Title: Rodriguez v. State
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 442, 2007, 450, 2007, 544,2007
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: December 4, 2007

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ, 
 
Defendant Below- 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below- 
Appellee. 
§ 
§ Nos. 450, 2007; 442, 2007;  
§ 544, 2007 CONSOLIDATED 
§ 
§ 
§ Court Below─Superior Court 
§ of the State of Delaware 
§ in and for New Castle County 
§                  and Sussex County    
§ Cr. ID Nos. 0206003099 
§                     0206002764 
§ C.A. No. 07M-08-015 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: November 30, 2007 
                                            Decided: December 4, 2007 
 
Before STEELE, Chief Justice, JACOBS and RIDGELY, Justices. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
O R D E R  
 
 
This 4th day of December 2007, it appears to the Court that: 
 
(1) 
This is a consolidated appeal by Francisco Rodriguez from one 
order of the New Castle County Superior Court (Cr. ID No. 0206003099) 
and two orders of the Sussex County Superior Court (Cr. ID No. 
0206002764; Cr. A. No. 07M-08-015).1  Rodriguez claims that the Superior 
Court abused its discretion by refusing to modify his Level IV sentences.  
Under the particular circumstances of this case, and in the interest of justice 
and judicial economy, we remand this matter to the Sussex County Superior 
                                                 
1 By Order dated November 2, 2007, this Court granted Rodriguez’ motion to consolidate 
the appeals on the ground that they contained common questions of law and fact.  
 
2
Court for modification of Rodriguez’ Level IV sentences.2  Thus, because 
Rodriguez has received the relief requested in his consolidated appeal, the 
appeal is dismissed as moot.   
 
(2) 
In November 2002, Rodriguez pleaded guilty in the Sussex 
County Superior Court to Carjacking in the First Degree and Possession of a 
Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony.  On the carjacking 
conviction, Rodriguez was sentenced to 5 years at Level V, to be suspended 
after 2 years and successful completion of the Key Program for Level IV 
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program (“RSATP”) and Level III 
Aftercare.  On the weapon conviction, Rodriguez was sentenced to 3 years at 
Level V.  He was ordered to be held at Level V pending space availability at 
Level IV.     
 
(3) 
In February 2003, Rodriguez pleaded guilty in the New Castle 
County Superior Court to two additional counts of Conspiracy in the Second 
Degree.  He was sentenced to a total of 4 years at Level V, to be suspended 
after 1 year for 1 year of Level IV Work Release followed by 2 years at 
Level II.    
 
(4) 
Rodriguez has filed several motions in the Superior Court 
requesting modification of his sentences as well as petitions for 
                                                 
2 The New Castle County Superior Court modified Rodriguez’ Level IV sentence on 
October 26, 2007. 
 
3
extraordinary writs, all of which have been denied.  Rodriguez alleges the 
same grounds for all of his filings:  He completed his Level V sentences on 
June 11, 2007 and has been held at Level V for placement at Level IV since 
that date.  He is not eligible to participate in Level IV RSATP because the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service (the “INS”) has lodged a detainer 
against him.  At the same time, the INS will not take custody of him until his 
Level IV sentence is completed.  The practical result is that he will have to 
serve all of his sentences entirely at Level V, contrary to the clear intent of 
the Superior Court’s sentencing orders. 
 
(5) 
In light of this situation, on October 26, 2007, the New Castle 
County Superior Court judge suspended Rodriguez’ Level IV conspiracy 
sentence so that he could be released to the INS.  On November 15, 2007, 
the Sussex County Superior Court judge sua sponte requested this Court to 
remand Rodriguez’ Sussex County appeals so that his Level IV sentence can 
be modified to Level III, which will allow the INS to exercise the detainer 
and take custody of him.  On November 30, 2007, the State of Delaware 
notified this Court that it has no objection to Rodriguez’ Sussex County 
appeals being remanded for that purpose. 
 
 
4
 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that Rodriguez’ Sussex 
County appeals are REMANDED to the Sussex County Superior Court for 
modification of his Level IV sentence to Level III, in accordance with this 
Order.  Because Rodriguez has received the relief requested in his 
consolidated appeal, the appeal is, accordingly, DISMISSED as moot.3 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Henry duPont Ridgely 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice   
  
 
 
                                                 
3 Rodriguez’ motion to expedite the appeal also is denied as moot.