Case Title: In the Matter of the Petition of Eric Bernard Simmons: Simmons Trustee of Eric Bernard Simmons Trust for a Writ of Mandamus

Citation: 

Docket Number: 378, 2022

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2022-12-13T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE 
PETITION OF ERIC BERNARD 
SIMMONS: SIMMONS TRUSTEE 
OF ERIC BERNARD SIMMONS 
TRUST FOR A WRIT OF 
MANDAMUS 
§ 
§  No. 378, 2022 
§ 
§                        
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: November 28, 2022 
 
 
 
 
Decided: 
December 13, 2022 
 
ORDER 
 
It appears to the Court that, on October 12, 2022, the Senior Court Clerk 
directed the petitioner to pay the filing fee or file a completed motion to proceed in 
forma pauperis by October 27, 2022.  On October 21, 2022, the petitioner filed an 
incomplete motion to proceed in forma pauperis that did not include a certified 
statement of his inmate account.  The petitioner indicated that he was not an inmate, 
even though he stated in his petition for a writ of mandamus that he (i) was 
unlawfully confined in Sussex Correctional Institution, (ii) identified Sussex 
Correctional Institution as his address, and (iii) sought release from the Department 
of Correction.  On October 24, 2022, the Chief Deputy Clerk advised the petitioner 
to file a completed motion to proceed in forma pauperis, including a certified 
statement of his inmate account.   On November 14, 2022, the petitioner again filed 
a motion to proceed in forma pauperis claiming he was not an inmate and failing to 
include an inmate account statement.   
2 
 
On November 15, 2022, the Chief Deputy Clerk issued a notice, by certified 
mail, directing the petitioner to show cause why his petition should not be dismissed 
for his failure to pay the filing fee or file a motion to proceed in forma pauperis with 
an inmate account statement   Postal records show that the notice to show cause was 
delivered on November 17, 2022.  A timely response to the notice to show cause 
was due by November 28, 2022.1  To date, the petitioner has not paid the Supreme 
Court filing fee, filed a motion to proceed in forma pauperis, or responded to the 
notice to show cause.  Dismissal of this petition is therefore deemed to be unopposed. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, under Supreme Court Rules 3(b)(2) 
and 29(b), that this appeal is DISMISSED.   
BY THE COURT: 
/s/ Gary F. Traynor 
Justice 
 
1 Del. Supr. Ct. R. 11(a) (providing that if the last day of the time period prescribed by the Rules 
falls on the weekend or a holiday then the time period runs until the end of the next day the Clerk’s 
office is open).