Case Title: Moore v. State

Citation: 

Docket Number: 597, 2009

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2009-11-04T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
EARLE MOORE,  
 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
No. 597, 2009 
 
Defendant Below,  
 
§ 
 
Appellant,  
 
 
§ 
Court Below—Superior Court  
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
of the State of Delaware in and  
 
v. 
 
 
 
 
§ 
for New Castle County 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Plaintiff Below, 
 
 
§ 
Cr. ID No. 0812010704  
 
Appellee. 
 
 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: October 29, 2009 
 
 
 
 
Decided: 
November 4, 2009 
 
Before BERGER, JACOBS and RIDGELY, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
 
This 4th day of November 2009, upon consideration of the Clerk’s 
notice to show cause, the appellant’s response to the notice, and the 
appellee’s answer to the response to the notice, it appears to the Court that: 
 
(1) 
On September 2, 2009, the appellant, Earle Moore, was 
sentenced on a finding that he had violated the probation (“VOP”) related to 
his felony drug conviction.  On October 13, 2009, Moore filed a pro se 
notice of appeal from the VOP adjudication and sentence.   
 
(2) 
On October 13, 2009, the Clerk issued a notice directing that 
Moore show cause why the appeal should not be dismissed as untimely filed.  
In his response to the notice, Moore indicates that he was represented by 
 
2
counsel at the VOP hearing, and that he had asked his counsel to file an 
appeal on his behalf.  Moore asserts that his appeal should not be dismissed 
because the failure to timely file the notice of appeal was not his fault. 
 
(3) 
In its answer to Moore’s response to the notice to show cause, 
the appellee, State of Delaware, suggests that, under these circumstances, the 
matter should be remanded to the Superior Court with instructions to vacate 
the September 2, 2009 VOP sentence and to resentence Moore with the 
assistance of counsel.1  The State’s suggestion is well-taken.  In the interest 
of justice, we conclude that this matter should be remanded to the Superior 
Court for resentencing of Moore, with the assistance of counsel, so that 
Moore may be given the opportunity to file a timely direct appeal.2 
 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that this matter is 
REMANDED to the Superior Court with instructions to vacate the 
September 2, 2009 VOP sentence and to resentence the appellant, Earle 
Moore, with the assistance of counsel.  Jurisdiction is not retained. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Jack B. Jacobs  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        Justice 
                                          
 
1 Harris v. State, 2007 WL 1933161 (Del. Supr.). 
2 Id.