Title: Matter of Wisher

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE 
§ 
 
 
 
PETITION OF WILLIAM WISHER § No. 467, 2018   
FOR A WRIT OF MANDAMUS. 
§  
  
 
§ 
 
 
 
Submitted:  September 19, 2018 
  Decided:  December 5, 2018 
 
Before VALIHURA, VAUGHN, and SEITZ, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
(1) 
On September 10, 2018, Wisher filed a petition asking this Court to 
issue a writ of mandamus directing the Superior Court to accept a pro se motion to 
suppress evidence in Wisher’s then-pending criminal case, which was scheduled for 
trial.1  The following day, September 11, 2018, Wisher pleaded guilty to three of the 
sixteen charges in the Superior Court case and was sentenced. 
(2) 
In response to Wisher’s petition, the State represents that Wisher 
withdrew his petition for a writ of mandamus at the guilty plea hearing on September 
11, 2018.  The State’s representations are supported by the Superior Court docket.2 
(3) 
When invoking this Court’s original jurisdiction to issue extraordinary 
relief, the burden is on the petitioner to establish an entitlement to such relief.3  In 
this case, even if he had not withdrawn his mandamus petition on September 11, 
                                
1 State v. Wisher, Del. Super., Cr. ID Nos. 1709004017 & 1710006788.   
2 See, e.g., Docket at 42, State v. Wisher, Cr. ID No. 1709004017. 
3 In re Wittrock, 649 A.2d 1053, 1054 (Del. 1994). 
2 
 
2018, Wisher is not entitled to compel the Superior Court to consider a suppression 
motion in a case he decided not to take to trial. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the petition for a writ of 
mandamus is DISMISSED. 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/   James T. Vaughn, Jr.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice