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
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            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,
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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

February    3,   2022,    the      Court   has    personal   jurisdiction    over    Defendant.    See    Title    5     V.I.C.    §   115    ("A

voluntary appearance of the defendant shall be equivalent to personal service of the summons upon him.").
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claim is based upon-including but not limited to ( I ) Defendant's conduct that allegedly caused



Plaintiff harm, (2) the harm Plaintiff allegedly sustained, and (3) the timeframe thereof-and



identify Plaintiffs claim, and (iv) Plaintiff is notified that failure to comply with this Order may


                                                                                                                              5
result in the dismissal of this matter for failure to prosecute.                                                                   (March 1 5 , 2022 Order.)




' I n the March 15, 2022 order, the Court explained:

                       In its motion, Defendant moved the Court to order Plaintiff to file a more definite statement of her

         complaint. Defendant made the following assertions in support of its motion: (i) " It is difficult to discern

         when Plaintiff is claiming the incident/event that forms the basis of his Complaint occurred"to wit, The

         complaint references three periods: July 7, 2010 (date a report was allegedly written); one year five months

         later (presumably late 2 0 1 1 ) , when Plaintiff was not provided a report when requested; and February 23,

         2013 (date a report was allegedly subpoenaed but not delivered)." (Motion, p . 2 , n.D); and (ii) "Plaintiffs

         bare bones complaint fails to put the defendant on notice of the conduct of the Defendant that is being

         challenged, the alleged harm that was purportedly proximately caused by that conduct, and the alleged legal

         claim(s) that         m ay subject it to liability."                      (I   d., at       p.   3);   (ii)      From the
                                                                                                                          "                     fa    cts pied, it is difficult to decipher

         wh   at conduct or harm is even being alleged, what, if any, violation of right(s) is claimed and the causes of

         action    asserted."         (Id.);   (iv)   "    These         ilures deprive the
                                                                        fa                                       D   efendant of the opportunity to mount appropriate

         defenses, pursuant to rule 1 2 , and to file a responsive pleading." (Id.)


                       The     Co    urt   notes      at    the    outset          that         Defendant            filed         its    motion           prior    to    filing    any        responsive

         pleading and pointed out the defects complained of and the details desired in compliance with Rule 12(e) of

         the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure.


                       Plaintiffs complaint did not set forth counts with separate designation of the specific names of

         each count in the pleadings.                      N evertheless,                this error is not                    fat  al     if Plaintiffs complaint sufficiently                               put

         D efendant on notice of the                  cl   aims brought against them. See V.I.                                           R.   Civ. P.        (a)(2) ("[The
                                                                                                                                                             8                        Virgin        Islands]

         is a notice pleading jurisdiction");' Mills-Williams ,•. Mapp,                                                   6   7 V.I.          574 ,   585        (2017)   ("Virgin         Islands       R   ule

         of Civil      Pro  cedure     8    expressly states that the Virgin Islands "is a notice pleading jurisdiction," V.I. R. CJV.

         P.   8 (a),   an  d   the    Reporter's       N    ote     eliminates                  any       doubt      that         this    language            is   calculated to           "apply[]          an


         approach          that declines to        enter          dismissals             of cases               based         on     fa   ilure       to    allege       specific     fa  cts which,             if

         established,          plausibly       entitle      the    pleader              to      relief."    (citing           V.I.       R.    CIV.     P.   8     Reporter's      Note        (emphasis


         added)); see Williams v. Galiber, 70 V.I.                                226,          2   30 (V.I Super. Ct. March 8, 2019) (Notice pleading means

         that     a Complaint is           sufficient        when            it   'adequately               alleges           fa  cts    that put an             accused       on notice of              aims
                                                                                                                                                                                                        cl


         brought       against       it."').   Upon         review           of the          complaint,              given         the        lack    of clarity         regarding         D   efendant's

         conduct that allegedly caused                       Plaintiff harm,                        the   harm       Plaintiff allegedly sustained,                             and   the timeframe

         thereof, the Court finds the complaint has                                    failed to sufficiently put Defendant on notice of the claim that is

         brought against it to defend. See Oxley • Sugar Bay Club & Resort Corp., 2 0 1 8                                                                                  .
                                                                                                                                                                         V I.   LEXIS          8   1 , at * 1 0

         (V.1. Super. Ct. May 14, 2018) ("Based upon the differences among notice pleading,                                                                               fa   ct pleading, and the

         plausibility standard, this Court determines that a complaint need not plead facts to support each element of

         a claim in order to adequately allege facts that                                           put an accused party on notice or to "show[] the pleader is

         entitled to relief under V.I.                R.    CIV . P.         8(   a)(2). But, a complaint should provide factual allegations sufficient

         to advise the responding party                        o  f the transaction or occurrence on which the claim is based and identify

         the claim,         reciting       its elements,           so    as       to    enable            the defendant to                respond intelligently and                       to   enable        the

         Court to determine on a motion to dismiss under V.I.                                                   R.   Civ. P.             12(b)(6) whether the claim is adequately

         pied."). While Plaintiff, as a p ro s e litigant, is "entitled to additional leniency, that leniency is not a license

          [excusing non-compliance] with relevant rules of procedural and substantive law." Montgomery v.                                                                                               Virgin

          Grand Villas St. John Owners' Association,                                        7   1   V   .I. 1 1 1 9 , 112 7 -2 8 (V.I. 2019) (internal quotation omitted);

         see also, Phillip v. Marsh-Monsanto, 66 V.I. 6 1 2 , 622 (V.I 2017) (noting that the leniency toward p ro s e

          litigants has limits). As such, the Court will grant Defendant's motion for more definite statement and order
Modeste v. VIPD

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8       As of the date of this order, Plaintiff has not filed anything in response to the March 1 5 ,



2022 order.



                                                  ST AND ARD OF REVIEW



9       Rule 41(b) of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure provides that "[i]f the plaintiff



fails to prosecute or to         comply with these rules                   or a court order,          a defendant may move to



dismiss the action or any claim against it" and that "[u]nless the dismissal order states otherwise,



a dismissal under this subpart (b) and any dismissal not under this rule -- except one for lack of



jurisdiction,     improper      venue,       or    failure   to    join     a    party      under   Rule        19   --   operates   as     an



adjudication on the merits." V.I. R. CIV. P. 41(b). In Halliday v. Footlocker Specialty, Inc., the



Virgin Islands Supreme Court adopted the six Poulis factors and held that "the Superior Court



may not dismiss an action for failure to prosecute unless these six [Poulis] factors strongly weigh



in favor of dismissal as a sanction." 53 V.I. 505, 5 1 1 (V.I. 2010). See V.I.                                  Taxi Ass'n v.     V.I. Port



Auth., 67 V.I.      643, 693 n.30 (2017) (This itself constitutes error, as the Superior Court must



conclude that, when weighed against one another, the six Halliday factors "strongly weigh                                                      in



         Plaintiff to file a more definite statement.'            In   light of the Court's ruling, the Court will also vacate the

         March I 0, 2022 status conference.




         ' Defendant referenced: V.L.R. CI. P. 8(a)(2).

         4
             As noted above, where an action was pending on the effective date of the effective date of the Virgin

         Islands Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 1 - 1 of the Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure requires that the

         Court make "an express finding            that applying       them     in a particular previously-pending action would be

         infeasible or would work an injustice." V.I. R. CI. P.                  l-l(c)(2). Here, the Virgin Islands Supreme Court

         has not directed that prior rules or practices to be applicable. Furthermore, given that Rule 8(a)(2) of the

         Virgin    Islands Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 8(a)(2) of the                   Federal Rules of Civil Procedure both

         require "a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief' and that the

         local    rule   "eliminates   the   plausibility    standard     and     instead   will   permit   a   complaint    so   long    as    it

         "adequately alleges facts that put an accused party on notice of claims brought against it," the Court does

         not find that applying the new rules to be infeasible or work an injustice. Brathwaite • H.D. V.I. Holding

         Co., 2017 V.l. LEXIS 76, 3 , ( V. I Super. Ct. May 24, 2017). Thus, the Court finds that Rule 8(a)(2) of the

         Virgin Islands Rules of Civil Procedure applies here.


         ' Rule 6-1 provides that "[n ]othing herein shall prohibit the court from ruling without a response or reply

         when deemed appropriate." V.l. R. CIV. P. 6(1)(6).


         (March 1 5 , 2022 Order 2-4.)
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favor of dismissal as a sanction" for failure to prosecute.") (citing Halliday, 53 V.I. at 5 1 1 ). The



six Pou/is factors are:



          ( I ) the extent of the party's personal responsibility; (2) the prejudice to the adversary

          caused by the failure to meet scheduling orders and respond to discovery; (3) a history of

          dilatoriness; (4) whether the conduct of the party or the attorney was willful or in bad

          faith; (5) the effectiveness of sanctions other than dismissal, which entails an analysis of

          alternative sanctions; and (6) the meritoriousness of the claim or defense.



          Molloy v. Independent Blue Cross, 56 V.I.       1 5 5 , 185-86 (V.I. 2 0 1 2 ) (quoting Pou/is, 747



          F.2d at 868).



In Molloy,     the   Virgin   Islands   Supreme Court   instructed that   "[a   ]lthough   a trial   court   is   not



required to find that all the factors weigh in favor of dismissal to warrant dismissal of the claim,



the court must explicitly consider all six factors, balance them, and make express findings." 56



V.I. 1 5 5 , 1 8 6 (V.I. 2 0 1 2 ) (citations omitted). In other words, "the 'extreme' sanction of dismissal



is reserved for instances in which 'a trial court makes appropriate findings to all six factors"" and



"[w]ithout them, the drastic sanction of dismissal 'cannot be warranted."' Id. (citations omitted).



                                               DISCUSSION



10        As noted above, Plaintiff failed to comply with the March 1 5 , 202 2 Order, which advised



Plaintiff that failure to comply may result in the dismissal of this matter for failure to prosecute.



(March 1 5 , 2022 Order.) This matter has been pending since 2 0 1 5 and still remains in the initial



pleading stage of the litigation. At this juncture, the Court will consider the six Poulis factors and



determine whether dismissal for failure to prosecute is warranted in this instance.



          1.   Plaintiffs Personal Responsibility



'I[ I I   Here,     Plaintiff commenced and proceeded in this matter as a pro se litigant.               Initially,



 Plaintiff prosecuted this matter with gusto.      However, since November 2 0 1 9 ,           Plaintiff has not



 done anything in response to the Court's orders or moved this matter along. While Plaintiff, as a
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pro se litigant, is "entitled to additional leniency, that leniency is not a license [ excusing non­



compliance]     with     relevant     rules   of procedural   and     substantive      law."   Montgomery       v.   Virgin



Grand     Villas   St.   John    Owners·      Association,    71    V.I.   1119,   1127-28      (V.I.   2019)    (internal



quotation omitted); see also, Phillip v. Marsh-Monsanto, 66 V.l. 6 1 2 , 6 2 2 (V.I. 2 0 1 7 ) (noting



that the leniency toward pro se litigants has limits). The leniency is also not a license excusing



non-compliance with the Court's orders. Thus, the Court finds Plaintiff personally responsible



for the delay in the prosecution of this matter. As such, this factor weighs strongly in favor of



dismissal.



          2.   Prejudice to the Adversary



,i 1 2    In Molloy,     the Virgin     Islands    Supreme    Court    stated   that   "[p ]rejudice to     the opposing



party is generally demonstrated by either increased expense to the opposing party arising from



the extra costs associated with filings responding to dilatory behavior or increased difficulty in



the opposing parties' ability to present or defend their claim(s) due to the improper behavior." 56



V.l. at 1 8 9 (citing Poulis, 747 F.2d at 868). As mentioned above, since November 2019, Plaintiff



has not done anything in response to the Court's orders or moved this matter along. Notably,



Plaintiff failed to file a more definite statement as ordered, and thus, to date, Plaintiff has failed



to put Defendant on notice of the claim that is brought against it to defend. With the passage of



time,    evidence could be lost, memories could fade, and witnesses could disappear or become



unavailable.       As    with   any   case,   a   lengthy   delay   will   certainly    make    it   more    difficult   for



