Title: Matter of Bible

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
IN THE MATTER OF THE §

PETITION OF DONALD BIBLE § —_—No. 486, 2015

FORA WRIT OF MANDAMUS —§

Submitted: September 17, 2015
Decided: November 18, 2015

Before STRINE, Chief Justice; HOLLAND and VALIHURA, Justices.
ORDER

This 18° day of November 2015, it appears to the Court that:

(1) The petitioner, Donald Bible, has filed a petition for a writ of
‘mandamus under Supreme Court Rule 43. Bible requests that the Court issue
‘a writ of mandamus directing the Governor and the General Assembly “to
repeal and/or amend” June 2014 amendments to Superior Court Criminal Rule
61.

(2) Upon receipt of the petition for a writ of mandamus, the Clerk
issued a notice under Supreme Court Rule 29(b), directing Bible to show
cause why the petition should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Bible
filed a response to the notice, contending that the Court has the authority to
issue a writ of mandamus “to compel an officer or employee in the State ...
to perform a duty owed to a plaintiff”

(3) Bible is mistaken, This Court’s “original jurisdiction to issue a

writ of mandamus is limited to instances when the respondent is a court or a
{judge thereof.”" The Court has no jurisdiction to issue a writ of mandamus to

the Governor or the General Assembly.”
NOW, THEREFORE, IT I$ ORDERED, under Supreme Court Rules

29(b) and 43, that the petition for a writ of mandamus is DISMISSED.

BY THE COURT:
(LR folland
Justice

' Anderson v. State, 2018 WL 5275853 (Del. Sept. 9, 2015) (quoting Jn re Hitchens, 600

‘2437, 38 Del. 1991).
2"See Del. Const. art IV, § 11(S) (defining Court's original juisdiction to issue

extraordinary writs)
2