Montgomery v. State
CourtSupreme Court of Delaware
Date FiledAugust 21, 2026
Docket326, 2026
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
VERNON MONTGOMERY, §
§
Defendant Below, § No. 326, 2026
Appellant, §
§ Court Below: Superior Court
v. § of the State of Delaware
§
STATE OF DELAWARE, § Cr. ID No. 1710001043A
§
Appellee. §
Submitted: August 14, 2026
Decided: August 21, 2026
ORDER
(1) The appellant, Vernon Montgomery, filed a notice of appeal seeking
review of “the Superior Court’s denial of the bellwether cases filed as a result of
S.C.O.T.U.S. case United States v. Erlinger” and indicating that his case “was on
stay pending the ruling on the bellwether cases.” 1 The Senior Court Clerk issued a
notice directing Montgomery to show cause why this appeal should not be dismissed
under Supreme Court Rule 29(b) because (i) Montgomery is not a party to the
bellwether cases and (ii) the Superior Court had not yet entered a final, appealable
order on his pending motion for correction of an illegal sentence invoking Erlinger.
1
The “bellwether cases” refers to the cases selected to address certain claims asserted based on
Erlinger v. United States, 602 U.S. 821 (2024). Appeals from the Superior Court’s bellwether
decision are pending in consolidated appeal Nos. 272, 273, 274, and 275, 2026.
The notice to show cause was delivered August 3, 2026. Montgomery has not
responded. Dismissal of this appeal is therefore deemed to be unopposed. 2
(2) Montgomery also filed a one-page motion for leave to file an amicus
curiae brief in Deputy v. State, Appeal No. 272, 2026, one of the bellwether appeals.
The motion does not comply with Delaware Supreme Court Rule 28 and is therefore
denied.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, under Supreme Court Rules 3(b)(2)
and 29(b), that the appeal be DISMISSED.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Gary F. Traynor
Justice
2
See DEL. SUPR. CT. R. 29(b) (providing that if an appellant does not respond to a notice to show
cause within 10 days of receipt, “dismissal shall be deemed to be consented to pursuant to Rule
3(b)(2)”).
2