Title: Black v. City of Wilmington
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 232, 2001
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: October 1, 2001

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
DEAN C. BLACK,
§
§  No. 232, 2001
Defendant Below-
§
Appellant,
§
§
v.
§  Court BelowCSuperior Court
§  of the State of Delaware,
CITY OF WILMINGTON,
§  in and for New Castle County
§  C.A. No. 01T-02-081
Plaintiff Below-
§
Appellee.
§
Submitted: August 30, 2001
  Decided:
October 1, 2001
Before WALSH, BERGER, and STEELE, Justices
O R D E R
This 1st day of October 2001, upon consideration of the parties’ briefs1
and the record below, it appears to the Court that:
(1)
The appellant, Dean C. Black, filed this appeal from a decision
of the Superior Court, dated May 6, 2001, which denied Black’s motion for
relief from judgment.  Upon careful consideration of the parties’ respective
positions, the Court finds no merit to this appeal.  Accordingly, we AFFIRM
the judgment of the Superior Court.
                                                
1 On August 20, 2001, the appellant filed a document entitled “Motion to
Dismiss,” which requests the Court to strike the appellee’s answering brief.  The Court
has considered the appellant’s motion and finds no basis to strike the answering brief.
Accordingly, the appellant’s motion is denied.
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(2)
The record reflects that, on February 16, 2001, the City of
Wilmington filed a Writ of Monition in the Superior Court to collect back
taxes and water and sewer charges assessed against the property situated at
1000 West 9th Street. Eventually, the Prothonotary issued a Writ of
Venditioni Exponas that directed the sheriff to sell the property.
(3)
On April 30, 2001, Black filed a motion for relief from
judgment contending that he had not received proper notice of the City’s
writ.  Black contended that the only notice he received came from his
daughter on April 26, 2001 regarding the impending Sheriff’s sale of the
property scheduled for May 8, 2001.  Black further contended that the City’s
meter readings on the property could not have been true readings. Black
appears to have asserted that he read the meter at the property in 1995 and
1996, before his incarceration in 1997, and the readings provided by the City
were 200% higher than Black’s own meter readings for that time period.
Notwithstanding Black’s assertion, the exhibit attached to Black’s motion
reflected, in fact, that true readings of the meter had been taken.
(4)
Black’s motion for relief from judgment was an apparent
attempt to stop the impending Sheriff’s sale.  His motion, however, did not
dispute that money was due and owing on the property.  To the extent that
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Black now contends on appeal that he did not owe the amounts set forth in
the City’s writ, this assertion was never presented to the Superior Court and
cannot be considered by this Court for the first time on appeal.2
(5)
Moreover, we find no abuse in the Superior Court’s denial of
Black’s motion for relief from judgment on the ground of improper notice.3
With respect to the writ of monition, the record reflects that the writ was
properly posted as required by law.4  As for the Sheriff’s sale, the due
process requirements with respect to a Sheriff’s sale are set forth in Superior
Court Civil Rule 69(g).5  The record reflects that the City complied with the
requirements of Rule 69(g), including the notice requirements.  Indeed,
Black’s motion, which was filed before the Sheriff’s sale, reflects that Black
received notice of the scheduled sale date.  Furthermore, Black did not move
to set aside the sale, as he should have done.6
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the judgment of the
Superior Court is hereby AFFIRMED.
                                                
2 Supr. Ct. R. 8.
3 Battaglia v. Wilmington Savings Fund Society, Del. Supr., 379 A.2d 1132, 1135
(1977).
4 Wilm.C. § 4-181
5 Haskins v. Motivational Ctr., Del. Super., 605 A.2d 15 (1992).
6 Deibler v. Atlantic Properties Group, Inc., Del.Supr., 652 A.2d 553, 556 (1995).
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BY THE COURT:
/s/ Myron T. Steele_______________
Justice