Farrell, S. v. Rohman, A. ( 2015 )

J-A28005-15
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
SHEILA T. FARRELL AND MARTIN IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
SHERIDAN A/K/A LEO MARTIN PENNSYLVANIA
SHERIDAN
v.
ANNA ROHMAN, VERA CC. GORDON,
GWENDOLYN CRELLIN, AND ROBERT
SCHMIDT
APPEAL OF: SHEILA T. FARRELL No. 934 EDA 2015
Appeal from the Order Entered March 2, 2015
In the Court of Common Pleas of Pike County
Civil Division at No(s): 2431 of 2010
BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., PANELLA, J., and SHOGAN, J.
MEMORANDUM BY GANTMAN, P.J.: FILED NOVEMBER 04, 2015
Appellants, Sheila T. Farrell and Martin Sheridan a/k/a/ Leo Martin
Sheridan, appeal from the order entered in the Pike County Court of
Common Pleas, granting the motion for non pros of Appellees, Anna Rohman
and Robert Schmidt.1 We affirm.
The relevant facts and procedural history of this case are as follows.
Appellants are the owners of real property known as Rohman’s Hotel. The
septic system serving the hotel is located on a separate property owned by
Appellants and is accessible only by a service road, which crosses real
____________________________________________
1
The court entered default judgment against Vera CC. Gordon and
Gwendolyn Crellin on February 8, 2011; they are not parties to this appeal.
J-A28005-15
property owned by Appellees. Appellants allege Appellees blocked
Appellants’ access to the septic system property by depositing a pile of dirt
in the middle of the service road on or about May 4, 2009. On December
21, 2009, Appellants filed a complaint against Appellees seeking to prevent
Appellees’ alleged unwarranted interference with Appellants’ access to their
septic system property. On February 6, 2010, Appellees filed preliminary
objections to Appellants’ complaint. After oral argument on Appellees’
preliminary objections, Appellants withdrew their complaint on March 23,
2010.
On November 5, 2010, Appellants filed a second complaint against
Appellees, again seeking to prevent Appellees’ alleged interference with
Appellants’ access to their property. Appellants filed a motion for summary
judgment on August 16, 2011. After a hearing, the court denied Appellants’
motion on October 5, 2011. On April 23, 2012, Appellants’ counsel, Sanford
D. Beecher, died. After Mr. Beecher’s death, other attorneys in Mr.
Beecher’s law firm took over Appellants’ case against Appellees. Appellees’
counsel notified Appellants’ new counsel, by letter dated September 24,
2013, that there had been no movement in the case, for almost two years,
since the court denied Appellants’ motion for summary judgment on October
5, 2011. Appellants’ new counsel did not respond to Appellees’ letter, and
no further action was taken in Appellants’ case.
On September 12, 2014, Appellees filed a motion for non pros against
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Appellants. Appellants filed a response to Appellees’ motion on September
18, 2014, which explained that the reason for the delay was the death of Mr.
Beecher. Appellants’ response also stated they were ready to proceed with
the case in an expedited manner. On January 6, 2015, the court held a
hearing on Appellees’ motion for non pros, and the court granted Appellees’
motion by order dated March 2, 2015. Appellants filed a timely notice of
appeal to this Court on March 27, 2015. On March 31, 2015, the court
ordered Appellants to file a concise statement of errors complained of on
appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b), and Appellants timely complied on
April 17, 2015.
Appellants raise the following issues for our review:
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN GRANTING A MOTION FOR
NON PROS IN:
A. FAILING TO GIVE ANY OR ADEQUATE WEIGHT
TO THE IMPACT ON THE CASE OF THE DEATH OF
THE ONLY ATTORNEY WHO HANDLED THE CASE FOR
ALL THE YEARS THAT IT HAD BEEN PENDING,
SANFORD D. BEECHER, ESQUIRE, WHO DIED ON
APRIL 23, 2012.
B. FAILING TO REQUIRE THAT [APPELLEES] SHOW
ADEQUATE PREJUDICE FROM THE DELAY IN
PROSECUTING THE SUIT.
C. [] FINDING THAT THE INFORMATION
SUBMITTED BY [APPELLEES] CONSTITUTED ACTUAL
EVIDENCE OF PREJUDICE.
