Case Title: Baker v. State

Citation: 

Docket Number: 325, 2002

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
ARTHUR J. BAKER, 
 
 
§ 
§ 
Defendant Below,  
 
§  No. 325, 2002 
Appellant,  
 
 
§ 
§  Court Below: Superior Court 
v. 
 
 
 
 
§  of the State of Delaware, in 
§  and for New Castle County 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
§ 
 
§  Cr. ID No. 0202001125 
Plaintiff Below, 
 
 
§ 
 
Appellee. 
 
 
 
§ 
 
 
Submitted: June 7, 2002 
Decided: 
June 21, 2002 
 
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, BERGER and STEELE, Justices. 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 21st day of June 2002, it appears to the Court that: 
1. 
On June 7, 2002, the appellant, Arthur J. Baker, appearing pro se, 
filed a notice of appeal from an order of the Superior Court dated May 30, 
2002. The Superior Court order denied Baker’s Motion to Suppress, which was 
filed by Baker’s attorney.  
2. 
Under the Delaware Constitution, only a final judgment may be 
reviewed by this Court in a criminal case.1 The denial of a Motion to Suppress 
filed in the Superior Court is not a final appealable order, nor is it appealable as 
                         
1 Del Const. Art. IV, § 11(1)(b).   
 
2 
a collateral order before the entry of a final sentencing order in the case.   As a 
result, this Court has no jurisdiction to review Baker’s interlocutory appeal in 
this criminal case.2  
3. 
Furthermore, a defendant represented by counsel may not act pro 
se. Counsel is the only person who is authorized to act on behalf of the 
defendant. 3 
4. 
The Court concludes, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 29(c), that 
the within criminal interlocutory appeal, on its face, manifestly fails to invoke 
the Court’s jurisdiction, and that the giving of notice of said defect would serve 
no meaningful purpose and that any response would be of no avail. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the appeal is DISMISSED, 
sua sponte, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 29(c). 
BY THE COURT: 
 
/s/ Myron T. Steele 
 
Justice 
 
 
                         
2 Rash v. State, 318 A.2d 603 (Del. 1974); State v. Cooley, 430 A.2d 789 (Del. 1981). 
3 In the Matter of Haskins, 551 A.2d 65, 66-67 (Del. 1988).