Title: Comer v. State
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 176, 2011
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: May 3, 2011

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
RASMEE A. COMER,  
 
§  
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
No. 176, 2011 
 
Defendant Below,  
 
§ 
 
Appellant,  
 
 
§ 
Court Below–Superior Court of  
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
the State of Delaware in and for 
 
v. 
 
 
 
 
§ 
New Castle County 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Plaintiff Below, 
 
 
§ 
Cr. ID No. 0006000054 
 
Appellee. 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Submitted: April 28, 2011 
Decided: 
May 3, 2011 
 
Before STEELE, Chief Justice, HOLLAND and JACOBS, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 3rd day of May 2011, it appears to the Court that: 
(1) 
On April 11, 2011, the Court received an untimely notice of 
appeal from, the appellant, Rasmee A. Comer.  Comer is attempting to 
appeal the Superior Court’s March 2, 2011 judgment of violation of 
probation (VOP) and sentencing.  Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 6, 
Comer’s notice of appeal should have been filed within thirty days of 
sentencing, i.e., on or before April 1, 2011.1 
(2) 
On April 12, 2011, the Clerk issued a notice directing that 
Comer show cause why the appeal should not be dismissed as untimely 
                                          
 
1 Del. Supr. Ct. R. 6(a)(ii). 
2 
 
filed.2  Unless an appellant can demonstrate that the failure to timely file a 
notice of appeal is attributable to court-related personnel, an untimely appeal 
cannot be considered.3   
(3) 
In response to the notice, Comer contends that his notice of 
appeal is timely because it was filed “within 30 business days” of his VOP 
conviction and sentencing.  Comer also states that he did not have “ample 
access to a law library.” 
(4) 
Comer’s contentions are unavailing.  “Time is a jurisdictional 
requirement.”4  Under Delaware law, a notice of appeal must be received by 
the office of the Clerk within the thirty-day time period to be effective.5  
Intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays are included in the 
computation unless the last day of the appeal period is a Saturday, Sunday or 
other legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next 
day on which the office of the Clerk is open.6 
(5) 
Comer does not contend, and the record does not reflect, that 
his failure to timely file the notice of appeal is attributable to court-related 
                                          
 
2 Del. Supr. Ct. R. 29(b). 
3 Bey v. State, 402 A.2d 362, 363 (Del. 1979). 
4 Carr v. State, 554 A.2d 778, 779 (Del. 1989). 
5 Del. Supr. Ct. R. 10(a). 
6 Del. Supr. Ct. R. 11(a). 
3 
 
personnel.  Consequently, this case does not fall within the exception to the 
general rule that mandates the timely filing of a notice of appeal. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Supreme Court 
Rule 29(b), that the appeal is DISMISSED. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Randy J. Holland 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice