National Council of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics v. Roberson

248 A.2d 861, 214 Pa. Super. 9, 1969 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1361
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 8, 1969
DocketAppeal, No. 67
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 248 A.2d 861 (National Council of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics v. Roberson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Council of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics v. Roberson, 248 A.2d 861, 214 Pa. Super. 9, 1969 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1361 (Pa. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinions

Opinion by

Montgomery, J.,

On October 1, 1967 the defendants-appellants entered into a month to month lease with the plaintiffappellee, acting through its agent W. P. Horner, for premises at 627 Duff Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at a rental of $65 per month payable on the first day of each month in advance. The rent was paid for the months of October, November and December, 1967, but as of January 25, 1968 the January rent had not been paid. On that day, January 25, 1968 the Allegheny County Health Department declared the property eligible for rent withholding as of January 25, 1968. However, without knowledge of this action, appellants paid the January rent to Mr. Horner on January 26, 1968.

On February 26, 1968 appellants were advised in writing by the Allegheny County Health Department [11]*11that the property occupied by them had been declared eligible for rent withholding by the Allegheny County Health Department on January 25, 1968, and further that, “Under State law, a Rent Withholding Program has been designed to encourage landlords to make needed repairs. If you choose to use this plan, you will continue to pay your rent, only instead of paying it to your landlord you would pay it into an Escrow Account at Mellon Bank. You will continue to pay rent to Mellon Bank until you have been notified by the Allegheny County Health Department that the needed repairs have been made, following a reinspection of the property in your presence.

“If, after six months, the needed repairs have not been made and properly certified, the money remaining in the Escrow Account would be paid back to you.

“Should you decide to withhold your rent, please appear immediately at the Allegheny County Health Department, Room 649, City-County Building, telephone number 281-4900, extension 784. If you want to use this program, it is important that you act quickly since the law protects you against eviction only while you are paying your rent into the Escrow Account.”

On March 28, 1968 appellants received a similar notice from the Bureau of Building Inspectors of the City of Pittsburgh which recited that on March 26, 1968 it had also declared the property eligible for rent withholding; and on the same day it notified W. P. Horner, appellee’s agent, that the building was in an unsafe condition, with directions to abate it at once or the building would be subject to condemnation proceedings.

On February 29, 1968 appellants paid the February rent into the escrow account; on April 5, 1968 they paid the March rent into it; on May 15, 1968 they paid [12]*12the April rent into it; but they did not pay the May rent into it until July 3, 1968. Thereafter, on July 10, 1968 they paid the June rent into the account.

On June 24, 1968 when both the May and June rents were in default, according to the terms of the lease, appellee caused to be entered judgment in ejectment against appellants in an amicable proceeding at No. 4216 July Term, 1968 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County as authorized by the lease, in which it claimed possession and damages in the amount of $195, being two months rent at $65 per month and an attorney’s commission of $65. A writ of possession, based on the judgment, was issued at Ex. No. 700 July Term, 1968. However,. before the writ of possession was executed appellants filed a petition to open the judgment and to stay the writ of execution. A rule to show cause was thereupon issued returnable August 2, 1968. On the return day, after oral argument on the petition and an answer thereto filed by appellants, Hon. Gwilym A. Price, Jr., Judge, entered the following order: “And Now, to-wit, this 2nd day of August, 1968, after hearing,1 it is Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed that the captioned matter be and the same is continued upon condition that the Defendants shall pay promptly, into escrow, rent due for July and August, 1968, and that thereafter rent be paid either into escrow or to the Plaintiff should the property be removed from rent withholding, on the first day of September, 1968, and on the first day of each and every month thereafter in advance as long as the relationship of landlord and tenant exists.

“This Order is entered without prejudice to the right of the Plaintiffs to proceed with the Amicable Ejectment and execution of the Writ of Possession filed [13]*13at the above number and term, after hearing, should it then be proven that the Defendants have not complied with the provisions hereof concerning the payment of rent. In the event the premises is removed from rent withholding and the Plaintiff elects to terminate the lease according to its terms, it may proceed with the Amicable Ejectment and execution of the Writ of Possession after Petition and Order to discharge the Rule heretofore granted. By the Court, Price, Jr.”

It clearly appears that this order was interlocutory in nature and provided only for a future disposition of the petition to open as answered by the appellants. However, on August 19, 1968, Judge Price, being advised that the appellants had not fulfilled the condition of the continuance by paying the rent due August first, discharged the rule to show cause why the judgment should not be opened and directed the Sheriff to proceed with the execution. This order was made without a hearing as intended by the order of August second and on the ex parte application of appellee’s attorney without sufficient notice to appellants’ counsel to enable him to contact his clients about the rent for July and August. The July rent had been paid into the escrow account on August 1, 1968 and the August rent was subsequently paid on August 20, 1968. The September rent was paid September 25, and the October rent on October 9. The November rent was paid on November 5, although on October 22, 1968 the Allegheny County Health Department, after hearing at which it was determined the necessary repairs had not been made, had ordered the money in the escrow account returned to the appellants.

Appellants took no appeal from the August 19 order of Judge Price but instead, on October 2, having been again threatened with eviction, petitioned the court for a further stay of execution and for an amendment of [14]*14Judge Price’s order of August 19 so as to permit the payment of subsequent rentals between the first and tenth of each month instead of on the first of each month as provided in said order and lease. This petition was presented to Hon. Arthur Wessel, Jr., who was the presiding judge for the month of September (which extended until the first Monday of October or October seventh) in the assignment room of Common Pleas Court where petitions are presented under local Rule of Court. Judge Wessel again stayed execution and amended the August 19 order of Judge Price only in the particular that future monthly payments could be made on or before the twelfth of the month they were due. The next step in these proceedings is a petition by appellee presented to Judge Wessel to strike off his order of October 2 and reinstate the August 19 order of Judge Price. A rule to show cause was granted on this petition returnable October 21, 1968, to which an answer was filed by appellants. This return day was during the term of Hon. Ralph H. Smith, Jr., in the assignment room. On the return day of the rule, Judge Smith considered the petition and answer and on November 15, 1968 made the rule absolute, thereby setting aside Judge Wessel’s order of October 2, and providing that “The parties may proceed to pursue their rights sec. reg. et sec.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
248 A.2d 861, 214 Pa. Super. 9, 1969 Pa. Super. LEXIS 1361, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-council-of-the-junior-order-of-united-american-mechanics-v-pasuperct-1969.