Keahey v. Keahey

42 Pa. D. & C.5th 510
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County
DecidedNovember 10, 2014
DocketNo. 2013-003741
StatusPublished

This text of 42 Pa. D. & C.5th 510 (Keahey v. Keahey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Keahey v. Keahey, 42 Pa. D. & C.5th 510 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

GREEN, /.,

Appellant, George B. Keahey,1 filed the instant appeal following orders entered on June 18, 2014 granting Wendy Keahey’s motion for summary judgment and denying George B. Keahey’s motion for summary judgment. Appellant’s concise statement of errors complained of on appeal provides as follows:

1. The court erred in granting summary judgment to defendant on the defamation/libel count by determining that defendant has constitutional immunity protections for her defamatoiy/libelous statements under Pennsylvania and United States Law, because:
(a) Defendant was never a party in the Sec. 1983 Civil Litigation: George Keahey v. Bethel Township, et al.
(b) Defendant never was listed on the pre-trial witness list in the Sec. 1983 Civil Litigation George Keahey v. Bethel Township, et al. Litigation: George Keahey v. Bethel Township, et al. (sic)
(d) (sic) Defendant’s statements were published to Bethel Township’s representatives at her own volition and under her own conditions and not in court or during court or litigant ordered proceedings.
2. The court further erred in denying summary judgment for plaintiff on the defamation/libel count as a matter of law because it was uncontroverted that the statement:
(a) Was published to a third party;
(b) Applied to the plaintiff;
[513]*513(c) It accused the plaintiff of criminal activity.
Pennoyer v. Marriot Hotel Services, 324 R Supp. 2d 614, 618 (E.D.Pa. 2004)(citing Clemente v. Espinosa, 749 R Supp. 672, 677 (E.D.Pa. 1990 (citing 42 Pa.C.S. § 343(a) 1988))).

Appellant, George N. Keahey, and appellee, Wendy Keahey are husband and wife, in the midst of a divorce.2 Mr. Keahey initiated the above-captioned civil matter by filing a complaint on or about April 18, 2013. Therein, he alleged “damages arising out of an affidavit published by Wendy Keahey.” (Appellant’s April 28, 2014 motion for summary judgment, ¶1). Mr. Keahey’s civil complaint sought damages for (1) Libel/defamation pursuant to 42 Pa. C.S. §8343, (2) Libel/defamation — common law and, (3) Wrongful use of judicial proceedings pursuant to 42 § 8351. (April 18, 2013 complaint). Relevant allegations of the complaint provide as follows:

13. At all times relevant to this complaint, defendant . [Wendy Keahey] knew that plaintiff [George B. Keahey] was a licensed practicing attorney who makes his living in the five counties of Pennsylvania and the USDC.
14. At all times relevant to this complaint, defendant knew that plaintiff has filed a law suit against Bethel Township and others in the USDC (Keahey v. Bethel Township, et al, 11-7210)[hereinafier “1983 action”].
15. Defendant knew that plaintiff was representing himself in the 1983 Action.
[514]*51416. On or about October 18, 2012, defendant executed a false and defamatory affidavit against plaintiff. A true and correct copy of the affidavit is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit “A.”
17. Defendant knew that the affidavit would be publically filed in USDC.
18. Defendant knew that the Affidavit would be viewed by all counsel in the 1983 action.
19. Defendant knew that the affidavit would be viewed by any and all judges assigned in the 1983 Action.
20. The affidavit was publically filed October 23,2012. (sic) by the Bethel defendants in an attempt at having plaintiffs litigation dismissed.
21. Defendant vindictively conspired with Bethel defendants to thwart plaintiff’s success in the 1983 Action and cause him harm.
22. The affidavit is a public document and is available to view by counsel, judges and also the public at large through the USDC website.

The notarized affidavit which purportedly serves as the basis for instant civil suit was signed and dated on October 18, 2012. It provides the following:

The undersigned, Wendy Keahey, hereby deposes and says as follows:

1.1 married George Keahey on September 6, 2002.
2. Because of George’s credit background, the mortgage on 1584 Conchester Road was in my name only.
[515]*5153. At the time of the marriage I owned a 1987 Mustang my father bought in 1988 and gave to me when I was in college.
4.1 also owned a Subaru which I traded in for a Ford F-150 truck, through a discount I had as an employee of a Ford dealership. The truck and loan were in my name only.
5. Several weeks before the incident on November 25, 2009.1 called police after George threw me across the kitchen when I was trying to leave to go to a friend’s home.
6. George was yelling, “Go ahead, run me over!” and other things as he stood in the back of the truck preventing me from leaving. I locked myself in the truck and called police.
7. When officers arrived, one officer took George to one side of the driveway and another officer got me and my dog out of the truck.
8. In a threatening tone, George said I better get a good attorney.
9. The officer warned George that he should be careful because I wasn’t pressing charges and allowed me to leave in the truck since it was in my name.
10. On the night before Thanksgiving, 2009, we had another argument. I was not drunk or under the influence of drugs.
11. George was secretly taking boxes from the home and placing them in the back of the truck which was locked and he had the only key. He refused to give me [516]*516the key so I could see what he was trying to take out of the house.
12. We were also arguing because I believed George was seeing another woman, Irene Reardon, and I confronted him about this.
13. After calling the police, I waited outside on the walkway for police to arrive and I believe George was in the sunroom.
14. When officers arrived, one asked me where George was and I believe I walked him to the sunroom and opened the door.
15. George immediately started giving the officer a hard time and was argumentative and uncooperative.
16. An officer asked me if I had somewhere I could go and I said I did not and I really didn’t see why I had to leave.
17. I told the officer the mortgage was in my name alone, but the deed was in both of our names.
18. The officer with George then asked me to come inside.
19. He told me that George was willing to leave and wanted to know if George would take the truck.
20.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
42 Pa. D. & C.5th 510, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/keahey-v-keahey-pactcompldelawa-2014.