Showayne Sidney Modeste

CourtSuperior Court of The Virgin Islands
DecidedMay 5, 2023
DocketSX-2015-CV-21
StatusPublished

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Bluebook
Showayne Sidney Modeste, (visuper 2023).

Opinion

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

DIVISION OF ST. CROIX

SHOW AYNE SIDNEY MODESTE,

PLAINTIFF, Civil No. SX-15-CV-021

v.

VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE CITE AS: 2023 VI SUPER 2] DEPARTMENT,

DEFENDANT.

Appearances:

Showayne Sidney Modeste

New York, New York

For Plaintiff. Pro Se

Venetia H. Velazquez, Esq.

V.I. Department of Justice

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

For Defendant

MEMORANDUM OPINION

WILLOCKS, Senior Sitting Judge

,i 1 THIS MATTER is before the Court for review sua sponte.

BACKGROUND

2 On January 26, 2015, Plaintiff Showayne Sidney Modeste (hereinafter "Plaintiff')

commenced this lawsuit pro se against Defendant Virgin Islands Police Department (hereinafter

"Defendant") by filing a handwritten, single-page complaint:

On or about November 20, 2013, SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

subpoened STX V.I. POLICE DEPARTMENT Rainbow building F'sted (custodian of

Records) for Maximum Information concerning "Simple Assault and Battery offense

reported by civilian I, SHOW AYWNE SIDNEY MODESTE [sic] 02/23/2013 but not

delivered I. Their recorded witness statements; recorded by V.1. POLICE

DEPARTMENT officers that arrived on scene A. Officer I. Navarro 3222, Officer C.

Jhero.

On or about July 7, 2 0 1 0 V.I. POLICE DEPARTMENT United States Virgin Islands

Police Officer Casanova wrote an report of I injury one year Five Months later I, went Modeste • VIPD

SX-15-CV-021

Memorandum Opinion 2023 VI SUPER 2\ Page 2 of IO

F'sted Police Station requesting Police Report with the fee and none was prepared or

delivered.

Wherefore the said Plaintiff claims this Honorable Court To A. Award I, damages In the

amount o f $ Ten Thousand Dollars. B. To award I, Attorney fees and costs. C. And any 1 further relief that this Court deems necessary.

(Compl.)

'1[ 3 Initially, Plaintiff only served Defendant with a summons and a copy of the complaint.

However, pursuant to Rule 4(i)(l) of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiff was

also required to serve the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands and the Governor of the Virgin

3 Islands in this matter but failed to do so. Thus, the Court entered multiple orders whereby the

Court denied Plaintiffs motions for entry of default and motions for judgment by default, both

filed in 2 0 1 5 and again in 2 0 1 9 , and ordered Plaintiff to serve the Attorney General of the Virgin

4 Islands and the Governor of the Virgin Islands.

1 The complaint is reproduced here with capitalization, punctuations, etc. as written by Plaintiff.

Rule 4 of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure provides:

() Serving the Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Its Agencies, Public Corporations,

Officers, or Employees.

( I ) Government o f the Virgin Islands. In all cases in which the Government of the Virgin Islands is a

named defendant, service shall be made by serving a summons and a copy of the complaint on the

Governor and upon the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands.

3 On November 6, 2019, the Coun entered an order whereby the Court noted that "it appears that the Plaintiff has

failed to serve the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands in compliance with [Rule 4(i)(l) of the Virgin Islands

Rules of Civil Procedure]" and ordered that: (i) Plaintiff's motion for entry of default is denied, (ii) Plaintiffs

motion for judgment by default is denied, and (iii) Plaintiff to serve the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands with

a summons and a copy of the complaint within thirty days from the entry of said order. (Nov. 6, 2 0 1 9 Order)

On September 1, 2021, Court entered an order whereby the Court noted that "Plaintiff has failed to serve the

Governor of the Virgin Islands as required under Rule 4(i)( I ) of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure" and

ordered that: (i) Plaintiffs motion for entry of default is denied, (ii) Plaintiffs motion for judgment by default is

denied, (iii) Plaintiff shall serve the Governor of the Virgin Islands with a summons and a copy of the complain!

within thirty days from the entry of said order, and (iv) Plaintiff is notified that failure to comply with this order may

result in the dismissal of this case. (Sept. 1 , 2021 Order.)

On October 20, 2 0 2 1, after the 30-day period passed and Plaintiff has not filed proof of service for the Governor of

the Virgin Islands as ordered, the Court entered an order whereby the Court ordered that: (i) within fifteen ( 1 5 ) days

from the date Plaintiff is served with the order, Plaintiff shall file proof of service for the Governor of the Virgin

Islands, or show good cause as to why the Court should extend the time for service for Governor of the Virgin

Islands, and (ii) Plaintiff is notified that failure to comply with this order will result in the dismissal of this case

without prejudice. (Oct. 20, 2021 Order.)

4 Upon review of the docket, it appears that the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands and the Governor of the

Virgin Islands were served with some of the orders entered in this matter by the Superior Court Marshal. However, Modeste • VIPD

SX-l5-CV-021

Memorandum Opinion 2023 I SUPER 2 \

Page 3 of 10

4 On November 30, 2 0 2 1 , after 15-day period passed and Plaintiff has not complied with

the October 20, 2021 order, the Court entered an order whereby the Court ordered, inter alia,

that: (i) on January 27, 2022, Plaintiff shall appear for a show cause hearing to show cause why

she should not be held in contempt and sanctioned for failing to comply with the Court's

September I, 2021 order and October 20, 2021 order, and (ii) Attorney General Denise N.

George, Esq. of the Virgin Islands Department of Justice shall make a limited appearance at the

aforementioned show cause hearing to advise the Court why no appearances have been made on

behalf of Defendant VIPD in this matter. (Nov. 30, 2021 Order.)

5 At the January 27, 2022 show cause hearing, Venetia H. Velazquez, Esq. of the V.I.

Department of Justice appeared on behalf of Defendant and Plaintiff did not appear. The Court

continued the status conference to March 10, 2022.

6 On February 3, 2022, Defendant filed a motion for more definite statement pursuant to

Rule 12(e) of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff did not file an opposition in

response.

,r 7 On March 15, 2022, the Court entered an order whereby the Court found that the

complaint failed to sufficiently put Defendant on notice of the claim that is brought against it to

defend and ordered, inter alia, that: (i) the March 10, 2022 status conference is vacated, (ii)

Defendant's February 3, 2022 motion for more definite statement is granted, (iii) within fifteen

(15) days from the date of entry of the order, Plaintiff shall serve and file a more definite

statement that provides factual allegations of the transaction or occurrence on which Plaintiff's

"[ijn general, actual notice of a law suit is not a substitute for proper service and absent proper service, a case must

be dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction over the defendant." Ross v. Hodge, 58 V.I. 3 IO (V.I. 2013) (citation

omitted). Nevertheless, the issue of service and personal jurisdiction over Defendant was mooted by Defendant's

subsequent voluntary appearance in this matter-to wit, Defendant filed a motion for more definite statement on

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