(a) To bring a civil action for abatement relief pursuant to this chapter, the Office of the Attorney General, or any other person authorized, may file a complaint seeking temporary relief by alleging that the premises constitute a criminal nuisance which adversely impacts the community. Upon receipt of the complaint, the Court, on application of the plaintiff, may issue an ex parte temporary abatement order prohibiting the defendants and all other persons from committing or permitting any act or acts of waste to the premises, or to the personal property and contents thereof, and from knowingly tampering with any evidence likely to be used by any party in any judicial proceeding until the decision of the Court granting or refusing the temporary abatement order thereon. Absent such ex parte relief by the Court, the Court shall order a preliminary hearing which shall be held no later than 10 days from the date upon which service upon all parties was completed, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. In the event that service cannot be completed in time to give the owners or tenants the minimum notice required by this subsection, the Court may set a new hearing date. (b) A copy of the complaint together with a notice of the time and place of the hearing of the application for a temporary abatement order shall be served upon the defendants at least 5 days before the hearing. If the hearing be then continued at the instance of any defendant, the temporary writ as prayed shall be granted as a matter of course. (c) Each defendant so notified shall serve upon the complainant, or the complainant's attorney, a verified answer on or before the date fixed in the notice for the hearing and such answer shall be filed with the prothonotary's office wherein the cause is triable, but the Court may allow additional time for so answering, providing such extension of the time shall not prevent the issuing of the temporary writ as prayed for. The allegations of the answer shall be deemed to be denied without further pleading. (d) If the Court finds: (1) That the premises constitute a criminal nuisance that adversely impacts the community, (2) That at least 10 days prior to the filing of the complaint seeking temporary abatement relief, the owner or the owner's agent (or tenant, where such is an in personam defendant) had been notified by certified letter of the criminal nuisance, and (3) That the public health, safety or welfare immediately requires a temporary closing order and unless the owner or the owner's agent shows to the satisfaction of the Court that the criminal nuisance complained of has been sufficiently abated, or that such person proceeded forthwith to enforce his or her rights under this chapter as more fully set forth herein, the Court shall issue a temporary abatement order to close the premises involved, the portions appropriate in the circumstances, or any other temporary abatement remedy requested by the Attorney General's Office. The order shall direct actions necessary to physically secure the premises, or appropriate portions thereof, against use for any purpose. The temporary abatement order may also prohibit the defendant and all persons from removing or in any manner interfering with the furniture, fixtures and movable or personal property located on or within the premises constituting the criminal nuisance. Where a tenant is a defendant, the Court may issue a closing order prohibiting him or her from residing at or having contact with the premises. (e) To determine whether the health, safety, or welfare of the community immediately requires a temporary abatement order, the Court shall consider any relevant evidence presented concerning any attendant circumstances, including but not limited to: (1) The extent and duration of the criminal nuisance and severity of the impact on the community; (2) The proximity of the property to other residential structures; (3) The number of times the owner or tenant has been notified of criminal nuisance related problems at the property; (4) The prior efforts, or lack of efforts, by the defendant to abate the criminal nuisance; (5) The involvement of the owner or tenant in the criminal nuisance; (6) The costs incurred by the jurisdiction or community based organizations in investigating or attempting to correct the criminal nuisance; (7) Whether the criminal nuisance is continuous or recurring; (8) Whether the criminal nuisance involves the use or threat of violence; or (9) Any other factor the Court deems relevant and in the interests of the public health, safety, or welfare of the community. (f) If the Court finds that the premises constitute a criminal nuisance but that immediate closing of the premises is not required pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the Court may abate the criminal nuisance by issuing an order prohibiting the defendants and all other persons from conducting, maintaining, aiding, abetting or permitting events constituting the criminal nuisance, or from otherwise having contact with the premises. Additionally, the Court may issue an order appointing a temporary receiver to manage or operate the premises or order that any defendant take immediate actions including, but not limited to, the remedies listed in § 7113(c)(7) of this title. A temporary receiver shall have such powers and duties specifically authorized pursuant to § 7113 of this title. (g) Notwithstanding the Delaware Rules of Evidence, any police report concerning the premises, and any witness statements contained therein, may be admitted into evidence in determining the existence of a criminal nuisance or whether any form of temporary abatement relief is appropriate. (h) The abatement order shall be served pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 7108 of this title, and by both such delivery and posting. The officer serving such abatement order shall forthwith make and return into Court an inventory of the personal property and contents situated in and used in conducting or maintaining the criminal nuisance. The parties may enter into a consent order in relation to or with respect to temporary abatement relief or permanent abatement relief. Any such order must be approved by the Court. Any violation of such abatement order shall be a contempt of court, and where such order is so posted, mutilation or removal thereof, while the same remains in force, shall be a contempt of court, provided such posted order contains thereon or therein a notice to that effect. (i) The temporary abatement order shall remain in place until a permanent abatement hearing. Any violation of the Court's temporary abatement order shall be contempt of court, to be punished as provided in this chapter. (j) The owner or owners of any real or personal property so closed or prohibited, or to be closed or prohibited, may petition the Court for an expedited schedule for the permanent abatement hearing. (k) The release of any real or personal property under this section shall not release it from any judgment, lien, penalty, or liability to which it may be subjected by law.
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