Case Title: Branson v. Branson

Citation: 

Docket Number: 576, 2013

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2014-03-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
VINCENT J. BRANSON, 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
No. 576, 2013 
 
Petitioner Below,  
 
§ 
Appellant,  
 
 
§ 
Court Below — Court of  
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
Chancery of the State of  
v. 
 
 
 
 
§ 
Delaware 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
DAVID BRANSON, Executor of  
§ 
the Estate of Dorothea Branson, 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Respondent Below, 
 
§ 
ROW No. 260-S 
 
Appellee. 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Submitted: February 7, 2014 
Decided: 
March 18, 2014 
 
Before HOLLAND, BERGER and RIDGELY, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 18th day of March 2014, it appears to the Court that: 
(1) 
The appellant, Vincent J. Branson, seeks to appeal the Court of 
Chancery’s bench ruling on April 30, 2013, which concluded that he lacked 
standing to file exceptions in an estate matter.  Upon receipt of the notice of 
appeal, the Clerk issued a notice directing Branson to show cause why the 
appeal should not be dismissed as untimely filed.1   Branson filed a response 
                                          
 
1 See Del. Supr. Ct. R. 6(a)(ii) (providing that a notice of appeal must be filed within 30 
days after entry upon the docket of the order from which the appeal is taken). 
2 
 
to the notice to show cause, the appellee filed an answer to the response, and 
Branson filed a reply. 
(2) 
Having reviewed the trial court docket, which was filed on 
February 7, 2014, it appears to the Court that the Court of Chancery has not 
ruled upon a fee application that was filed by the appellee on May 3, 2013.  
This Court has consistently held that an order is not final and appealable 
until the trial court has ruled on an outstanding application for attorney’s 
fees.2 
(3) 
This appeal must be dismissed because it was taken from an 
unappealable interlocutory order.  Absent compliance with Supreme Court 
Rule 42, the Court has no jurisdiction to hear this interlocutory appeal.3   
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that this appeal is 
DISMISSED.  The filing fee paid by the appellant, Vincent J. Branson, shall 
be applied to any future appeal filed by him from a final order entered in the 
case.  
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Randy J. Holland 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice 
                                          
 
2 Lipson v. Lipson, 799 A.2d 345, 348 (Del. 2001). 
3 Julian v. State, 440 A.2d 990, 991 (Del. 1982).