Court Opinion

ID: 9365249
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-23 16:03:27.21661+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:43.889363
License: Public Domain

IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

    ELVIS EDINGE and BAKOSSI )
    CULTURAL & DEVELOPMENT   )
    ASSOCIATION,             )
                             )
                Plaintiff,   )
                             )
        v.                   ) C.A. No. 2023-0034-SG
                             )
    HOMETOWN STUDIOS BY RED )
    ROOF and MEMORIAL BRIDGE )
    CONVENTION CENTER,       )
                             )
                Defendant.   )

                                           ORDER

Dear Mr. Edinge,

       I have examined your Complaint. Upon review, it is clear to me that this

Court is without jurisdiction to hear this matter. If you desire to go forward,

therefore, you must refile in the Delaware Superior Court.

       Your Complaint states claims for “breach of contract” and the tort of

“convers[ion],” both actions at law.1 In relief, you seek only damages, together

with a request for amorphous “other relief.”2

1
  Compl. ¶ 1, Dkt. No. 1. The Complaint actually states the tortious cause of action as
“conversation,” which I presume is a typographical error (despite having endured, over the years,
conversations themselves near-tortious).
2
  Id. 7 (Prayer for Relief) (pages counted sequentially).
        Unfortunately, you have brought this action in the Delaware Court of

Chancery, a court of limited jurisdiction. Absent statutory jurisdiction not alleged

here, this Court is limited to equitable actions or requests for equitable relief. 3 You

have invoked neither. Full relief for your legal actions, moreover, is available at

law.4

        Accordingly, this matter is dismissed, with leave to refile in Superior Court

under 10 Del. C. Section 1902. You should be aware that you have limited time to

refile under Section 1902; I have attached a copy of that statute to this Letter Order

for your reference.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:

        1. That the Complaint is DISMISSED in its entirety with leave to transfer

           subject to 10 Del. C. § 1902.

                                                 /s/ Sam Glasscock III

                                                 Vice Chancellor

3
  E.g. Delawareans for Educ. Opportunity v. Carney, 2018 WL 4849935, at *5 (Del. Ch. Oct. 5,
2018).
4
  See 10 Del. C. § 341 et seq.
                                             2
10 Del. C. § 1902 Removal of actions from courts lacking jurisdiction.

No civil action, suit or other proceeding brought in any court of this State shall be
dismissed solely on the ground that such court is without jurisdiction of the subject
matter, either in the original proceeding or on appeal. Such proceeding may be
transferred to an appropriate court for hearing and determination, provided that the
party otherwise adversely affected, within 60 days after the order denying the
jurisdiction of the first court has become final, files in that court a written election
of transfer, discharges all costs accrued in the first court, and makes the usual
deposit for costs in the second court. All or part of the papers filed, or copies
thereof, and a transcript of the entries, in the court where the proceeding was
originally instituted shall be delivered in accordance with the rules or special
orders of such court, by the prothonotary, clerk, or register of that court to the
prothonotary, clerk or register of the court to which the proceeding is transferred.
The latter court shall thereupon entertain such applications in the proceeding as
conform to law and to the rules and practice of such court, and may by rule or
special order provide for amendments in pleadings and for all other matters
concerning the course of procedure for hearing and determining the cause as
justice may require. For the purpose of laches or of any statute of limitations, the
time of bringing the proceeding shall be deemed to be the time when it was
brought in the first court. This section shall be liberally construed to permit and
facilitate transfers of proceedings between the courts of this State in the interests of
justice.

                                           3