§ 4902 — Exempt property

(a) Every person residing within this State shall have exempt from execution or attachment process, or distress for rent, the following articles of personal property: The family Bible, school books and family library, family pictures, a seat or pew in any church or place of public worship, a lot in any burial ground, all the wearing apparel of the debtor and the debtor’s family.

(b) In addition to the articles specifically named in subsection (a) of this section, each person residing in this State shall have exempt the tools, implements and fixtures necessary for carrying on his or her trade or business, not exceeding in value $75 in New Castle and Sussex Counties, and $50 in Kent County.

(c) All sewing machines owned and used by seamstresses or private families, shall be exempt from levy and sale on execution or attachment process and also from distress and sale for rent. This provision shall not apply to persons who keep sewing machines for sale or hire.

(d) All pianos, piano playing attachments and organs leased or hired by any person residing in this State, shall be exempt from levy and sale on execution or from distress for rent due by such person so leasing or hiring any such piano, piano playing attachment, or organ in addition to other goods and chattels exempt by law. The owner of any such piano, piano playing attachment or organ or such owner’s agent, or the person so leasing or hiring the same shall give notice to the landlord or the landlord’s agent that the instrument is hired or leased.

Legislative History

14 Del. Laws, c. 562, § 1 ; 16 Del. Laws, c. 146 ; 16 Del. Laws, c. 538 ; 22 Del. Laws, c. 459 ; 23 Del. Laws, c. 201 ; Code 1915, § 4321; Code 1935, § 4793; 10 Del. C. 1953, § 4902; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1