Hirshberg v. Molinelli

27 Pa. D. & C.5th 98
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County
DecidedApril 4, 2012
DocketNo. 11166 CV 2011
StatusPublished

This text of 27 Pa. D. & C.5th 98 (Hirshberg v. Molinelli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hirshberg v. Molinelli, 27 Pa. D. & C.5th 98 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2012).

Opinion

ZULICK, J.,

Plaintiff, Ephraim Hirshberg, filed a complaint against defendant, Geraldine Molinelli, seeking partition of various properties and asserting claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and constructive trust on December 28, 2011. Ms. Molinelli filed preliminary objections to Mr. Hirshberg’s complaint and a supporting brief. Both parties appeared for argument before the court on March 5, 2012, at which time counsel for Mr. Hirshberg filed his brief in opposition to Ms. Molinelli’s preliminary objections. Ms. Molinelli objected to the untimely filing of Mr. Hirshberg’s brief. She was given ten days to file a reply brief. The parties having filed their briefs and argued the matter, the case is now before the court for decision.

DISCUSSION

Ms. Molinelli raises seven objections to Mr. Hirshberg’s complaint, which will be addressed in turn.

I. Motion to Dismiss Complaint Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1028(a)(6)

A party may file preliminary objections to a pleading based on the “pendency of a prior action.” Pa. R. Civ. P. 1028(a)(6). Ms. Molinelli avers that Mr. Hirshberg is [100]*100seeking partition of the same real property that was the subject of his earlier complaint for divorce. Having found no common law marriage existed between the parties, this court dismissed that divorce complaint in September, 2011 and Mr. Hirshberg appealed. The appeal is currently pending before the superior court. Ms. Molinelli has asked the court to dismiss Mr. Hirshberg’s complaint or stay the proceedings due to the pendency of a prior action.

Whether there is a pending prior action is a question of law that must be determined “from an inspection of the pleadings.” Crutchfield v. Eaton Corp., 806 A.2d 1259, 1262 (Pa. Super. 2002) (quoting Davis Cookie Co. v. Wasley, 566 A.2d 870, 874 (Pa. Super. 1989)). The purpose of this defense, also known as lis pendens, is to protect the defendant from “having to defend several suits on the same cause of action at the same time.” Crutchfield, 806 A.2d at 1262 (citing Penox Techs., Inc. v. Foster Med. Corp., 546 A.2d 114, 115 (Pa. Super. 1988)). “The doctrine of lis pendens requires that the prior action be pending.” Crutchfield, 806 A.2d at 1262 (citing Norristown Auto. Co. v. Hand, 562 A.2d 902, 904 (Pa. Super. 1989)).

Three elements are required to successfully plead lis pendens. See Crutchfield, 806 A.2d at 1262 (286 Pa. Super. 2002). The burden is on the party asserting the defense to show “that the prior case is the same, the parties are the same, and the relief requested is the same.” Id. (citing Penox, 546 A.2d at 115, Pa. Super. 1988).

The three-pronged identity test must be applied strictly when a party is seeking dismissal under the doctrine of prior pending action. Alternatively, if the identity [101]*101test is not strictly met but the action involves a set of circumstances where the litigation of two suits would create a duplication of effort on the part of the parties, waste judicial resources and “create the unseemly spectacle of a race to judgment,” the trial court may stay the later-filed action.

Crutchfield, 806 A.2d at 1262 (286 Pa. Super. 2002) (quoting Norristown Auto. Co., 562 A.2d at 904, 905) (internal citations omitted).

Strictly applying the identity test to the facts of this case, the second prong of the test (identity of the parties) has been met, but the first and third have not. As to prong one, the prior case at issue here is a divorce action in which Mr. Hirshberg sought divorce, equitable distribution of real and personal property, and alimony, in the case at bar, Mr. Hirshberg has averred claims for partition, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and constructive trust. Although both cases address the same real property, Mr. Hirshberg also sought personal property in the divorce action and seeks monetary damages in this action. Accordingly, the two cases lack the strict identity required for dismissal pursuant to Rule 1028(a)(6). See, e.g. Kramer v. Kramer, 394 A.2d 577, 582 (Pa. Super. 1978) (finding that “although appellee is seeking an award of support based upon the written agreement in both actions,” identity test had not been met when appellee sought alternate remedy in later action that had not been sought in earlier case and child custody issue existed in earlier case, but not in later action).