(Appellants’ Brief at 7).
After a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the parties, the
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applicable law, and the well-reasoned opinions of the Honorable Joseph F.
Kameen, we conclude Appellants’ issues on appeal merit no relief. The trial
court opinions comprehensively discuss and properly dispose of the
questions presented. (See Opinion in Support of Order Granting Appellees’
Motion for Non Pros, filed March 2, 2015, at 2-4, and Trial Court Opinion,
filed May 7, 2015, at 2-6) (finding: Appellees sent letter, dated September
24, 2013, to Appellants’ counsel aimed at moving case to resolution;
however, Appellants’ counsel did not respond and no docket activity followed
receipt of letter; Appellants took action in case only after Appellees filed
motion for non pros on September 12, 2014; Appellants’ failure to respond
to Appellees’ letter and lack of docket activity in case for nearly three years
supports conclusion that Appellants failed to proceed promptly with case;
court acknowledged that Appellants’ counsel’s death justified some delay in
proceedings, but it did not excuse nearly three-year delay; Appellants failed
to provide additional explanation for delay, so Appellants lacked compelling
reason for delay in prosecuting case; this delay caused significant prejudice
to Appellees because Appellee Rohman is ninety years old, 2 suffers from
advancing dementia, and will likely be unable to testify in case; at oral
argument, Appellee Schmidt presented uncontested testimony concerning
____________________________________________
2
The opinion states that Appellee Rohman is ninety years old; however, at
the hearing on Appellees’ motion for non pros, Appellee Schmidt testified
that Appellee Rohman is in fact ninety-four years old. (See N.T. Motion for
Non Pros Hearing, 1/6/15, at 7).
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J-A28005-15
Appellee Rohman’s condition, which supports finding that Appellee Rohman
has suffered diminution of her ability to present her case; court concluded
Appellees met burden for judgment of non pros by showing lack of due
diligence by Appellants in prosecuting their case with reasonable
promptitude, lack of compelling reason for delay, and significant prejudice to
Appellees resulting from delay; therefore, court properly granted Appellees’
motion for non pros). Accordingly, we affirm on the basis of the trial court’s
opinions.
Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 11/4/2015
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF
PIKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
CIVIL
SHEILA T. FARRELL,AND
MARTIN SHERIDAN, AfKJ A LEO
MARTIN SHERIDAN,
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ORDER C°' , ...
AND NOW, this U,. day of March, 2015, upon consideration of Defendants
Anna Rohman's and Robert Schmidt's Motion to Dismiss for Failure to Prosecute Matter,
Plaintiff Sheila T. Farrell's Answer thereto and following oral argument held thereon, it is
hereby ORDERED that Defendants' Motion is hereby GRANTED, and Plaintiffs'
Complaint filed Novembers; 2010 is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
BACKGROUND
The case sub judice arises from a property dispute. Sheila T. Farrell and Martin
Sheridan ("Plaintiffs") are the owners of real property known as Rohman's Hotel. The
septic system servicing Rohman's Hotel is located on a separate property owned by
Plaintiffs and is only accessible by a service road which crosses real property owned by
Anna Rohman, Vera C. Gordon, Gwendolyn Crellin, and Robert Schmidt ("Defendants").
Defendant Schmidt blocked Plaintiffs' access to the septic property by depositing a pile of
dirt in the middle of the service road on or about May 4, 2009. Plaintiffs filed a Complaint
("Original Complaint") on or about December 21, 2009. Defendants filed Preliminary
Objections on February 16, 2010. Argument on Defendants' Preliminary Objections was
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scheduled for March 23, 2010. Following oral argument in March, 2010, wherein Plaintiffs
made a Motion to Withdraw the Original Complaint, the Court entered an Order granting
Plaintiffs' Motion to Withdraw without prejudice.
Plaintiffs filed a new Complaint ("Complaint") on November 5, 2010. Defendants
filed an Answer and New Matter shortly thereafter. Plaintiffs then filed a Reply to
Defendants' New Matter on December 9, 2010. On February 8, 2011, the Court granted
default judgment against Defendants Gordon and Crellin. On August 16, 2011, Plaintiffs
filed a Motion for Summary Judgment which, following oral argument, the Court denied
on October 5, 2011. No further action was taken regarding the case until September 12,
2014, when Defendants Filed the Motion to Dismiss for Failure to Prosecute ("Defendants'
Motion") at issue herein.
