdiction encompasses all or any portion of the geographical area represented by the association, specifying its election to prevail itself of the rights, privileges and notice requirements provided under this chapter and the name, address and telephone number of the representative of the neighborhood or homeowners’ association to whom all notices or other communications required under this chapter shall be given. Any police authority so notified shall thereafter identify the neighborhood or homeowners’ association as a victim for purposes of this chapter in any police report, criminal complaint, warrant, indictment, information or other charging document in which any person is subsequently charged with violating any provision of subchapter IV of Chapter 47 of Title 16 or any successor law within the geographical area represented by the association.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 9419
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: means an individual, corporation, statutory trust, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality or any other legal or commercial entity. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 9401
- State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
- Victim: includes a parent, guardian or custodian of a victim who is unable to meaningfully understand or participate in the legal process due to physical, psychological or mental impairment. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 9401
(b) For purposes of this section, “illegal drug activity” means the unlawful selling, serving, storing, giving away or manufacturing of (which includes production, preparation, compounding, conversion, processing, packaging or repackaging) of any drug, which includes all narcotic or psychoactive drugs, cannabis, cocaine and all controlled substances as defined in the Delaware Uniform Controlled Substances Act [Chapter 47 of Title 16].