Elcorta, Inc. v. Summit Aviation, Inc.

528 A.2d 1199, 1987 Del. Super. LEXIS 1436
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedMay 13, 1987
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 528 A.2d 1199 (Elcorta, Inc. v. Summit Aviation, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Elcorta, Inc. v. Summit Aviation, Inc., 528 A.2d 1199, 1987 Del. Super. LEXIS 1436 (Del. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

BALICK, Judge.

Summit Aviation, Inc. has filed a motion to dismiss an action in certiorari filed by Elcorta, Inc. and Sebastian R. Ciotti to review proceedings in a Justice of the Peace Court to enforce a garageman’s lien under 25 Del.C., c. 39. The justice of the peace authorized the sale of a Mitsubishi aircraft owned by Elcorta. Ciotti held a security interest in the aircraft. It sold for $190,000 and Summit’s $170,000 lien was satisfied from the proceeds.

Elcorta and Ciotti contend that they did not receive adequate notice of the sale, that the justice of the peace improperly declined to recuse himself, and that other errors were committed in the course of the proceedings.

Summit contends that the plaintiffs in error failed to meet various procedural prerequisites to Superior Court’s jurisdiction. This contention is premised on the applicability to certiorari proceedings of the statute governing appeals from Justice of the Peace Courts. 10 Del.C. § 9571. Summit argues that since certiorari is a form of appeal, it follows that the statute governs and that the cases holding that the requirements of the statute are jurisdictional also apply. Williams v. Singleton, Del.Supr., 160 A.2d 376 (1960). I disagree with this premise.

It is true that certiorari is a common law form of appellate review, but certiorari and appeal are cumulative and fundamentally different remedies. Certiorari reviews the record, whereas an appeal is de novo. 1 Woolley on Delaware Practice § 900. It necessarily follows that the nature of the proceedings must differ. Landis Supply, etc. v. Joseph A. Capaldi, Inc., Del.Super. 415 A.2d 497 (1980). For example, the statute dealing with the procedure on applications for certiorari provides for “sufficient surety to be approved by the Prothon-otary ...” but the statute governing appeals de novo provides for “security in such sum as the justice deems sufficient ...” 10 Del.C. §§ 3918, 9571(b). Although both certiorari and appeal have existed for many years, there has never been a decision holding that the statute on appeals governs certiorari.

There is no time limit fixed by statute or by court rule for filing an action in certio-rari. Compare Superior Court Criminal Rule 37. Nor have I seen a reference to any time limitation at common law. Since the writ was then discretionary, it is likely [1201]*1201that the timeliness of the proceedings would be one of the factors considered by the court in deciding whether to allow the writ. Woolley § 903. In Delaware there was a constitutional provision establishing a five-year limitation period for seeking a writ of error, which was later reduced to six months, and then repealed. Art. VI, Del. Const. 1792 § 13, Art. VI, Del. Const. 1831 § 20, Art. IV, Del. Const. 1897 § 28, amended, 40 DeLLaws, c. 2 (1935), renumbered § 25, 48 DeLLaws, c. 109 (1951), repealed, 51 DeLLaws, c. 78 (1957). The constitutional provision also applied to certio-rari, which is a writ of error, without regard to which court issued the writ. Wool-ley § 895. The amendment repealing the constitutional provision stated that it would become effective when the General Assembly enacted a statute “dealing with the subject matter” of the constitutional provision. The statute thereafter enacted provided a 60-day period for the filing of a praecipe in the Supreme Court, which was later'reduced to 30 days. 10 Del.C. § 148, 51 DeLLaws, c. 346 (1958), 58 DeLLaws, c. 21 (1971). Since the statute does not govern writs of error generally, but applies only to the filing of a praecipe in the Supreme Court, the result, perhaps unintended, was that there is no longer any provision establishing a time limit for filing a praecipe seeking a writ of certiorari in the Superior Court.

In the absence of an applicable statute or court rule, many courts apply statutes limiting the time for filing a notice of appeal or a praecipe for a writ of error by analogy. 14 Am Jur 2d, Certiorari, § 30 (1964). As was said by one court, “[tjhere appears to be no good reason, absent exceptional circumstances, why a party should have more time to ask for the writ of certiorari than he would have to take an appeal or sue out a writ of error in an ordinary case.” Eigner v. Geake, N.M. Supr., 52 N.M. 98, 192 P.2d 310, 310-11 (1948). This approach is consistent with the trend in Delaware described above to shorten the time for seeking appellate review. I therefore conclude that the court should look to the statutes on appeals by analogy.

I further conclude that the 30-day period provided for the filing of a praecipe in the Supreme Court is the most appropriate standard for comparison. This is consistent with the legislative history described above and with the 30-day filing period for certiorari to review a decision of a county Board of Adjustment. 9 Del.C. § 1353. Because of the differences between certiorari and review de novo, the time periods provided for perfecting an appeal de novo from a Justice of the Peace Court are not the proper standard for comparison. The 15-day period for allowance of an appeal by a justice of the peace does not provide adequate time for preparation of a transcript of the record which is needed to enable the Prothonotary to enter a recognizance and issue a writ of certiorari. Woolley § 902. Nor is the 20-day period provided by Rule 3(c) for filing a praecipe and certified transcript of the record appropriate, because it runs from the allowance of an appeal and not from the entry of the judgment below. Since the 30-day filing period is being adopted in exercise of Superior Court’s common law power to regulate certiorari proceedings, it is not jurisdictional but is subject to the discretionary power of the court to excuse defaults in appropriate circumstances. See Rule 6(b).

I now turn to the proceedings in this case. The following is the chronology of events:

Judgment below entered May 6, 1986

Praecipe filed May 20, 1986

Transcript of record filed June 5, 1986

Amount of security set by judge June 10, 1986

Recognizance filed June 19, 1986

Writ and citation issued July 3, 1986

Record received from court below July 17, 1986

Motion to dismiss filed July 28, 1986

Exceptions in certiorari filed August 12, 1986

There were several procedural deficiencies. Although the praecipe was filed well within 30 days of the entry of the judgment below, it was not accompanied by a transcript of the record. Instead, counsel informed the Prothonotary that he would file [1202]*1202the transcript as soon as he received it from the Justice of the Peace Court so that the amount of the recognizance could be determined. Although the transcript was filed before the expiration of 30 days, the recognizance was not, and the writ did not issue until 58 days after entry of the judgment below. Moreover, process did not issue forthwith, as provided by Rule 4(a), and exceptions in certiorari were not filed within 10 days of receipt of the record from the Justices of the Peace Court, as required by Rule 12(aal).

Notwithstanding the procedural deficiencies mentioned above, I conclude that the action should not be dismissed.

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Bluebook (online)
528 A.2d 1199, 1987 Del. Super. LEXIS 1436, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/elcorta-inc-v-summit-aviation-inc-delsuperct-1987.