Mr. Hirshberg’s claims in the earlier divorce action and [102]*102now in this case, raise a similar issue. He is attempting to establish his ownership interest in real property titled solely in Ms. Molinelli’s name. Under the law, this court has discretion to stay this case until the appeal in the divorce case is resolved. However, I decline to do so because that delay will not advance the resolution of this dispute. Much of the trial preparation that would be necessary if the divorce case is reversed and remanded will be accomplished as this case progresses. If the divorce decision is reversed, the parties’ claims will be addressed there. If there is no reversal, the dispute will be decided in this case. Accordingly, this preliminary objection will be overruled.

II. Motion to Dismiss Count I of the Complaint (Partition) Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1028(a)(2) and (a)(4)

Preliminary objections to a pleading may be raised averring the “failure of a pleading to conform to law or rule of court or inclusion of scandalous or impertinent matter.” Pa. R. Civ. P. 1028(a)(2). Additionally, aparty may challenge the legal sufficiency of a pleading in the form of demurrer. See Pa. R. Civ. P. 1028(a)(4). Ms. Molinelli argues that because Mr. Hirshberg does not hold legal title to any of the properties he seeks to have partitioned, as required by Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1553, his request for partition fails to conform to a rule or court and/or is insufficient as a matter of law. The arguments will be addressed separately.

a. Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1553

Rule of Civil Procedure 1553 governs who may bring [103]*103an action for partition of property and provides in pertinent part that “[a]n action for partition may be brought by any one or more co-tenants.” Pa. R. Civ. P. 1553. Ms. Molinelli argues that because Mr. Hirshberg has no deeded interest in the properties, he has no standing to bring an action for partition. Mr. Hirshberg counters that he has an equitable interest in the properties and there is no requirement that an individual be a deeded owner in order to be a “co-tenant” for purposes of Rule 1553.

It has long been the law in Pennsylvania that an equitable estate will support a partition action:

[a]n equitable estate is sufficient in Pennsylvania to support a partition, even at law; it is sufficient to show a clear equitable right to the relief prayed for. If the disputed titles are equitable, courts of equity will exercise jurisdiction to settle them, and will then grant final relief by way of partition under the same bill.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Yacoub v. Lehigh Valley Medical Associates, P.C.
805 A.2d 579 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Narehood v. Pearson
96 A.2d 895 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1953)
Kramer v. Kramer
394 A.2d 577 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)
Silver v. Silver
219 A.2d 659 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1966)
Estate of Swift Ex Rel. Swift v. Northeastern Hospital of Philadelphia
690 A.2d 719 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)
Davis Cookie Co., Inc. v. Wasley
566 A.2d 870 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
Norristown Auto. Co., Inc. v. Hand
562 A.2d 902 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
Corestates Bank, N.A. v. Cutillo
723 A.2d 1053 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Kohr v. Kohr
413 A.2d 687 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1979)
220 Partnership v. Philadelphia Electric Co.
650 A.2d 1094 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Moreland v. Metrovich
375 A.2d 772 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1977)
Crutchfield v. Eaton Corp.
806 A.2d 1259 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Styer v. Hugo
619 A.2d 347 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1993)
Packler v. State Employes' Retirement Board
368 A.2d 673 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1977)
Penox Technologies, Inc. v. Foster Medical Corp.
546 A.2d 114 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1988)
Pike County Hotels Corp. v. Kiefer
396 A.2d 677 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)
Wiernik v. PHH U.S. Mortgage Corp.
736 A.2d 616 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Snaith v. Snaith
422 A.2d 1379 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Savitz v. Weinstein
149 A.2d 110 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1959)
Preiser v. Rosenzweig
614 A.2d 303 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
27 Pa. D. & C.5th 98, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hirshberg-v-molinelli-pactcomplmonroe-2012.