Defendants to defend against Plaintiff's claims. As such, this factor weighs strongly in favor of



dismissal.
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           3.     A History of Dilatoriness



,r 1 3     A history of dilatoriness is characterized by a consistent delay in the prosecution of this




matter. See Gilbert v. Gilbert, 2 0 1 7 V.I. LEXIS                            143, 8 (Super. Ct. Sep.              1 1 , 2 0 1 7 ) (citing Poulis,




747      F.2d    at    868);    see also,      Encarnacion v.            Gov't o
                                                                               f the            V.I., 2 0 1 8 V.I. LEXIS 73, 6-7 (V.I



Super. Ct. July 3 1 , 2 0 1 8 ) ("Plaintiff has engaged in a history of dilatoriness such that "litigation




has been characterized by a consistent delay.") (quoting Poulis, 747 F.2d at 868).                                                As mentioned




above, this 20 I 5 matter remains in the initial pleading stage of the litigation-to wit, Plaintiff has




not done anything in response to the Court's orders or moved this matter along since November




20 I 9. As such, the Court finds a history of dilatoriness in the prosecution of this matter, and this




factor weighs strongly in favor of dismissal.




            4.     Offending Party/Attorney's Conduct Willful or in Bad Faith



14          In Molloy,          the   Virgin    Islands      Supreme          Court      stated    that   "the    trial   court    must    point    to




specific evidence to justify its determination of willfulness or bad faith." 56 V.I. at                                                192. Thus, if




there     is    no     evidence       of willfulness         or   bad     faith     on   the    record,    the    Court    must        presume     the




party/attorney's          conduct       was not       willful      or    in   bad     faith. Id.   In   Virgin Islands      Taxi Association,



the      Virgin       Islands       Supreme     Court   clarified         that    "[willful'        conduct      that justifies        dismissal    is




conduct          'that   is    deliberate      and   contuma cious,'and                  that   'involves     intentional         or    self-serving




behavior."" 67 V.I. 643, 698 (V.I. 2 0 1 7 ) (quoting Watts v.                                  Two Plus Two, Inc., 54 V.I. 286, 308



( V.I. 2 0 1 0 ) (citations omitted). "Willful conduct, without a finding of bad faith, may still support



a conclusion that dismissal for failure to prosecute is warranted, but the absence of a good-faith




effort     to    prosecute          a case   does    not."    V.I.      Taxi Ass'n, 67 V.I. at 699 (citations omitted).                       Here,



 although there           is no      specific   evidence to justify a determination that                         Plaintiffs       conduct was       in




bad      faith,       there    is   specific    evidence      to     justify      a    determination       that    Plaintiff's         conduct   was
Modeste v.           VIPD

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willful-to wit, Plaintiffs failure to attend status conference(s), Plaintiff's failure to comply with



the Court's orders, and Plaintiffs failure to take any initiative to move this matter forward. As



such, this factor weighs in favor of dismissal.



                5.    Effectiveness of Alternate Sanctions



'I[ 1 5         Courts must look to other appropriate methods of sanctioning before dismissal for failure



to prosecute because "[d]ismissal must be a sanction of last, not first, resort." Gilbert, 2 0 1 7 V.I.



LEXIS            143    at   10    (citing Pou/is,    747    F.2d      at   869).   Here,    some       alternate sanctions         include



excluding             evidence,     precluding   witnesses,         striking    portions         of   the    pleadings,   or    imposing



monetary              sanctions.    See   Gilbert,   2017     V .I .    LEXIS       143     at   *10.      However,     none       of these



alternatives are appropriate here because in taking everything into consideration-such as the



fact that this case has been pending since 2 0 1 5 and still remains in the initial pleading stage of



the litigation and Plaintiff's dilatory and lackadaisical approach to this matter since November



2 0 1 9 the Court             finds that there       lacks   a clear interest on            Plaintiffs part to pursue her case



against Defendant. As such, this factor weighs strongly in favor of dismissal.



