Title: Matter of Watson
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 471, 2003
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: October 21, 2003

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE  
 
§ 
PETITION OF KEAVNEY 
 
§   No. 471, 2003 
WATSON FOR A WRIT OF 
 
§ 
MANDAMUS 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Submitted: October 14, 2003 
  Decided: October 21, 2003 
 
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, HOLLAND, and STEELE, Justices. 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 21st day of October 2003, upon consideration of Keavney Watson’s 
petition for a writ of mandamus and the State’s answer and motion to dismiss, it 
appears to the Court that: 
(1) 
Watson has filed a petition requesting this Court to issue an 
extraordinary writ of mandamus directed to the prosecutor in his pending 
Superior Court criminal case.  Watson contends that the Deputy Attorney 
General assigned to his case in Superior Court is refusing to uphold a plea 
agreement that Watson previously had entered into with a different Deputy 
Attorney General.  The State has moved to dismiss Watson’s petition on the 
ground that this Court lacks jurisdiction to issue an extraordinary writ to the 
prosecutor in the case. 
(2) 
After careful consideration, we conclude that Watson’s petition 
must be dismissed.  The Court’s jurisdiction to issue an extraordinary writ of 
 
 
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mandamus is limited to instances when the respondent is a trial court or a trial 
court judge.*  The Deputy Attorney General is an officer of the court but is not 
a judicial officer.  Thus, Watson’s petition fails to properly invoke this Court’s 
original jurisdiction.   
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that Watson’s petition for the 
issuance of an extraordinary writ of mandamus is DISMISSED. 
BY THE COURT: 
 
/s/ Randy J. Holland 
Justice 
                                                           
* In re Hitchens, 600 A.2d 37, 38 (Del. 1991).