DE Supreme Court Justice Vaughn Announces Retirement
Delaware Supreme Court Justice James T. Vaughn, Jr. has announced his intention to step down from the court next year. The 73 year old Justice first joined the bench in 1998 as the Resident Judge for Kent County Superior Court and was elevated to President Judge of Superior court in 2004. In 2014, he was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Jack Markell. Justice Vaughn plans to step down from his position as Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court effective May 1, 2023.
Additional information from the State of Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts Press Release:
In his letter to the Governor, Justice Vaughn wrote, “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve since 1998 as a Superior Court judge and Supreme Court Justice. I will always appreciate the memories of working with my colleagues on the bench and with court staff in our efforts to maintain the rule of law in this state. I leave with a sense of satisfaction that I have done my best to discharge the duties of the judicial offices I have held.”
Prior to joining the bench, Justice Vaughn spent 22 years as an attorney in private practice in civil and criminal law, first at Vaughn & Vaughn, in 1976, then at Vaughn and Nicholas before joining the firm of Schmittinger and Rodriguez in 1988.
Prior to joining the bench, Justice Vaughn also served as a member of the Clayton Town Council from 1979 – 1989, including three years as President. He was then elected to the Smyrna School Board, serving from 1989 – 1994, including three years as that board’s president.
Justice Vaughn, a U.S. Army veteran and Delaware native, received his B.A. from Duke University, graduating magna cum laude in 1971 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1976. He graduated from J.B. Moore High School in Smyrna in 1967.
Justice Vaughn is a member of the Kent County Bar Association, Terry-Carey American Inn of Court (President 2011-2013) and The Randy J. Holland Workers’ Compensation American Inn of Court. He served as a judicial member of the Joint Bar/Bench Committee on Civility and as a member of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee.