                6.    Meritoriousness of the Claim



    16           "In considering whether a claim or defense appears to be meritorious for this inquiry, we



do        not    purport     to   use   summary judgment            standards.      A     claim,      or    defense,   will   be    deemed



meritorious when the allegations of the pleadings, if established at trial, would support recovery



by plaintiff or would constitute a complete defense." See Gilbert, 2 0 1 7 V.l. LEXIS                                          143 at 1 0



 (quoting Poulis, 747 F.2d at 869-70).                      In her complaint, Plaintiff did not set forth any counts



 designating specific causes of action. As noted above, the Court found that the complaint has



 failed to sufficiently put Defendant on notice of the claim that is brought against it to defend and
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Plaintiff failed to file a more definite statement as ordered.                 As such, the Court does not find



Plaintiff's claim meritorious, and this factor weighs strongly in favor of dismissal.



"JI   17   Having examined the six Poulis factors regarding the dismissal of this matter for failure



to prosecute, the Court finds that all six factors weigh in favor of dismissal (with five factors



weighing strongly in favor). Accordingly, the Court finds the extreme sanction of dismissal is



warranted in this instance. See Molloy, 56 V.I. at 1 8 6 ("Although a trial court is not required to



find that all the factors weigh in favor of dismissal to warrant dismissal of the claim, the court



must explicitly consider all six factors, balance them, and make express findings."); see also,



Halliday,     53   V.1.   at   511   ("{T]he   Superior    Court   may   not   dismiss   an   action   for   failure   to



prosecute unless these six [Poulis] factors strongly weigh in favor of dismissal                   as a sanction.");



 V.I. Taxi Ass'n, 67 V.I. at 693 n.30 (quoting Halliday, 53 V.I. at 5 1 1. ) .



                                                  CONCLUSION



18         Based on the foregoing, the Court will dismiss this matter for failure to prosecute and



 close this matter.       An order and judgment consistent with this Memorandum Opinion will                           be



 entered contemporaneously herewith.



           DoNE •              6a      %ray 2o23.




 ATTEST:

 Tamara Charles
                                                     ·A4weal       HAROLD W.L. WILLOCKS

 Clerk of the Court                                       Senior Sitting Judge of the Superior Court



 By:       Sharisse A. Bascombe
           Court Clerk Supervisor

 Dated:
        MAY 16, 2023
           -------------
                               SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

                                           DIVISION OF ST. CROIX


 SHOWAYNE SIDNEY MODESTE,                                   Civil No. SX-2015-CV-021


                                          PLAINTIFF,



                           v.
                                                            CITE AS: 2023 VI SUPER 7- \
 VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE

 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

                                           ORDER AND JUDGMENT


WILLOCKS, Senior Sitting Judge


         In accordance with the Memorandum Opinion entered contemporaneously herewith, it is hereby:


         ORDERED,        ADJUDGED,          AND       DECREED           that    Plaintiff   Showayne   Sidney   Modeste's


(hereinafter "Plaintiff') complaint against Defendant Virgin Islands Police Department is DISMISSED


WITH PREJUDICE for failure to prosecute. It is further:


         ORDERED that this matter is CLOSED. And t i s further:


         ORDERED        that   a copy   of this   Order   and    Judgment       and   the   Memorandum   Opinion   entered


contemporaneously herewith shall be served upon:


                I.       Venetia H. Velazquez, Esq. electronically.

                2.       Plaintiff via: (i) certified mail and regular First-Class mail to 14 Thayer Street, Apt.

                         2G,    New     York, NY      10040;    (ii)   email   to   [email protected];       (iii)

                         personally to Plaintiffs grandmother Agatha Medeste at                  192   Estate St. Georges,

                         Frederiksted, VI 00840L

         DONE and so ORDERED this                 D       day of May 2023.




ATTEST:                                           ·444.d    is«oLp wt w.64,(4y
Tamara Charles

Clerk of the Court                                    Senior Sitting Judge of the Superior Court



By:      Sharisse A. Bascombe
         Court Clerk Supervisor

Dated:   MAY 16, 2023
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