Title: Gorton v. Brown
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 611, 2006
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: June 5, 2007

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
MARY E. GORTON,
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No. 611, 2006
Plaintiff Below,
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Appellant,
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Court Below–Superior Court
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of the State of Delaware in and 
v.
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for New Castle County 
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RONALD A. BROWN, JR.,
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ESQUIRE, PRICKETT, 
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JONES & ELLIOTT, P.A.,
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Defendants Below,
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C.A. No. 05C-08-276
Appellees.
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Submitted: May 2, 2007
Decided:
June 5, 2007
Before HOLLAND, BERGER and JACOBS, Justices.
O R D E R
This 5  day of June 2007, it appears to the Court that:
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(1)
The appellant, Mary E. Gorton, filed a claim for legal malpractice
in the Superior Court against appellees Ronald A. Brown, Jr., Esquire, and the
law firm of Prickett, Jones & Elliott (collectively “Brown”).   By order
docketed on October 19, 2006, the Superior Court dismissed Gorton’s case.
This appeal followed.
(2)
Gorton did not file the opening brief and appendix by the February
20 deadline established by the Clerk.  Instead, Gorton filed a letter requesting
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a stay of her appeal.  By Order dated February 16, 2007, the Court denied
Gorton’s request for a stay.  
(3)
On February 20, 2007, Gorton filed a motion seeking an extension
of time.  By Order dated February 22, 2007, the Court denied the motion for an
extension and directed that Gorton file the opening brief and appendix on or
before March 8, 2007.
(4)
Gorton did not file the opening brief and appendix by the March
8 deadline.  Rather, Gorton filed another motion for stay of her appeal.  On
March 27, 2007, Gorton filed a third such motion.
(5)
By Order dated April 4, 2007, the Court denied all pending
motions  and directed that Gorton file the opening brief and appendix, without
fail, on or before April 25, 2007, in default of which the appeal would be
dismissed without further notice.  In the same Order, the Court directed that the
Clerk reject for filing any further submissions by Gorton, with the exception of
a timely filed opening brief.
(6)
Gorton did not file the opening brief and appendix by the April 25
deadline as directed by the April 4 Order.  Over the following month, Gorton
continued to submit  papers, including an untimely opening brief and appendix.
On May 2, 2007, Brown filed a motion to affirm. 
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(7)
Gorton’s failure to file the opening brief and appendix by the April
25 deadline precludes appellate review of her claims.  Gorton’s persistence in
submitting documents that are defective in both form and substance constitutes
an abuse of the judicial process.      
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the untimely opening brief
and appendix filed on April 27, 2007, the unauthorized motion for an extension
of time filed on April 27, 2007, and the unauthorized letter filed on May 25,
2007, are hereby STRICKEN, and this appeal is DISMISSED, pursuant to the
Court’s Order of April 4, 2007.  The motion to affirm is moot.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Carolyn Berger
Justice