McCarthy v. SEPTA

44 Pa. D. & C.4th 358, 2000 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedApril 14, 2000
Docketno. 2855
StatusPublished

This text of 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 358 (McCarthy v. SEPTA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCarthy v. SEPTA, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 358, 2000 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2000).

Opinion

FIELD, J.,

— Plaintiff, Jonann McCarthy, appeals from this court’s order of January 28, 2000, denying her post-trial motion. For the reasons which follow, the post-trial motion was properly denied, and the judgment entered in favor of the defendant, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, should be affirmed.

This suit arises out of injuries sustained by plaintiff on June 19, 1996, while she was working as a foreman for SEPTA. She and her work crew were to unload railroad ties at the work site. Normally such a task would be performed with more workers and different equipment than was available on site at that time. Rather than wait for more workers and equipment, plaintiff decided to perform the work manually. While moving the lumber, a piece of timber swung back at the plaintiff, causing injury to her back. After six days of trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of SEPTA, finding that SEPTA was not negligent.

Prior to trial, defendant had filed a motion in limine to preclude the admission of statements of three SEPTA employees which were obtained ex parte by plaintiff’s counsel, without prior notice to SEPTA’s counsel. On May 17, 1999, the motion was granted, and the statements were precluded, and Mr. Keller, plaintiff’s lead counsel, was instructed that any further ex parte contacts were prohibited. The following day it was revealed that, despite the instructions of the previous day, the three witnesses were waiting in Mr. Keller’s office, and had [360]*360been provided with lunch as well. Consequently, Mr. Keller was disqualified as counsel. However, in the interest of allowing the matter to proceed, the court allowed Mr. Keller’s associate, Mr. Goggin, to proceed to trial, as he clearly had familiarity with the case and would be able to try this matter ably.

Plaintiff raised several grounds for relief in her post-trial motion. The majority pertain to the disqualification of Mr. Keller. First, whether what he did was improper; and second, whether the court could properly impose such sanctions. The:remainder of plaintiff’s arguments concern jury instructions. These will be discussed in turn.

• The basis of-defendant’s motion in limine was Rule 4.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which provides:

“Rule 4.2 Communication with person represented by counsel
“In representing a client, a lawyer shall not communicate about the subject of the representation with a party the lawyer knows to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the consent of the other lawyer or is authorized by law to do so.”

The official comment explains that in the case of an organization, this rule prohibits communications by a lawyer for one party with persons having managerial responsibility on behalf of the organization, and “with any other person whose act or omission ... may be imputed to the organization ... or whose statement may constitute an admission on the part of the organization.” (emphasis added) When read in conjunction with Rule 803(25) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence, the contact was clearly improper. Rule 803(25) provides that a statement may be admissible as an admission by a party-opponent when, inter aha, it is a statement by the party’s agent or servant concerning a matter within the scope of [361]*361the agency or employment. Pa.R.E. 803(25)(D). Hence, this court rejects the plaintiff’s argument that Rule 4.2 does not apply.

Plaintiff’s next argument is that even if 4.2 does apply, it is preempted by section 60 of the Federal Employer’s Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. §51 et seq. This section states that any rule or regulation which prohibits the employees of a common carrier from voluntarily giving information shall be void. However, contrary to plaintiff’s interpretation, Rule 4.2 does not prohibit her attorneys from obtaining statements from other SEPTA employees, it merely prescribes the proper procedures for obtaining such information. Hence, 45 U.S.C. §60 does not preempt Rule 4.2 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. Belote v. Maritrans Operating Partners L.P., 1998 A.M.C. 1781, 1998 WL 136523 (E.D. Pa. 1998).

Having determined that counsel’s actions were improper, we turn to the issue of sanctions. It is well established that a trial court has the power to regulate the conduct of attorneys practicing before it. American Dredging Co. v. City of Philadelphia, 480 Pa. 177, 183, 389 A.2d 568, 571 (1978). Where a breach of ethics occurs, the court may grant a motion to disqualify and remove the offending attorney. Id., 480 Pa. at 184, 389 A.2d at 572. In deciding whether to disqualify counsel, a court must balance a client’s right to choose with the opposing party’s right to prepare and try a case without prejudice. Belote, supra. A client’s right to choice of counsel in a civil case is not absolute. Papalia v. Montour Auto Service Co., 452 Pa. Super. 395, 682 A.2d 343 (1996).

At oral argument on the post-trial motion, Mr. Goggin advanced the argument that if Mr. Keller was properly disqualified, then his entire firm, including Mr. Goggin, [362]*362should have also been disqualified, and that a mistrial would then have been appropriate. The general rule governing imputed disqualification is set forth in Rule 1.10 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits all the lawyers of a firm from representing a client whom any one of the lawyers would be prohibited from representing under Rules 1.7,1.8(c), 1.9 or 2.2. Rule 1.10 refers to situations where a lawyer is disqualified due to a conflict of interest. By its terms, Rule 1.10 does not apply to a disqualification imposed as a sanction for a particular lawyer’s behavior.

Here, it was Mr. Keller’s personal actions, and his continued actions contrary to the court’s stated position, that warranted his removal. Mr. Goggin, despite his protestations, was not unfamiliar with the case. He had been acting as co-counsel and knew the case well. He tried the case with expertise and has been unable to cite any specific failure on his part which could have prejudiced the plaintiff. Furthermore, the plaintiff herself did not object at trial to proceeding with Mr. Goggin in Mr. Keller’s stead. As noted above, a party in a civil action does not have an absolute right to counsel of choice. Where, as here, there is no evidence of malpractice on the part of her attorney, plaintiff’s right to counsel was not infringed. Papalia, 452 Pa. Super. at 401, 882 A.2d at 346.

Finally, plaintiff asserts that the court erred in its instructions to the jury and that she is therefore entitled to a new trial. This argument is without merit. The standard of review for jury instructions is whether the trial court committed clear abuse of discretion or error of law controlling the outcome of the case. Stewart v. Motts, 539 Pa. 596, 654 A.2d 535 (1995). A new trial is not warranted on the ground of inadequacy of the charge [363]

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Related

Boutte v. Seitchik
719 A.2d 319 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1998)
American Dredging Co. v. City of Philadelphia
389 A.2d 568 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)
Stewart v. Motts
654 A.2d 535 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1995)
Wilson v. Anderson
616 A.2d 34 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Papalia v. Montour Auto Service Co.
682 A.2d 343 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Chemical Natural Resources, Inc. v. Republic of Venezuela
215 A.2d 864 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
44 Pa. D. & C.4th 358, 2000 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccarthy-v-septa-pactcomplphilad-2000.