Delaware Code

10 Del. C. § 4914 (2026)

Exemptions in bankruptcy and insolvency

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section DE-DELCdelcode.delaware.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

(a) In accordance with § 522(b) of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. § 522(b)), in any bankruptcy proceeding, an individual debtor domiciled in Delaware is not authorized or entitled to elect the federal exemptions as set forth in § 522(d) of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. § 522(d)) and may exempt only that property from the estate as set forth in subsection (b) of this section or otherwise authorized by Delaware state law.

(b) In any federal bankruptcy or state insolvency proceeding, an individual debtor domiciled in Delaware shall be authorized to exempt from the bankruptcy or insolvency estate, in addition to the exemptions made in this subsection and in § 4915 of this title, personal property and/or equity in real property, other than the debtor’s principal residence having an aggregate fair market value of not more than $25,000.

(c) In any federal bankruptcy or state insolvency proceeding, an individual debtor and/or such individual’s spouse domiciled in Delaware shall be authorized to exempt from the bankruptcy or insolvency estate, in addition to the exemptions made in subsection (b) of this section and in § 4915 of this title, the following:

(1) Equity in real property or equity in a manufactured home (as defined in Chapter 70 of Title 25) which constitutes a debtor’s principal residence in an aggregate amount not to exceed $200,000.

(2) A vehicle and/or tools of the trade necessary for purposes of employment in an amount not to exceed $25,000 each.

(d) This section shall apply separately with respect to each debtor in a joint case but not to exceed $25,000 each in value in personal property and/or equity in real property, other than the debtor’s principal residence, a total not to exceed $200,000 in value in a principal residence in an individual or a joint case, and $25,000 each in subsection (c) of this section vehicle and $25,000 each in subsection (c) of this section tools of the trade.

(e) A debtor may not exempt any amount of an interest in property described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, if the Bankruptcy Court determines, after notice and hearing, that the debtor owes a debt arising from:

(1) Any violation of the federal securities laws (as defined in § 3(a)(47) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. § 78c(a)(47)]), any state securities law, or any regulation or order issued under federal or state securities laws,

(2) Fraud, deceit, or manipulation in a fiduciary capacity or in connection with the purchase or sale of any security registered under § 12 or § 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. § 78l or § 78o(d)] or under § 6 of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. § 77f], or

(3) Any criminal act, intentional tort, or wilful or reckless misconduct that caused serious physical injury or death to another individual in the preceding 5 years.

63 Del. Laws, c. 81, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 37, §  175 Del. Laws, c. 131, §§  1, 276 Del. Laws, c. 342, §§  1, 277 Del. Laws, c. 262, §§  1-380 Del. Laws, c. 241, § 184 Del. Laws, c. 329, § 1
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2009–2023 · leading case: Culp v. Stanziale (In re Culp), 545 B.R. 827 (D. Del. 2016).
Culp v. Stanziale (In re Culp), 545 B.R. 827 (D. Del. 2016). “was not authorized to sell the Property because it is exempt property under 10 Del. C. § 4914(c)(1). (See D.I. 29 at 4-6) The place to list property that a debtor contends is exempt from the bankruptcy estate is Schedule C.”
In Re Akulova, 407 B.R. 602 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). “§ 522 (b)(3) and 10 Del. C. § 4914(b), a debtor may exempt property having an aggregate fair market value of not more than $25,000.”
John Taro (Bankr. D. Del. 2020). · cites it 3× “Delaware law provides its own list of exemptions, including what is colloquially referred to as the homestead exemption, as follows: (c) In any federal bankruptcy … proceeding, an individual debtor and/or such individual’s spouse domiciled in Delaware shall be authorized to…”
Nancy Goldfeder (Bankr. D. Del. 2020). · cites it 2× “Assuming, without deciding, that the Moneer analysis is the correct approach generally with respect to the burdens on parties in exemption disputes under the Bankruptcy Code, Deutsche Bank cites no Delaware state law creating a presumption running against Debtor under 10 Del. C.…”
Beverly A. Merch. (Bankr. D. Del. 2023). “60 per 10 Del.C. § 4914(b) and questioned the distribution of funds coming into the estate.”
— 10 Del. C. § 4914(a) — 1 case
John Taro (Bankr. D. Del. 2020). “Delaware law provides its own list of exemptions, including what is colloquially referred to as the homestead exemption, as follows: (c) In any federal bankruptcy … proceeding, an individual debtor and/or such individual’s spouse domiciled in Delaware shall be authorized to…”
— 10 Del. C. § 4914(b) — 2 cases
In Re Akulova, 407 B.R. 602 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). “§ 522 (b)(3) and 10 Del. C. § 4914(b), a debtor may exempt property having an aggregate fair market value of not more than $25,000.”
Beverly A. Merch. (Bankr. D. Del. 2023). “60 per 10 Del.C. § 4914(b) and questioned the distribution of funds coming into the estate.”
— 10 Del. C. § 4914(c)(1) — 2 cases
Culp v. Stanziale (In re Culp), 545 B.R. 827 (D. Del. 2016). “was not authorized to sell the Property because it is exempt property under 10 Del. C. § 4914(c)(1). (See D.I. 29 at 4-6) The place to list property that a debtor contends is exempt from the bankruptcy estate is Schedule C.”
John Taro (Bankr. D. Del. 2020). “Delaware law provides its own list of exemptions, including what is colloquially referred to as the homestead exemption, as follows: (c) In any federal bankruptcy … proceeding, an individual debtor and/or such individual’s spouse domiciled in Delaware shall be authorized to…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.