Ken Kelemen Appointed as Delaware State Court Administrator

State of DE - The Delaware Supreme Court has announced that Kenneth J. Kelemen was named the full-time Delaware State Court Administrator. Kelemen had served as the Acting State Court Administrator since February 7, 2026. The position was previously held by Gayle Lafferty.

Lafferty retired in February after more than 30 years of service with the Delaware Courts.

"Ken has led our Judicial Information Center with distinction for eight years. Technology is a part of every decision the AOC makes. Ken's leadership skills, technology prowess, and warmth make him well-suited to lead the Judicial Branch into an uncertain yet exciting future," said Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz, Jr.

Kelemen has been employed by the Delaware Judicial Branch since 2007. His career began in the Family Court as the first electronic court reporter. An understanding of courtroom operations, court technology, and case processing workflows was developed during this period. In 2010, Kelemen was appointed as the Director of Pro Se Services and Professional Development for the Family Court.

The Judicial Information Center (JIC) was joined by Kelemen in 2012. He served as the business solutions and training manager. A position as Deputy Chief Information Officer was assumed in 2015. Kelemen was subsequently promoted to Chief Information Officer at the JIC in 2018. Operations were restructured and modernized under his direction.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID Response Team was led by Kelemen. The 2021 Government Service Award was presented to him by the Delaware State Bar Association for this work. In 2024, a comprehensive technology modernization plan was launched. This initiative will place all Delaware state courts on a single, unified electronic case management system.

"I'm honored to take on this challenging and rewarding role," said Kelemen. "I look forward to continuing the important work of not only technical modernization but also improving the efficiency of all court operations to better serve the public and the interests of justice. I know with the support of an incredible team within the Administrative Office of the Courts, we are poised to accomplish great things."

Kelemen is a native of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. A Bachelor of Science in Recording Technologies was obtained by Kelemen from York College of Pennsylvania.

A search process will now be initiated by the Delaware Judiciary. This process will fill the vacant Chief Information Officer position previously held by Kelemen.