WILMINGTON, DE — In a significant procedural shift, Delaware’s Court of Chancery will implement randomized, automated case assignments—known as “wheelspin”—beginning September 15, 2025. The move brings Delaware’s influential business court in line with federal judicial norms and is being hailed as a major win for transparency and impartiality in the state’s legal system.
The new system eliminates the current practice in which the Chancellor holds discretion over case assignments. Instead, judicial assignments will now be determined through an automated, randomized process, designed to minimize bias and enhance public trust in the court’s neutrality.
The reform follows years of advocacy from Citizens for Judicial Fairness and corporate stakeholders like TransPerfect, whose founder Phil Shawe has been one of the most vocal critics of the court’s previous assignment practices. In a public statement, Shawe described the shift as “a massive win for Delawareans and for all businesses who expect and demand impartiality in court,” adding that the change moves the Chancery Court away from “backroom deals” and toward “good government policies for the 21st century.”
While the Chancery Court is widely regarded for its expertise in corporate law, critics have long contended that its case assignment process lacked transparency and opened the door to potential favoritism. The new randomized system aligns Delaware with federal courts and many other jurisdictions that have long embraced automation in judicial assignments.
Delaware House Speaker Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown also endorsed the reform, emphasizing that “fairness and justice are the guiding principles of our judicial system,” and that automated case assignments will help ensure the courts continue to reflect those values.
Though proponents acknowledge that the reform is not a cure-all, they argue that it represents a critical step toward restoring confidence in Delaware’s judiciary—especially important given the state’s status as the legal home for more than half of publicly traded U.S. companies.
The change is expected to improve perceptions of judicial neutrality and reduce the potential for conflicts of interest, reinforcing Delaware’s longstanding reputation as a leader in corporate governance and legal innovation.
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