Title: Irizarry v. Quinones
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 197, 2002
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: May 10, 2002

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
LUIS A. IRIZARRY,
Plaintiff Below-
Appellant,
v.
ERICA QUINONES,
Defendant Below-
Appellee.
§
§
§  No. 197, 2002
§
§
§  Court Below—Superior Court
§  of the State of Delaware,
§  in and for New Castle County
§  C.A. No. 00C-12-247
§
§
Submitted: April 25, 2002
  Decided:   May 10, 2002
Before WALSH, HOLLAND and BERGER, Justices
O R D E R
This 10th day of May 2002, it appears to the Court that:
(1)
On April 11, 2002, the Court received the appellant’s notice
of appeal from the Superior Court’s March 15, 2002 order vacating a
default judgment in favor of the appellant and against the appellee and
ordering that the appellee file an answer to the appellant’s complaint.
(2)
On April 16, 2002, the Clerk issued a notice pursuant to
Supreme Court Rule 29(b) directing the appellant to show cause why the
appeal should not be dismissed for his failure to comply with Supreme
Court Rule 42 when taking an appeal from an apparent interlocutory order.
2
The appellant filed his response to the notice to show cause on April 25,
2002.  The appellant states that the Superior Court abused its discretion by
vacating the default judgment.
(3)
Absent compliance with Rule 42, the jurisdiction of this Court
is limited to the review of final judgments of trial courts.1  An order of a
trial court is deemed to be final if the trial court has clearly declared its
intention that the order be the court’s “final act” in the case.2  The Superior
Court docket sheet reflects that the appellee has filed an answer to the
appellant’s complaint and the matter is currently proceeding in the Superior
Court.  Because the Superior Court’s March 15, 2002 order does not
constitute its “final act” in the case, this appeal is interlocutory and must
be dismissed.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the appeal is
DISMISSED.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Randy J. Holland
Justice
                                                          
1Julian v. State, 440 A.2d 990, 991 (Del. 1982).
2J.I. Kislak Mortgage Corp. v. William Matthews, Builder, Inc., 303 A.2d 648, 650 (Del. 1973).