Sherman v. Brooks

20 Pa. D. & C.4th 59, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County
DecidedDecember 15, 1993
Docketno. 92-SU-05077-04
StatusPublished

This text of 20 Pa. D. & C.4th 59 (Sherman v. Brooks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sherman v. Brooks, 20 Pa. D. & C.4th 59, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1993).

Opinion

CASSEMATIS, /.,

This matter is before the court pursuant to the preliminary objections of the defendants, Peter A. Brooks a/k/a Herbert Wilson Sherman, Jr., and Rose Marie Barrick Brooks [hereinafter “defendants” unless further specified], to the amended complaint filed by the plaintiff, Rose E. Sherman, an incompetent, by Farmers Bank & Trust Company, her guardian [hereinafter “plaintiff’ unless further specified].1 The preliminary objections are brought in the nature of a demurrer, motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and a motion to strike.

According to the amended complaint filed on January 22, 1993, the plaintiff is the owner of real property in Shrewsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania, [60]*60which is known as parcel 21 of tax map 2 for the 84th District, Shrewsbury.2 The plaintiff acquired title to the property on March 20, 1964 through a deed recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds in and for York County, Pennsylvania, on page 115 of deed book, volume 55-T.

The amended complaint alleges that defendants presently reside on the property, that plaintiff has no lease [61]*61agreement with defendants and that defendants have not paid rent to the plaintiff.

On July 24, 1992, Farmers Bank & Trust Company mailed to defendant Peter A. Brooks a letter asking defendant whether he was a party to any lease with the plaintiff. The letter provided for the following:

“Dear Mr. Brooks:
“Farmers Bank and Trust Company has been appointed guardian of the financial affairs of Rose Sherman by the Orphans’ Court of York County, York, PA. Based on our legal obligation under this appointment, it is necessary for us to sell Mrs. Sherman’s real estate in order to pay her various past due and ongoing expenses. Please notify us within 30 days of the date of this letter if you have any written lease arrangement with Mrs. Sherman. If you do not have any such document, you are hereby requested to vacate the premises immediately. If you have not done so within 30 days we will initiate an eviction action. We will be making arrangements to have the property appraised and to fist the property with a real estate agent. If you have any interest in purchasing the property at its fair market value, we would be willing to discuss this with you further.
“If you have any questions, please contact me.”

The amended complaint alleges that the letter was returned unclaimed and that the defendants continue to reside on the subject property without any legal right and without the owner’s permission.

DEMURRER

Any party in a civil action may raise by preliminary objection a demurrer. Pa.R.C.P. 1017. A demurrer is an [62]*62assertion that a pleading does not set forth a cause of action or claim on which relief can be granted, or a legally sufficient defense. Binswanger v. Levy, 311 Pa. Super. 41, 457 A.2d 103 (1983).

“A preliminary objection in the nature of a demurrer admits every well-pleaded fact and all inferences reasonably deducible therefrom. It tests the legal sufficiency of the challenged complaint and will be sustained only in cases where the pleader has clearly failed to state a claim for which relief may be granted. If there is any doubt as to whether a claim for relief has been stated, the trial court should resolve it in favor of overruling the demurrer.” (citation omitted) Creeger Brick and Building Supply, Inc. v. Mid-State Bank and Trust Company, SEDA, 385 Pa. Super. 30, 32-33, 560 A.2d 151, 152 (1989).

“Further every allegation in the plaintiff’s complaint must be accepted as true.” (citation omitted) Satchel v. Insurance Placement Facility of Pennsylvania, 241 Pa. Super. 287, 292, 361 A.2d 375, 377 (1976).

“Conclusions of law and unjustified inferences are not admitted by the pleading. Starting from this point of reference the complaint must be examined to determine whether it sets forth a cause of action which, if proved, would entitle the party to the relief sought. If such is the case, the demurrer may not be sustained.” (citations omitted) Sinn v. Burd, Appeal of JoAnne Marie Sinn, 486 Pa. 146, 149-150, 404 A.2d 672, 674 (1979).

“This standard is so rigorous that Pennsylvania courts have cautiously and reluctantly applied it to dismiss causes of action. If any error is to be made or any bias encountered, it is to be in favor of overruling the preliminary objections [63]*63‘[wjhere a doubt exists as to whether a demurrer should be sustained, this doubt should be resolved in favor of overruling it.’ ” (citation omitted) Lefever v. Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania, Inc., 46 D.&C.3d 421, 424 (1987).

Defendants initially assert that to the extent that the plaintiff contends that defendants are tenants at-will or holdover tenants, she fails to aver proper service of any notice to quit required under Pennsylvania law. Plaintiff avers that a letter dated July 24,1992, supra was addressed to defendant Peter Brooks, but avers that the letter was returned unclaimed.

Pursuant to 68 PS. §250.501, defendants argue that service of a notice to quit is required to state a claim for ejectment.

“Section 250.501. Notice to quit.

A landlord desirous of repossessing real property from a tenant may notify, in writing, the tenant to remove from the same at the expiration of the time specified in the notice under the following circumstances, namely, (1) upon the termination of a term of the tenant, (2) or upon forfeiture of the lease for breach of its conditions, (3) or upon the failure of the tenant, upon demand, to satisfy any rent reserved and due.

In case of the expiration of a term or of a forfeiture for breach of the conditions of the lease where the lease is for any term of less than one year or for an indeterminate time, the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within 30 days from the date of service thereof, and when the lease is for one year or more, then within three months from the date of service thereof. In case of failure of the tenant, upon demand, to satisfy any rent reserved and due, the notice, if given on or after April first and [64]*64before September first, shall specify that the tenant shall remove within 15 days from the date of the service thereof, and if given on or after September first and before April first, then within 30 days from the date of the service thereof.

In case of termination due to the provisions of section 505-A, (footnote one omitted), the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within 15 days from the date of service thereof.

The notice above provided for may be for a lesser time or may be waived by the tenant if the lease so provides.

The notice provided for in this section may be served personally on the tenant, or by leaving the same at the principal building upon the premises, or by posting the same conspicuously on the leased premises.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
20 Pa. D. & C.4th 59, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sherman-v-brooks-pactcomplyork-1993.