Marzo v. Street

39 Pa. D. & C.5th 188
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lycoming County
DecidedJune 12, 2014
DocketNo. 13-02828
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 39 Pa. D. & C.5th 188 (Marzo v. Street) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lycoming County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marzo v. Street, 39 Pa. D. & C.5th 188 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

GRAY, J.,

This matter comes before the court on defendant, Vanessa K. Street’s, preliminary objections in the nature of a demurrer. Street objects to the [189]*189complaint for failure to state a cause of action for partition Pa. R.C.P. 1551 et. seq. and for a proportionate share of the fair market rental value pursuant to68P.S.§101. After review of the objections, response, argument, pleadings, and briefs, the court overrules the objections. The court enters the following opinion and order.

Procedural and Factual Background

Plaintiff Benjamin P. Marzo invokes the equitable powers of the court to seek partition of real property pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. 1551 et. seq. Marzo claims an equitable interest in real property arising from an Article of Agreement executed on August 15, 2003. The Article of Agreement involves the purchase of real property known as 1850 Hayes Lane, Williamsport, located in Loyalsock Township (known as Lycoming Tax Parcel No. 26-022-307), recorded at Book 4692 at Page 90 (“property”). Marzo and Street entered an Article of Agreement to purchase the property from defendant Barbara D. Schramm, who was and still is the record owner of the property.

Under the Article of Agreement, Schramm agreed to sell and convey the property to Marzo and Street for $98,000 to be paid within 15 years, together with interest on all unpaid balances of principal. This amount was payable in one hundred eighty (180) monthly installments of $826.98 until full payment of principal and interest has been made. Upon payment of $98,000, Schramm would execute and deliver a deed conveying the property in fee simple free from encumbrances. See, Article of Agreement, complaint, exhibit “A” (emphasis added). The agreement reserved the right to demand payment in full upon 30 days’ notice once [190]*190the 60th payment had been made. The agreement provided for late fees and the right for anticipated payments in full and part. The agreement required prior written consent for assignment. The agreement required that proof of payment of real estate taxes and insurance be provided to Schramm within 30 days of payment.

Since November 2007, Street has retained exclusive possession of a unit at the property. The property contains a residential building with 3 rental units. Street resides in the largest portion of the building, consisting of a 2 story, 3 bedroom unit. The fair market value of the property is at least $160,000. The outstanding balance owed under the article of agreement is approximately $40,000. Marzo and Street resided in the property together from 2003 until November 2007.

Marzo seeks partition of the property, including a sale and owelty. The wherefore clause in Marzo’s complaint requests the following relief:

a) The court decree partition of the property;
b) The court direct that a master be appointed to make such examinations and hold such hearings, and to conduct a private or public sale of the property pursuant to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure governing partition actions; and
c) Such other relief as the court deems to be appropriate.

• Defendant Schramm has not filed any obj ection or pleading objecting to the partition.1

[191]*191Legal Standards

Preliminary Objections

1. A party may file preliminary objections based on the legal sufficiency or insufficiency of a pleading (demurrer) pursuant to Pa. R.C.P. 1028(a)(4).

2. A demurrer tests the legal sufficiency of the complaint. Sullivan v. Chartwell Inv. Partners, LP, 873 A.2d 710, 714 (Pa.Super. 2005).

3. When reviewing preliminary objections in the nature of a demurrer, the court must “accept as true all well-pleaded material facts set forth in the complaint and all inferences fairly deducible from those facts.” Thierfelder v. Wolfert, 52 A.3d 1251, 1253 (Pa. 2012), citing, Stilp v. Commonwealth, 940 A.2d 1227, 1232 n.9 (Pa. 2007).

4. “Preliminary objections, the end result of which would be dismissal of a cause of action, should be sustained only in cases that are clear and free from doubt.” Bower v. Bower, 611 A.2d 181, 182 (Pa. 1992)(emphasis added).

Partition

5. Pa. R.C.P. 1553 provides that an “action for partition may be brought by any one or more co-tenants.”

6. A complaint for partition must include a description of the property and “a statement of the nature and extent of the interest of each party in the property.” Pa. R.C.P. 1554.

7. It has long been the case that “equitable title is sufficient in Pennsylvania to recover upon in partition.” Willing v. Brown, 7 Serg. & Rawle 467, 1822 Pa. LEXIS 233 (Pa. 1822); see also, Blumner v. Metropolitan Life [192]*192Ins. Co., 66 A.2d 245, 248 (Pa. 1949) (“It is well settled that an equitable estate may be partitioned”); see also, Hirschberg v. Molinelli, 27 Pa. D. & C. 5th (C.P. Monroe 2012), affirmed, 53 A.2d 929 (Pa. Super. 2012)(demurrer overruled where party seeking partition pleaded an equitable interest in the property with specific averments.)

8. If the court finds that the property is not capable for division without prejudice to or spoiling the whole, the court can direct that the property be sold in accordance with Pa. R.C.P. Rule 1563.

9. The court shall determine the “credit which should be allowed or the charge which should be made, in favor of or against any party because of use and occupancy of the property, taxes, rents or other amounts paid, services rendered, liabilities incurred or benefits derived in connection therewith or therefrom.” Pa. R.C.P. Rule 1570.

10. With respect to real estate held by two or more tenants in common, 68 PS. § 101 provides that “it shall be lawful for any one or more of said tenants in common, not in possession, to sue for and recover from such tenants in possession his or their proportionate part of the rental value of said real estate for the time such real estate shall have been in possession as aforesaid; and in case of partition of such real estate held in common as aforesaid, the parties in possession shall have deducted from their distributive shares of said real estate the rental value thereof to which their co-tenant or tenants are entitled.” 68 P.S. § 101 (emphasis added)

Discussion

The court concludes that Marzo plead facts sufficient to seek the relief requested pursuant to Pa. R.C.P. 1551 et. [193]*193seq. It has long been established that an equitable interest in real property is sufficient to recover in partition. See, e.g., Willing v. Brown, 7 Serg. & Rawle 467, 1822 Pa. LEXIS 233 (Pa. 1822); see also, Blumner v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 66 A.2d 245, 248 (Pa. 1949); see also, Hirschberg v. Molinelli,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
39 Pa. D. & C.5th 188, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marzo-v-street-pactcompllycomi-2014.