A public record of what actually happened.

The archive

What this is.

This is a documentary archive, not a news organization. We do not report. We do not interpret. We identify documented irregularities in the public record and present the underlying documents in full, with context drawn from those same documents.

The record speaks. Our job is to make it audible.

Purpose

Why it exists.

Public records in Delaware are legally public. Deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, and other recorded instruments are permanent entries in the official record of the state. They are — by law and by design — available to anyone.

What is not always available is the work of assembling those records, identifying patterns across them, and making the assembled evidence legible to people outside the recording office.

This archive exists to do that work and to make the results permanently available.

Scope

What we cover.

Our current focus is Sussex County, Delaware — specifically the conduct of public officials with recording authority and the behavior of the official records systems they controlled. Documented subjects include:

• Search record anomalies — documented changes in government database search results between visits using identical parameters
• Conflicts of interest — public officials operating private entities with direct interest in the records systems they administered
• Instrument irregularities — recorded deeds, mortgages, and satisfactions that raise documented questions about consideration, parties, or sequence
• PPP and federal program documentation — Delaware-specific records relating to federal loan programs

Coverage may expand as the documentary record develops.

Independence

Who we are.

The Delaware Recollection Society is an independent research project. We are not affiliated with any government agency, political party, law firm, or news organization. We have no clients and no sponsors. We have no financial interest in the subject matter of any exhibit.

No finding in this archive benefits us. The only interest we represent is the public interest in accurate, accessible documentation of the public record.

Using this archive

How to use this archive.

Every exhibit in this archive includes the underlying source documents, available for direct review and download. You do not need to take our word for anything. The documents are here. Read them yourself.

If you are a journalist, researcher, attorney, or member of the public and you find this archive useful, we ask only that you verify independently any finding you intend to rely on. Our standard is absolute proof — but that is our standard. Apply your own.

If you have primary source materials relevant to a published exhibit, or if you believe a published finding is factually incorrect and can document the correct information, please contact us.