Donahue nominated as judge for Sussex County Family Court

Child advocate and attorney Jennifer Donahue has been nominated for a newly created Sussex County Family Court judgeship.

“Throughout her career, Jennifer Donahue has demonstrated a commitment to helping families and children navigate deeply sensitive, and often complex, legal matters in Delaware,” said Gov. Matt Meyer in a press release. “Her trial expertise, communication skills and broad knowledge of the law will provide her with the competence and confidence to make well-informed decisions for the families of Sussex County.”   

Donahue is an attorney with trial experience in civil and criminal matters in Family and Superior courts, a legal expert in evaluating child abuse and sexual assault cases, and an advocate for abused and neglected children in Delaware.  

She most recently served as the deputy attorney general in the Special Victims Unit at the Delaware Department of Justice, and previously worked within the State Office of the Child Advocate as a deputy child advocate and later as an investigation coordinator/child attorney. Donahue also served on the Child Protection Accountability Commission as well as the Child Abuse and Neglect Panel, and co-drafted Aiden’s Law, a piece of legislation signed by Gov. John Carney in 2018. In 2017, she received the Muriel E. Gilman Family Advocacy Award for efforts to address the impact of substance abuse on young children in Delaware.” 

Throughout her 24-year law career, Donahue has been dedicated to public service, working on child welfare issues and family law litigation in Family Court. She has successfully practiced in every facet of Family Court including divorce litigation, domestic violence, dependency/neglect cases and juvenile criminal cases. In addition, she has provided legal representation to various types of litigants in Family Court matters, including petitioners and respondents in divorce and domestic violence matters, as well as abused and neglected children experiencing foster care.