GEORGETOWN — The Delaware Court of Common Pleas honored retired Judge Rosemary Betts Beauregard by unveiling her portrait in Courtroom A of the Sussex County Courthouse on Wednesday.
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GEORGETOWN — The Delaware Court of Common Pleas honored retired Judge Rosemary Betts Beauregard by unveiling her portrait in Courtroom A of the Sussex County Courthouse on Wednesday.
In April 1999, Judge Beauregard became the first woman in Delaware to serve as judge in the Court of Common Pleas after she was appointed by then-Gov. Tom Carper. Judge Beauregard was based in Sussex County and served two terms before her retirement March 31, 2020.
Court of Common Pleas Chief Judge Alex Smalls, who attended the ceremony Wednesday along with Judge Beauregard and her family, said it was particularly appropriate for her portrait to be unveiled in Courtroom A, where she presided for many years, and for the event to take place during Women’s History Month.
“I want to thank and applaud Judge Beauregard for her more than 20 years of distinguished service to the court and the people of Delaware,” Judge Smalls said. “Diversity is a strength, particularly for the court system, and Judge Beauregard brought an important new perspective to our court and cleared a path for other women.”
Other attendees included Court of Common Pleas judges Kenneth Clark Jr., Anne Hartnett and Rae Mims. Delaware Supreme Court Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. attended via videoconference.
The Delaware Court of Common Pleas was established in 1917 to handle misdemeanor cases and minor civil actions (currently any case involving less than $75,000). CCP also handles non-felony motor vehicle offenses and hears appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court. In fiscal year 2020, more than 110,000 cases were filed with CCP.
Prior to joining the Court of Common Pleas, Judge Beauregard earned her Doctor of Laws degree from Delaware Law School of Widener University.
She worked as a deputy attorney general for the state for five years before joining her father in private practice at Betts & Beauregard, where she practiced criminal and family law and served as the firm’s managing partner.
In June 2020, Gov. John Carney named Judge Mims to fill the vacancy left by Judge Beauregard, making her the first person of color and the first woman of color to serve as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas in either Kent or Sussex counties.
