Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 1635 – Closure of certain public nuisances
(a) After the Secretary has issued the notice and warning described in § 1634 of this title, the management, owner or tenant shall have 10 days to request a hearing before the Secretary or a hearing officer appointed by the Secretary, for a final determination as to whether or not the site is a hazardous site. If the management, owner or tenant of the premises does not, within 10 days of the notice, request a hearing, the Secretary shall then cause the premises to be posted with a warning advising the public that the premises have been declared a hazardous site. The Secretary shall then issue an order to the management, owner or tenant of such premises to take measures to bring the premises into compliance with § 1633 of this title.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 1635
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Hazardous site: shall mean any commercial premises, building, structure or any part thereof, which is a site of high-risk sexual conduct. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 1632
- High-risk sexual conduct: shall mean :
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- 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.
- Secretary: shall mean the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 1632
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) If the management, owner or tenant of the premises requests a hearing, the hearing shall be held before the Secretary or a hearing officer approved by the Secretary at a date not more than 30 days after such request for a hearing. After considering all evidence, the Secretary or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall make a determination as to whether or not the premises constitute a hazardous site. If the Secretary or hearing officer makes a determination that the premises constitute a hazardous site, the Secretary shall then issue an order and cause the premises, building or structure to be posted with a warning advising the public that the premises have been declared a hazardous site.
(c) If, after 30 days from issuance of the Secretary’s order to the management, owner or tenant of the hazardous site, the Secretary determines that the measures to bring the premises into compliance, and to prevent high-risk sexual conduct have not been undertaken, the Secretary may declare the site to be a public nuisance, and:
(1) Order the abatement of the hazardous site as a public nuisance, which order shall be enforced by mandatory or prohibitory injunction in a court of competent jurisdiction; and/or
(2) May secure a court order for the closure of the premises constituting a hazardous site until the premises, building or structure is in compliance with the standards set forth in § 1633 of this title; or
(3) May, in compliance, with § 310 of Title 16, take such steps as are set forth therein for the abatement of a nuisance.
(d) The management, owner or tenant may, within 30 days of the Secretary’s order, apply to the Superior Court for a civil trial de novo of any finding or findings made by the Secretary or hearing officer, and of any charges brought against said management, owner or tenant.