Department of Department of State, Commission of Professional & Occupational Affairs v. Bewley

272 A.2d 531, 1 Pa. Commw. 85, 1971 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 503
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 11, 1971
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 272 A.2d 531 (Department of Department of State, Commission of Professional & Occupational Affairs v. Bewley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Department of Department of State, Commission of Professional & Occupational Affairs v. Bewley, 272 A.2d 531, 1 Pa. Commw. 85, 1971 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 503 (Pa. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

Opinion by

President Judge Bowman,

This appeal is from an adjudication of the State Real Estate Commission revoking appellant’s license as a real estate broker. Appellant, James E. Bewley, challenges the revocation on two grounds: first, that the Commission’s findings of fact do not support the conclusions of law upon which the revocation order was based, and second, that the Commission under the circumstances abused its discretion in revoking his license.

The Commission originally acted on the basis of a complaint submitted by Alice P. Graham, a client of the appellant. The complaint set forth the detailed circumstances of an unsuccessful real estate transaction in which appellant acted as agent for Mrs. Graham. The sale was not consummated. Mrs. Graham charged in her complaint that appellant actively used deceptive tactics to reduce her profit from the sale, to keep her ignorant of various material terms of the agreement of sale, and generally to have conducted his real estate business in a manner contrary to the explicit provisions of the Real Estate Brokers’ License Act of May 1, 1929, P. L. 1216, as amended, 63 P.S. 431.

After the issuance of a Citation a hearing was held in accordance with Section 10(b) of the Act. Thereafter, the Commission made specific findings of fact based upon the testimony and evidence admitted at the hearing. In addition to finding that the procedural [88]*88elements of due process bad been met with respect to appellant’s rights, the Commission made the following findings of fact:

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6. In listing the property with respondent, complainant advised him .that she wanted $12,500.00 for the aforesaid property.

7. Respondent advised complainant that he had a buyer who would pay $12,000.00 for the property.

8. Respondent produced an agreement for signature by complainant dated May 12, 1966, which provided among other things for a purchase price of $12,-000.00.

9. Respondent also produced an agreement for signature by complainant which was a blank but which Respondent was to fill in showing a consideration of $12,800.00 for .the sale of the aforesaid property.

10. The agreement referred to in paragraph 8 above contained no reference to the amount of a mortgage, but the agreement referred to in paragraph 9 above, indicated a mortgage of $12,600.00.

11. The agreement specifying $12,800.00 as the purchase price, was to enable the purchaser to procure $800.00 to complete the purchase.

12. The $12,800.00 designated as the purchase price, was an inflated price to enable buyer to procure a mortgage of sufficient funds to complete settlement.

13. Neither agreement . . . contained any clause specifying that complainant would be obliged to pay ‘points’ for the procurement of a mortgage .to enable purchaser to complete settlement for the purchase of the property.

14. Complainant was not aware of her requirement to pay ‘points’ until the day of settlement at which time she learned that she would be required to pay $868.00.

[89]*8915. Complainant did not get a copy of the settlement sheet because settlement was not completed but complainant’s share of the transfer tax due on the sale was based on the $12,800.00 sales price.

16. When complainant listed her property with Respondent, she was advised and therefore expected to receive $1,000.00 as her share of the proceeds of any sale.

17. At no time did Respondent give complainant a copy of estimated settlement costs and charges.

18. At the time of settlement, on the basis of the figures submitted to her on a settlement sheet, a copy of which she never received, including transfer taxes and ‘points’ as stated in paragraphs 13 and 14, complainant would be required to pay $300.00 to enable settlement to be completed.

19. At Respondent’s instance and request, complainant permitted purchasers to move into premises at a rental lower than her carrying charges therefor.

20. At the time of settlement, at Respondent’s instance and request, complainant leased premises to purchasers, receiving as the first month’s rent, part of the deposit paid by purchaser to Respondent.

21. At the time of the transaction between complainant and Respondent, Respondent did not have an escrow account or proper office records.

22. At the time of an inspection of Respondent’s office by an investigator employed by the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, on August 7, 1968, Respondent did have an escrow account.”

We find no basis in the record before us to reject these findings as they are unquestionably supported by substantial evidence. It is not the proper function of a reviewing court to reexamine the testimony and other evidence as to its interpretation unless it is clear from such record that the findings of fact are not substan[90]*90tially supported by such evidence. In State Real Estate Commission v. Negoescu, 87 Dauphin 297, 304 (1967), the Court said: “[I]t is the duty of the Court to see that the findings of fact are supported by competent evidence, but not to see if other findings could have been made.”

Yet, even though the findings of fact are determined to have satisfied the so-called “substantial evidence” rule, such findings must also support the conclusions of law made by the Commission if its adjudication is to stand.

In the adjudication, the Commission cited nine subsections of the Beal Estate Brokers’ License Act to which appellant’s conduct might make him subject. On the basis of its findings of fact, the Commission concluded as a matter of law that he was guilty of only two of those originally enumerated in the Notice of Citation. Appellant’s conduct was determined to be in violation of Section 10(a) (l)1 of the Act “[o]f knowingly making any substantial misrepresentation”, and of Section 10(a) (7)2 “[o]f any act or conduct in connection with a real estate transaction which demonstrate incompetency, bad faith, or dishonesty”. Despite lengthy allegations in the complaint, appellant was not found to have undertaken a continued course of conduct so as to be guilty of “flagrant misrepresentation” under Section 10(a) (3)3 of the Act or to have so mishandled his escrow account as to fall under Section 10(a) (11)4 of the Act.

It is in this area that this appeal poses some difficulty which directly relates to appellant’s basic contention that the penalty imposed by the Commission in revoking appellant’s license was an abuse of discre[91]*91tion under tbe circumstances of tbis case; and which revocation appellant would have this Court modify, presumably to a suspension of unspecified duration.

Does this Court possess the authority to modify the penalty imposed by the Commission, and, if so, by what criteria or standards does it act? Alternately, must it or may it remand the case to the Commission for further consideration by it?

The Dauphin County Court, which heretofore enjoyed jurisdiction over appeals from state administrative agencies, considered these questions on several occasions. In State Real Estate Commission v. Evers,

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Bluebook (online)
272 A.2d 531, 1 Pa. Commw. 85, 1971 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 503, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/department-of-department-of-state-commission-of-professional-pacommwct-1971.