DISCUSSION
The issue presented by Defendants' Motion is whether Plaintiffs' Complaint should
be dismissed when there has been no action in the case since October, 2011, and
communications designed to move the matter forward went unanswered by Plaintiffs
counsel.
The rule governing dismissal for failure to prosecute is a three-part test found in the
case of James Bros. Lumber Co. v. Union Banking and Trust Co. of DuBois. In that case,
the Court stated:
"A Court may properly enter a judgment of non pros when a party to the
proceeding has shown a want of due diligence in failing to proceed with
reasonable promptitude, and there has been no compelling reason for the
delay, and the delay has caused some prejudice to the adverse party ... "
James Bros. Lumber Co. v. Union Banking & Trust Co. of DuBois, 247 A.2d 587, 589 (Pa.
1968). Granting of non pros is based upon the equitable principle oflaches which does not
involve the passage of a specific amount of time. Jacobs v. Halloran, 710 A.2d 1098, 1102
(Pa. 1998), citing Manson v. First National Bank, 77 A.2d 399 (Pa. 1951). Laches arises
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when a defendant's position or rights are so prejudiced by length of time and inexcusable
delay that it would be an injustice to permit presently a claim against him. Id., citing Bach
Estate, 231 A.2d 125, 130 (Pa. 1967). Prejudice can be defined as "any substantial
diminution of a party's ability to properly present its case at trial." Metz Contracting, Inc.
v. Riverwood Builders, Inc., 520 A.2d 891, 894 (Pa. Super. 1987). A Party who seeks the
equitable relief provided by the entry of a judgment of non pros must do so with clean
hands. Jacobs, at 1103, citing Mudd v. Nosker Lumber, Inc., 662 A.2d 660 (Pa. Super.
1995).
Defendants have shown want of due diligence in proceeding with promptitude,
referencing a letter sent to Plaintiffs' counsel on or about September 24, 2013. Def.s' Mot.,
,r12. Plaintiffs, in their Answer filed September 18, 2014, admit to receiving the same.
Pls.' Ans., ,rt 2. The Court notes no changes were made to the docket following receipt of
the aforementioned letter. Qnly after Defendants filed the Motion at issue here did
Plaintiffs act. The Court also notes that that nearly three (3) years have passed since
Plaintiffs last action in this case. While there can be no presumption based upon the length
of delay, the fact that Plaintiffs were reminded by way of the September, 2013 letter and
failed to act promptly thereafter supports the conclusion that Plaintiffs failed to proceed
with promptitude.
For similar reasons, Defendants have adequately shown Plaintiffs lack a compelling
reasons for the delay. Plaintiffs claim that the death of Attorney Sanford D. Beecher
("Attorney Beecher"), under whose exclusive supervision this case commenced and was
executed, is a reasonable explanation for the nearly three-year delay, and that dismissal of
the case at this time because of same would be excessive. This Court agrees that the death
of Attorney Beecher is a reasonable explanation for a delay in prosecuting the case.
However, Attorney Beecher's passing fails to explain why the delay lasted nearly three (3)
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years.
Finally, the lengthy delay in prosecution of this case has caused prejudice to
Defendants in this case. At oral argument, Defendant Schmidt testified that Defendant
Rohman executed a Power of Attorney in his favor, currently suffers from dementia, and
would likely not be able to testify as to her role in the present case. Defendant Rohman
has therefore suffered diminution of her ability to properly present her case as a result of
the lengthy delay.
Defendants have met the burden for this Court to rule in favor of granting dismissal
for non pros by showing a want of due diligence in proceeding with reasonable
promptitude, the lack of a compelling reason for delay, and that the delay in this case has
caused prejudice to Defendants.
CONCLUSION
Accordingly, Defendants' Motion to Dismiss for Failure to Prosecute Matter is
hereby GRANTED and Plaintiffs' Complaint is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
BY THE COURT:
Hugh Rechner, Esq.
