Conner v. Bickhart

47 Pa. D. & C.3d 462, 1986 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 36
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Montour County
DecidedDecember 4, 1986
Docketno. 559-1983
StatusPublished

This text of 47 Pa. D. & C.3d 462 (Conner v. Bickhart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Montour County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Conner v. Bickhart, 47 Pa. D. & C.3d 462, 1986 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 36 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1986).

Opinion

MYERS, J.,

The instant action was instituted by plaintiff by filing a complaint in trespass. Defendants, Steven Brown and The City of Sunbury; défendants, Wayne A. Móyer and Ruth L. Moyer t/a The Pub and defendant Max W. Doebler, t/a Eddie’s Town and Country Bar, responded with motions for summary judgment. Briefs have been filed, and we are now prepared to dispose of these motions.

Plaintiff, Ronald E. Conner, and defendant, William J. Bickhart, were involved in a one vehicle accident after they had been drinking at several taverns. Defendant Bickhart was the driver at the time, with plaintiff Conner as a passenger. Conner sustained serious and disabling injuries in the accident.

Defendant Bickhart and plaintiff Conner visited four taverns prior to the accident, which were, in order of the visits, as follows:

(1) The Pub in Danville, Pa.

(2) Town and Country in Danville, Pa.

(3) Towne Crier in Sunbury, Pa.

(4) Barney’s in Northumberland, Pa.

The present record reveals that Conner and Bickhart met at The Pub sometime between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the night of Friday, May 20, 1983. Conner and Bickhart then proceeded to Town and Country, then Towne Crier and finally, Barney’s. On the way from Towne Crier to Barney’s Tavern, Bickhart was stopped by a Sunbury, Pa. police officer, Steven Brown, who issued him a-citation for reckless driving, after Brown had observed Bickhaxt driving in an erractic manner.

After leaving the last of the four bars, Bickhart and Conner were proceeding toward home when the accident in question occurred at approximately [464]*4644:00 a.m., Saturday morning, May 21, 1983.

Plaintiff alleges that the various drinking establishments were negligent in serving intoxicants to Bickhart while he was visibly intoxicated, contrary to section 4-493(1) of the Pa. Liquor Code. Plaintiff also alleges that these establishments were negligent by serving intoxicants to Bickhart, a person of known intemperate habits, contrary to section 4-493(1) of the Liquor Code.

. Plaintiff’s claim against the Sunbury police officer, Steven Brown, and the City of Sunbury arises from the fact, that Officer Brown stopped Bickhart prior to the accident after observing Bickhart drive in an erratic manner. Plaintiff also alleges that Bickhart was visibly intoxicated when Officer Brown observed and talked to him and still permitted him to continue to drive home.

Summary judgment may be granted if the record reveals that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Rossini v. Penn State University, 340 Pa. Super. 39, 489 A.2d 828 (1985).

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT OF THE PUB

The record reveals that when Bickhart first arrived at The Pub in Danville on the night in question, he had not previously consumed any alcoholic beverages that day. While at The Pub, Bickhart and Conner consumed one or two bottles of beer. Neither acted in any manner to indicate he was intoxicated. The record is clear that neither was visibly intoxicated at that time.

In consideration of the above facts, we find that defendant, The Pub is entitled to summary judgment. Plaintiff’s theory that liability should rest [465]*465with The Pub due to serving a visibly intoxicated person is clearly not supported by the facts.

Plaintiff’s remaining theory of liability, i.e. that The Pub was negligent for serving intoxicating beverages to a person of “known intemperate habits” is not a viable cause of action, absent a showing that a person was served intoxicants while visibly intoxicated. Matthews v. Konieczny, 338 Pa. Super. 504, 488 A.2d 5 (1985). Further, the only evidence offered regarding Bickhart as a person of known intemperate habits was his driving record. There was no assertion or proof that the owners of The Pub or their bartender knew, or had reason to know, of Bickhart’s driving record or of his “known intemperate habits.” Thus, even if such basis could be sustained as an independent cause of action, plaintiff has not established an adequate factual foundation to establish such a claim. Therefore, we find that the law and facts of this case support granting summary judgment in favor of The Pub.

On the other hand, defendant, The Pub, has requested an award of attorney’s fees. While plaintiff’s theories have not prevailed, we find no evidence of bad faith or improper conduct on the part of plaintiff in advancing these arguments and therefore we refuse to award attorney’s fees to the defendant, The Pub.

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT OF TOWN AND COUNTRY

After leaving The Pub, Bickhart and Conner proceeded to Eddie’s Town and Country, where they consumed an additional one or two bottles of beer. The record reveals that the parties were present at Town and Country for a relatively short period of time. Bickhart testified that Conner and [466]*466himself drank considerably more alcohol after leaving Town and Country and “got drunk” at the Towne Crier, the third tavern they visited that night.

Defendant, Max W. Doebler t/a Eddie’s Town and Country, in his new matter, has alleged that Bickhart and Conner did not exhibit signs of visible intoxication while patrons at Town and Country. Plaintiff did not deny those allegations in his reply.

In view of the above, we find that plaintiff has failed to present sufficient facts to sustain a cause of action against Town and Country for serving a visibly intoxicated person in violation of the liquor code.

Plaintiff also maintains that the Town and Country should be found negligent on the theory of serving a person of “known intemperate habits.” We discussed the same issue in our review of the motion for summary judgment filed by The Pub. Our ruling upon The Pub’s motion is equally applicable to Town and Country. Absent a showing that a person was served intoxicants while visibly intoxicated, it is clear that no cause of action has been established. Further, plaintiff failed to set forth a sufficient factual basis to warrant a finding that the owners, or employers, of Town and Country knew, or should have known, that Bickhart was a person of “known intemperate habits.”

Finally, we deny Town and Country’s demand for attorney’s fees for the same reasons as those given in the case of The Pub.

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT OF THE CITY OF SUNBURY AND STEVEN BROWN

Plaintiff demands that the City of Sunbury and Officer Steven Brown should be held liable for dam[467]*467ages due to the negligence of Stevén Brown. Steven Brown was an officer with the Sunbury'Police and on duty at the time of the accident.

After Conner and Bickhart left the third of the four taverns frequented that night, their vehicle was stopped by officer Brown. The officer had observed defendant Bickhart driving in an erratic manner. After a brief discussion, Officer Brown issued defendant Bickhart a citation for reckless driving and then allowed him to continue driving.

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Related

MELENDEZ BY MELENDEZ v. City of Phila.
466 A.2d 1060 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1983)
Rossi v. Pennsylvania State University
489 A.2d 828 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)
Casey v. Geiger
499 A.2d 606 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)
Matthews v. Konieczny
488 A.2d 5 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)

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Bluebook (online)
47 Pa. D. & C.3d 462, 1986 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 36, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/conner-v-bickhart-pactcomplmontou-1986.