Opinion ID: 2367442
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The First Question Certified

Text: We come at last to the heart of the matter which is put to us in a rather awkward compound question. 1. May the Governor of the State of Delaware, while the Senate is in recess, exercise the recess appointment power granted under Article III, § 9 of the Delaware Constitution and issue an interim commission to fill a position on the Delaware River and Bay Authority where the statutory term of an incumbent has expired, or do the `holdover' provisions of Article XV, § 5 of the Delaware Constitution preclude the effective exercise of such recess appointment power where said incumbent holds over under the provisions of 17 Del.C. §§ 1713 and 1714 until his successor is appointed and qualified? The Plaintiff argues that the expiration of the stated statutory term of office created a vacancy for appointment purposes even though the official holds over under Article XV, § 5. Therefore, since a vacancy existed, it could be filled by the Governor through the recess power granted to him in Article III, § 9. Thus, he argues that, even though Relator's commission under the recess power has expired and the office is now vacant, the Relator's recess commission qualified him as a successor and terminated the Defendant's holdover privilege. The Defendant argues that the expiration of a statutory term does not create a vacancy in the office and, therefore, the Governor was without recess authority to commission Relator. Thus, Defendant contends that he constitutionally continues in office under the holdover provision. Additionally, he argues that the wording of the statutes creating the River and Bay Authority precludes the finding of a vacancy at the expiration of a term and, further, that if a vacancy were to be found, those statutes require that it could be filled only with the consent of the Senate.