Philadelphia v. Schreiber

6 Pa. D. & C.3d 255, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 98
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedJuly 1, 1977
Docketno. 3873
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Pa. D. & C.3d 255 (Philadelphia v. Schreiber) 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
Philadelphia v. Schreiber, 6 Pa. D. & C.3d 255, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 98 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1977).

Opinion

GELFAND, J.,

The matter before this court arises out of a complaint in equity brought by the City of Philadelphia (hereinafter referred to as the “city”) against one David Schreiber (hereinafter referred to as “defendant”). Defendant at all times material to this action was the owner of a fruit stand located on the south side of Hunting Park Avenue, east of Whitaker Avenue, in Philadelphia.

The facts of this case indicate that on March 25, 1974, defendant applied to and received from the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, Permit Issuance Section, a zoning and use registration permit for a temporary carport. The zoning and use registration permit issued to defendant granted him permission to erect the carport four feet back from property line. This property line begins at the end of the Hunting Park Avenue footway which is 20 feet in width. Defendant was [256]*256granted said permit only after being advised that no encroachment upon the footway was permissible.

On or about August 8, 1974, defendant or his agent was served by a representative of the Philadelphia Department of Streets with a notice that he was in violation of section 9.205(4) of the Philadelphia Code (since re-numbered: §9.205 (8)(m)) in that a fruit stand which defendant had erected in front of the aforementioned property was encroaching upon the footway area of Hunting Park Avenue. Section 9.205(4) provides in part, that: “No goods, wares or merchandise, by themselves or in stands, whether for sale or otherwise, may be displayed, sold or placed on any part of the sidewalk of any street so as to reduce the footway space to less than 6 feet, except as provided by regulation of the Department of Streets.”

Defendant did not comply with the city’s request to remedy this alleged violation. Thereafter, a code enforcement complaint was brought by the city. On November 29, 1974, a hearing was held in the Municipal Court of Philadelphia in which it was determined that defendant was, in fact, violating section 9.205(4). That court ordered the encroachment removed.

Following the hearing and determination of the Municipal Court, defendant petitioned the Philadelphia Board of Licenses and Inspections Review (hereinafter referred to as “the board”) for redress. The board heard defendant’s argument and in October, 1975, upheld his position granting him an exception to maintain the encroachment. (See defendant’s Exhibit A.)

In November, 1975, a representative of the Department of Streets again inspected the premises at issue here, determined that defendant was in violation of section 9.205(4), in that his fruit [257]*257stand was encroaching upon the footway area, and served him with a violation notice requiring him to remove the encroachment. Defendant refused to comply.

The city now comes before this court with a complaint in equity, basing the jurisdiction of this court upon section 9.103(1) of the Philadelphia Code which states in part, that:

“In addition to any penalty imposed by this Chapter and any other remedy at law or in equity under this Title, the City may apply to a Court of Common Pleas or the County Court of Phñadelphia for appropriate relief at law or in equity to enforce compliance with, or restrain violation of any provision of this Title.”

Defendant does not claim that he has not been in technical violation of section 9.205(4); but rather that the board had granted to him an exception to this code provision exempting him from its requirements. On this basis defendant claims that this court lacks jurisdiction over the matter. Defendant’s view is that the issues before this court have already been determined by the board and, thus, this action is barred by the doctrine of res judicata.

The initial issue this court must face, then, is whether it possesses the jurisdiction to determine the matter. Upon examination of the memoranda of law submitted and argument heard, this court determines that it does have jurisdiction over this matter. Defendant’s view is based upon his mistaken belief that the city is before this court by means of an appeal of the board’s action, and an attempt to reinstate the determination of the Municipal Court that defendant was violating section 9.205(4) in August, 1974. However, this is not [258]*258the case. The city is not attempting to reinstate the Municipal Court’s determination that defendant was violating section 9.205(4) based upon the violation notice of August, 1974, but rather the city has instituted an entirely new action based upon defendant’s refusal to comply with the violation notice he received in November, 1975. The city’s complaint before this court then, deals solely with defendant’s activity from November, 1975, and not prior. On this basis it is apparent that this court does have jurisdiction over this matter based upon section 9.103(1).

Furthermore, even if defendant were correct in his view that the city is attempting to reinstate the Municipal Court determination through appeal to this court, his argument would still fail. The efficacy of this court’s consideration of the matter would then rest upon the fact that the city raises the question of jurisdication of the board in granting the exception to section 9.205(4) to defendant which is the basis of defendant’s defense.

The cases make clear that an attack on the jurisdiction of a decision-rendering court or board may always be raised in a collateral proceeding: Smith v. Gallagher, 408 Pa. 551, 185 A. 2d 135 (1962). An attack on jurisdiction may be heard at any time and is not prohibited by res judicata and collateral estoppel doctrines: Fowler v. Eddy, 110 Pa. 117, 1 Atl. 789 (1885); Simpson’s Estate, 253 Pa. 217, 98 Atl. 35 (1916); Adam Eidemiller, Inc. v. State Hwy. & Bridge Auth., 408 Pa. 195, 102 A. 2d 911 (1962). Further, in its decision the board itself noted that its determination does not preclude the city from opening the case if in the future a hazardous or dangerous condition arises to pedestrian traffic. (Defendant’s Exhibit A.)

[259]*259As noted earlier, defendant does not deny that he is technically in violation of section 9.205(4). Defendant’s only claim is that he was granted an exception to maintain the encroachment of the Hunting Park Avenue footway by the board on October 1, 1975. Therefore, the only issue remaining for consideration by this court is whether the board had the power to grant the exception it granted to defendant on October 1, 1975.

The city maintains that the exception granted to defendant by the board was null and void and, thus, cannot be raised as a valid defense to its complaint. The city argues, and this court agrees, that the board’s action in overturning the Municipal Court adjudication violated the doctrine of res judicata and was an attempt to create jurisdiction of this matter in a body which did not have such.

The res judicata doctrine stands for the principle that the judgment of every court on matters within its jurisdiction is conclusive on every other court: Com. ex rel. v. Speer, 267 Pa. 129, 110 Atl. 268 (1920); Marsh v. Pier, 4 Rawle 273 (1833). Under this doctrine, a judgment on the merits in a prior suit involving the same parties or their privies bars a second suit on the same cause of action: Lawlor v. National Screen Service Corp., 349 U.S. 322 (1955).

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Related

Lawlor v. National Screen Service Corp.
349 U.S. 322 (Supreme Court, 1955)
Goldstein v. Ahrens
108 A.2d 693 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1954)
Smith v. Gallagher
185 A.2d 135 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1962)
Blum v. Goldman
79 A.2d 248 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1951)
Fleming v. Strayer
80 A.2d 786 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1951)
Hochman v. Mortgage Finance Corp.
137 A. 252 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1927)
Jones v. Costlow
47 A.2d 259 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1946)
Fowler v. Eddy
1 A. 789 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1885)
Simpson's Estate
98 A. 35 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1916)
Commonwealth v. Speer
110 A. 268 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1920)
Adam Eidemiller, Inc. v. State Highway & Bridge Authority
408 Pa. 195 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1962)
Marsh v. Pier
4 Rawle 273 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1833)

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Bluebook (online)
6 Pa. D. & C.3d 255, 1977 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 98, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/philadelphia-v-schreiber-pactcomplphilad-1977.