Grove v. Scott

17 Pa. D. & C.4th 212, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 90
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County
DecidedOctober 9, 1992
Docketno. 90-SU-02505-01
StatusPublished

This text of 17 Pa. D. & C.4th 212 (Grove v. Scott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grove v. Scott, 17 Pa. D. & C.4th 212, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 90 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992).

Opinion

ÜHLER, J.,

Before the court is a petition by Physicians Diagnostic Center, P.C., to recover attorneys fees from the plaintiff pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. §2503 and §8355.

A summarized version of the extensive procedural history is as follows:

(1) On June 1, 1990, plaintiffs, the Groves, initiated a civil action against multiple defendants, including Physicians Diagnostic Center, P.C., by filing a writ of summons.

(2) A rule to file a complaint was filed by Physicians on June 20, 1990.

(3) On August 24, 1990, plaintiffs filed a complaint, naming Physicians as one of the defendants.

(4) On September 7,1990, defendant Physicians filed preliminary objections to the complaint.

(5) On September 26,1990, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.

(6) On November 1,1990, Physicians filed preliminary objections to the amended complaint.

(7) On November 27,1990, Physicians filed a praecipe to list the preliminary objections for disposition by one judge.

(8) On December 14, 1990, Physicians filed a supplemental praecipe to list the case for one-judge disposition.

(9) On May 15, 1991, the court denied defendant’s, preliminary objections.

[214]*214(10) On May 28,1991, Physicians answered the complaint with new matter.

(11) On March 25, 1992, plaintiffs moved for a rule to show cause why the action against Physicians should not be discontinued. The rule issued and was made returnable within 20 days.

(12) On May 7, 1992, plaintiffs moved for an order that the rule be made absolute, discontinuing the action against Physicians.

(13) On May 15, 1992, Physicians filed a praecipe to certify service of the order discontinuing the action against them.

(14) On May 21, 1992, Physicians asked the prothonotary to mark the action discontinued and ended as to defendant, Physicians.

(15) On July 27,1992, Physicians petitioned this court for attorneys fees pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. §2503 and §8355.

There are two distinct issues pending before the court: first, whether this court retains jurisdiction to consider and decide Physicians Diagnostic Center’s petition for attorneys fees; and second, if this court finds it has jurisdiction, whether the award of attorneys fees is appropriate. Preliminarily, we will only address the first issue regarding jurisdiction because the second issue may require a factual hearing.

“Jurisdiction refers to the competency of a court to determine controversies of the general class to which the case belongs and to bind the parties by its decision.” Purcell v. Bryn Mawr Hospital, 525 Pa. 237, 241, 579 A.2d 1282, 1283, n.1 (1990).

As may be seen, the procedural history reflects, on March 25, 1992, the plaintiffs moved for a rule to show cause why the action against Physicians be discontinued and thereafter on May 7, 1992, moved that the rule be [215]*215made absolute, discontinuing the action against Physicians. Thereafter, on May 15, 1992, and May 21, 1992, Physicians filed requests with the Prothonotary’s Office concerning this matter, yet no claims relating to the attorneys fees issue were made. On July 27, 1992, Physicians petitioned the court for attorneys fees pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. §2503 and §8355. An analysis for each section is necessary.

First 42 Pa.C.S. §2503 provides, in its pertinent parts:

“The following participants shall be entitled to a reasonable counsel fee as part of the taxable costs of the matter:...
“(7) Any participant who is awarded counsel fees as a sanction against another participant for dilatory, obdurate or vexatious conduct during the pendency of a matter....
“(9) Any participant who is awarded counsel fees because the conduct of another party in commencing the matter or otherwise was arbitrary, vexatious or in bad faith.”

It is apparent that a claim filed for reasonable attorneys fees pursuant to section 2503 of Title 42 is intended to be part of the taxable costs of the case. As recognized in Shevchik v. Zeregel, 8 D.&C.4th 66, 67 (1990), a claim for attorneys fees under section 2503 should be raised by the conclusion of the underlying action, utilizing the record and history in the action as a basis to support the claim. Id. at 67. “Accordingly, the right to bring such a claim is preserved, but separated, and heard when all the facts in the underlying.case are known.” In Shevchik, the original defendants joined the additional defendants. The additional defendants filed an answer to the joinder complaint wherein as part of the new matter, a claim requesting counsel fees pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. §2503(9) was included. The court properly held that [216]*216the claim for attorneys fees was preserved pending the conclusion of the underlying action and that the issue should be resolved at the actions’ conclusion.

In the within action, we are not confronted with analogous posture as that found in Shevchik. Plainly, the additional defendants in Shevchik formerly raised the claim for attorneys fees prior to the final resolution of the action whereas in the within action no claim was raised until a period of time after voluntary termination.

When a plaintiff takes a voluntary non-suit, it is as if the original suit was never initiated. Williams Studio v. Nationwide Mut., 380 Pa. Super. 1, 550 A.2d 133 (1988). Thus, in the case at hand, following the rule absolute order on May 7, 1992, wherein there were no previously claimed section 2503 counsel fees sought it was as if the original suit was never initiated against Physicians.

We find that the defendant Physicians waited too long to assert a timely section 2503 claim.

Title 42 Pa.C.S. §5505 provides that:

“[A] court upon notice to the parties may modify or rescind any order within 30 days after its entry, notwithstanding the prior termination of any term of court, if no appeal from such order has been taken or allowed.”

In Municipal Council of Monroeville v. Klugo, 102 Pa. Commw. 49, 517 A.2d 223 (1986), the court held that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to enter an order because no action was taken by the trial court or the litigants within 30 days of the entry of the trial court’s order. Id. at 53, 517 A.2d at 225. See also, Citizens for Responsible Development v. Carlisle Zoning Hearing Board, 127 Pa. Commw. 640, 562 A.2d 938 (1989).

In the case at hand, on May 7, 1982, the plaintiffs moved for an order that the rule be made absolute dis[217]*217continuing the action against Physicians. The plaintiffs’ motion was filed 43 days after seeking the court approved non-suit. No requests or objections were made by Physicians.

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Related

Mun. C., Mun. of Monroeville v. Kluko
517 A.2d 223 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1986)
Citizens for Responsible Development v. Carlisle Zoning Hearing Board
562 A.2d 938 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
Purcell v. Bryn Mawr Hospital
579 A.2d 1282 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
17 Pa. D. & C.4th 212, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 90, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grove-v-scott-pactcomplyork-1992.