Thomas A. Farley, Esq.
John H. Klemeyer, Esq.
JC
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF
PIKE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
CIVIL DIVISION
SHEILA T. FARRELL, AND
MARTIN SHERIDAN, A/KIA LEO
MARTIN SHERIDAN,
Appellants,
v. 2431-2010 CIVIL
ANNA ROHMAN, VERA C. GORDON,
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OPINION SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO PENNSYLVANIA RULE OF APPEL!~T~ rP
PROCEDURE 1925 ~::,
AND NOW, this 7..f'h day of May, 2015, after careful review of the record, this
Court continues to stand by its decision in the above-captioned matter and respectfully requests
the Superior Court uphold this Court's Order of March 2, 2015. This Court would also like to
add, pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 1925, the following:
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The case sub judice arises from a property dispute. Sheila T. Farrell and Martin
Sheridan ("Plaintiffs") are the owners of real property known as Rohman's Hotel. The septic
system servicing Rohman's Hotel is located on a separate property owned by Plaintiffs and is
only accessible by a service road which crosses real property owned by Anna Rohman, Vera
C. Gordon, Gwendolyn Crellin, and Robert Schmidt ("Defendants"). Defendant Schmidt
blocked Plaintiffs' access to the septic property by depositing a pile of dirt in the middle of the
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service road on or about May 4, 2009. Plaintiffs filed a Complaint on or about December 21,
2009. Defendants filed Preliminary Objections on February 16, 2010. Argument on
Defendants' Preliminary Objections was scheduled for March 23, 2010. Following oral
argument in March, 2010, wherein Plaintiffs made a Motion to Withdraw the Complaint, the
Court entered an Order granting Plaintiffs' Motion to Withdraw without prejudice.
Plaintiffs filed a new Complaint on November 5, 2010. Defendants filed an Answer
and New Matter shortly thereafter. Plaintiffs filed a Reply to Defendants' New Matter on
December 9, 2010. On February 8, 2011, the Court granted default judgment against
Defendants Gordon and Crellin. On August 16, 2011, Plaintifs filed a Motion for Summary
Judgment which, following oral argument, this Court denied on October 5, 2011. No further
action was taken regarding the case until September 12, 2014, when Defendants Filed a Motion
to Dismiss for Failure to Prosecute ("Defendants' Motion"). Following oral argument on
January 6, 2015; the Court granted Defendants' Motion and this appeal followed.
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
"The question of granting a non pros due to the failure of the plaintiff to prosecute his
action within a reasonable time rests within the discretion of the trial court and will not be
disturbed absent an abuse of discretion." Jacobs v. Halloran, 710 A.2d 1098, 1101 (Pa. 1998).
"An abuse of discretion is not merely an error in judgment; rather it occurs when the law is
overridden or misapplied, or where the judgment exercised is manifestly unreasonable or the
result of partiality, prejudice, bias or ill will." Pilon v. Bally Engineering Structures, 645 .2d
282, 285 (Pa. Super. 1994).
The plaintiff has an affirmative duty to move its case forward. Independent Technical
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Services v. Campo 's Exp., Inc., 812 A.2d 1238, 1240 (Pa. Super. 2002). "The trial court, as
all judiciary, has a duty to encourage the timely resolution of all disputes." Id Judgment non
pros is proper when (a) a party to the proceeding has shown a want of due diligence in failing
to proceed with reasonable promptitude; (b) there has been no compelling reason for the delay;
and (c) the delay has caused prejudice to the adverse party. James Bros; Lumber Co. v. Union
Banking and Trust Co. of Dubois, 247 A.2d 587, 589 (Pa. 1968). Where a party moves for
judgment non pros based upon failure to prosecute with reasonablepromptitude, the 3-part test
in James Bros. is implicated. Broglie v. Union Township, 465 A.2d 1269, 1271 (Pa. Super.
1983). "If any substantial diminution of a party's ability to properly present its case at trial
results, then prejudice can be said to have attached." Metz Contracting, Inc. v. Riverwood
Builders, Inc., 520 A.2d 891, 894.(Pa. Super. 1987). Pike County, Pennsylvania, Local Rule
230.2 permits the termination of cases after at least two (2) years of inactivity plus sixty (60)
days.
