Roberts v. Chandler

Cite as 2015 Ark. 47SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS
No. CR-14-1089
Opinion Delivered February 12, 2015
DERRICK ROBERTS
PETITIONER PRO SE PETITION FOR WRIT OF
MANDAMUS
V. [COLUMBIA COUNTY CIRCUIT
COURT, NO. 14CR-09-113]
HONORABLE LARRY CHANDLER,
CIRCUIT JUDGE
RESPONDENT PETITION MOOT.
PER CURIAM
Now before us is a pro se petition for writ of mandamus filed here on December 17,
2014, by petitioner Derrick Roberts. On January 14, 2014, petitioner filed in the Columbia
County Circuit Court a pro se petition for writ of error coram nobis. In the mandamus petition,
petitioner seeks to have Circuit Judge Larry Chandler enter a final order on the coram-nobis
petition.
On December 23, 2014, Judge Chandler timely filed a response to the petition in which
he stated that he was retiring from the bench on December 31, 2014, at which time the coram-
nobis petition would be reassigned. Because the respondent, as of the date of this opinion, is
no longer responsible for acting on petitioner’s pending pleading, this mandamus action is moot.
Nevertheless, we take this opportunity to note that petitioner’s coram-nobis petition has been
pending for more than one year. The reassignment process, if it has not already been completed,
should be carried out promptly so that action can be taken on the pleading. The prompt
resolution of all matters before a court is vital to the administration of justice. McNichols v.
Elmore, 2014 Ark. 133 (per curiam).
Cite as 2015 Ark. 47Petition moot.
Derrick Roberts, pro se petitioner.
Dustin McDaniel, Att’y Gen., by: Rebecca Kane, Ass’t Att’y Gen., for appellee.
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