Brito v. MAC International Inc.

78 Pa. D. & C.4th 247
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedJanuary 12, 2006
Docketno. 0448
StatusPublished

This text of 78 Pa. D. & C.4th 247 (Brito v. MAC International Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brito v. MAC International Inc., 78 Pa. D. & C.4th 247 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2006).

Opinion

PAPALINI, J,

Defendant, MAC International Inc., has filed an appeal of our order denying its motion for post-trial relief.

I. FACTUAL HISTORY

(1) The plaintiffs, Reyna Yasquez and her husband Gilbert Brito, commenced suit on May 6,2003, alleging that defendant MAC, who owned the apartment building where they lived, negligently failed to act to evict a sexual pervert, Derek Johnson, who was living in the unit next door without authorization, and who, by his actions, caused physical and emotional distress to the plaintiffs and constructively deprived them of the use of their home.

(2) A jury trial was held in January of 2005. Plaintiffs were represented by Joanne W. Rathgeber, Esquire, and the defendant by Elizabeth McKenna, Esquire. The jury found in favor of plaintiff Reyna Vasquez in the amount of $539,000 and in favor of plaintiff Gilbert Brito in the amount of $40,000, holding that the defendant had been negligent as to both plaintiffs and that the negligence was a substantial factor in bringing about harm to them.

(3) Defendant filed a timely motion for post-verdict relief. Briefs were filed.

(4) On June 6, 2005, we issued an order denying the defendant’s motion.

(5) Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal.

(6) On July 19, 2005, we ordered defendant to file by August 22,2005, a concise statement of the matters that [249]*249it actually intended to raise on appeal, pursuant to Pa.RA.P. 1925(b). In response, defendant filed an 11-page statement.

II. ISSUES

The defendant contended that the court erred in not granting it a judgment notwithstanding the verdict for the following reasons:

(1) The evidence was not sufficient to establish the prima facie elements of a negligence claim based on a landowner’s duty to business invitees (citing N.T. 1/26/ 05 at 4-7);

(2) The evidence was not sufficient to establish the prima facie elements of a negligence claim based on a landlord’s duty to tenants (citing N.T. 1/25/05 at 152-55);

(3) The evidence was not sufficient to establish the prima facie elements of a contract claim based on the implied warranty of habitability (citing N.T. 10/12/04 at 127-30; N.T. 1/26/05 at 96-97);

(4) The evidence was not sufficient to establish the prima facie elements of a contract claim based on the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment habitability (citing N.T. 10/12/04 at 127-30; N.T. 1/26/05 at 96-97).

The defendant also contended that the court erred in not granting defendant a new trial for the following reasons:

(1) The trial court erred in allowing plaintiffs to introduce, offer evidence of, and otherwise make use of, documents and information concerning Derek Johnson’s al[250]*250leged prior criminal record in support of their claim that defendant negligently failed to provide security (citing N.T. 1/20/05 at 76-85, 76-88, 89-101, N.T. 1/21/05 at 1-18);

(a) As a matter of law, defendant had no duty to provide security;

(b) Plaintiffs did not establish that Mr. Johnson’s alleged prior criminal record was relevant to its claim that defendant negligently failed to provide security (citing N.T. 1/25/05 at 116, 117-19);

(c) Plaintiffs did not establish that any documents regarding Mr. Johnson’s alleged prior criminal record were admissible as official records (citing N.T. 1/20/05 at 76-77; N.T. 1/25/05 at 116, 117-19);

(d) Plaintiffs did not establish that any documents regarding Mr. Johnson’s alleged prior criminal record were admissible as business records (citing N.T. 1/20/05 at 76-77);

(2) The trial court erred in charging the jury on, and submitting this case to the jury on, plaintiffs’ negligence claims (citing N.T. 1/26/05 at 4-7; N.T. 1/26/05 at 16-17; N.T. 1/25/05 at 152-55);

(3) The trial court erred in charging the jury on, and submitting this case to the jury on, plaintiffs’ contract claims (citing N.T. 1/25/05 at 127-30; N.T. 1/26/05 at 96-97);

(4) The trial court erred in charging the jury on “a trespasser” (citing N.T. 1/26/05 at 13-15, 96-97);

(5) The trial court erred in charging the jury on, and permitting the jury to consider and award, damages for [251]*251harm such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, embarrassment and loss of life’s pleasures (citing N.T. 1/25/05 at 123-25);

(6) The trial court erred in permitting plaintiffs to introduce into evidence the deposition testimony of Police Officer Wilson (citing N.T. 1/24/05 at 10-15).

III. STANDARD OF REVIEW

A trial court must enter judgment notwithstanding the verdict only if the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law or if the evidence is such that no two reasonable minds could disagree that the outcome should have been rendered in favor of the movant. A lower court’s grant or denial of a judgment notwithstanding the verdict will be disturbed only for an abuse of discretion or an error of law. Lockwood v. City of Pittsburgh, 561 Pa. 515, 519, 751 A.2d 1136, 1138 (2000); Moure v. Raeuchle, 529 Pa. 394, 403, 604 A.2d 1003, 1007 (1992). In reviewing a motion for judgment n.o.v., the evidence must be considered in the light most favorable to the verdict winner, who must be given the benefit of every reasonable inference of fact arising therefrom, and any conflict in the evidence must be resolved in favor of the verdict winner. City of New Castle v. Uzamere, 829 A.2d 763, 767 (Pa. Commw. 2003).

The admission of evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. To constitute reversible error, the trial court’s ruling on evidence or jury instructions must not only be erroneous, but it must be harmful or prejudicial to the complaining party. Johnson v. Hyundai Motor America, 698 A.2d 631, 636 (Pa.Super. 1997).

[252]*252IV. TRIAL EVIDENCE

Plaintiffs Gilbert Brito and Reyna Vasquez had been tenants of Apartment 2-E of the Oxford Towers Apartments, 7210 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since March of 1999, when they signed a lease. (NT. 1/20/05 at 38-39.)1 The building was managed by Defendant MAC. (N.T. 1/20/05 at 28.) Ann Marie Doan was the property manager for MAC. (N.T. 1/21/05 at 113.)

The lease included the following clause: “B. No disturbance to others. The tenant will not do anything to disturb other tenants.” It also contained two other provisions: “Tenant agrees not to conduct illegal activities on the property” and “Tenant’s family and guests agree to obey all laws and rules that apply to tenant.” Finally, the lease provided that if the tenant failed to comply with the provisions of the lease, he could be evicted after five days notice. (N.T. 1/21/05 at 115-17.)

The main door to the building was unlocked and entered into a vestibule. A second door leading inside from the vestibule, was locked. (N.T. 1/20/05 at 39-40.)

Mr.

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Niederman v. Brodsky
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Lockwood v. City of Pittsburgh
751 A.2d 1136 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2000)
City of New Castle v. Uzamere
829 A.2d 763 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Johnson v. Hyundai Motor America
698 A.2d 631 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
78 Pa. D. & C.4th 247, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brito-v-mac-international-inc-pactcomplphilad-2006.