III. DISCUSSION
Sheila T. Farrell's (" Appellant") Statement of Matters Complained of on Appeal raises
four (4) issues:
( 1) Whether the Court erred in failing to give any or adequate weight to the death of
Attorney Sanford D. Beecher ("Attorney Beecher") on April 23, 2012, the sole
attorney attached to this case;
(2) Whether the Court erred in failing to require that Defendants show adequate
prejudice from the delay in this case;
(3) Whether the Court erred in findiri.g information submitted by Defendants
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constituted actual evidence of prejudice; and
(4) Whether the Court erred by ruling on the Motion without receiving supporting
evidence on the record and basing the decision solely on argument of counsel.
The Court will address the issues raised in three (3) parts.
A. The Court adequatelv weighed the death of Attorney Beecher before granting non
pros in this case.
The first issue presented in this appeal is whether the Court considered and adequately
weighed the death of Attorney Beecher when Attorney Beecher was both Plaintiffs original
attorney and the sole attorney handling the case until his death in April, 2012. The Court
believes the death of Attorney Beecher was adequately considered and weighed in this case.
At oral argument, Appellant offered the death of Attorney Beecher, under whose
exclusive supervision the case was commenced and executed, as reasonable explanation for
the delay in prosecution. In fact, this Court agreed with Appellant's averment, but only to
limited extent. The Order dated March 2, 2015 indicates this Court recognized the passing of
Attorney Beecher as justification for some delay in proceedings. However, the Court also
considered a letter sent on or about September 24, 2013, from Defendants' counsel to
Appellant's counsel aimed at moving the case to resolution. Receipt of the letter was admitted
by Appellant's counsel at oral argument. Ultimately, this Court determined the three-year
delay, especially in light of the September 24 letter, was neither a reasonable nor compelling
explanation for the lengthy delay in the prosecution of this case.
Therefore, this Court adequately considered and weighed the passing of Attorney
Beecher before finding no compelling reason for the delay and granting Defendants' Motion.
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B. The Court required and considered Defendants' showing of Prejudice and did not
err in finding actual evidence of oreiudice in this case.
The second issue presented in this appeal is whether the Court erred by failing to require
Defendants to show adequate prejudice resulting from the delay in prosecution and finding
actual evidence of prejudice when uncontested testimony indicated that Defendant Rohman's
advanced age (90 years) and dementia would limit her ability to present her case. This Court
believes that the testimony taken· at oral argument adequately demonstrates a substantial
diminution of Defendants' ability to properly present the case at trial.
At oral argument, Defendant Schmidt, nephew to Defendant Rohman, testified to
Defendant Rohman's advanced age. He also indicated that Defendant Rohman executed a
Power of Attorney in his favor because she suffered from dementia and would be severely
limited in her ability to testify in the case .. This testimony went unchallenged at oral argument.
Therefore, the Court believes a showing of prejudice was properly required and
considered before ruling on Defendants' Motion.
C. Contrarv to Appellant's claim. the Court did receive testimony in support of
Defendants' Motion.
The third and final issue raised by Appellant is whether the trial court erred by making
a ruling when Defendants presented no witnesses or other evidence in support of Defendants'
Motion. This Court believes no error occurred because the testimony of Defendant Schmidt
was presented in support of the Motion.
During oral argument held January 6, 2015, Defendants offered the testimony of Robert
Schmidt, a named Defendant and nephew of Defendant Rohman. Defendant Schmidt also
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holds Power of Attorney for Defendant Rohman, as indicated supra. This testimony was
uncontested by counsel for Appellant and entered into the record.
Therefore, the Court avers a witness was presented in support of Defendants' Motion
and the witness' testimony was considered in making the March 2, 2015 ruling.
IV. CONCLUSION
After thorough review of the record, no law was overridden or misapplied in this case.
This Court's judgment was neither manifestly unreasonable, nor the result of partiality,
prejudice, bias, or ill will. As this decision was a sound application of the law and supported
by the facts, circumstances, and evidence in the case, this Court respectfully requests the
Superior Court uphold its Order of March 2, 20_15.
BY THE COURT:
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