J-A23007-16

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

PAUL J. MCARDLE IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Appellant

v.

JOSEPH W. HUFNAGEL, MARGARET M. 

HUFNAGEL, THERESA J. HUFNAGEL, J. 

JEROME MANSMANN, PATRICK W. 

MANSMANN, KATHLEEN MANSMANN 

RYGALSKI, JAMES P. MANSMANN, 

JOANNE T. MANSMANN, PETER J. 

MANSMANN, SANDRA L. MANSMANN, 

PETER L. MANSMANN, SARAH E. 

MANSMANN, KRISTINE I. MANSMANN 

SULLIVAN, THOMAS M. SULLIVAN, 

MICHELE M. MANSMANN, RONALD A. 

WEISENSTEIN, THERESA A. MANSMANN 

CAMPA, CLAYTON T. CAMPA, ELIZABETH 

MANSMANN CHAMPAGNE, KEITH J. 

CHAMPAGNE, DENISE MANSMANN BIRD, 

DANIEL L. BIRD, DANIEL F. CUSICK, 

MARY SHEILA CUSICK, COLLEEN 

CUSICK, ANNE M. MCARDLE, GEORGE R. 

FOX, III, CARRIE FOX, KELLY FOX, ERIN 

L. MARSH, DENNIS J. WELSCH, MARY P. 

WELSCH, WILLIAM P. MORGAN, 

KATHLEEN S. MORGAN, JOHN DOE, JANE 

ROE, ET AL.

Appellees No. 1056 WDA 2015

Appeal from the Order June 17, 2015

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County

Civil Division at No(s): GD 14-022519

BEFORE: LAZARUS, J., STABILE, J., and STRASSBURGER, J.*

____________________________________________

* Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
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JUDGMENT ORDER PER CURIAM: FILED DECEMBER 30, 2016

Paul J. McArdle, Esquire,1appeals from the order, entered in the Court 

of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, which awarded attorney fees in favor 

of Appellees Daniel and Mary Cusick (the Cusicks) and Dennis and Mary 

Welsch (the Welsches). We affirm. 

This matter is one of a series of proceedings with a long and 

convoluted history, all of which have been initiated by Attorney McArdle in a 

pro se capacity. In five separate cases initiated in state court,2 Attorney 

McArdle has repeatedly made conclusory and factually inadequate 

allegations against approximately thirty defendants, asserting conspiracy, 

trespass, conversion, and defamation causes of action. He has continued to 

file discovery motions and re-file complaints in violation of explicit orders not 

to do so, including an order entered July 25, 2012, which prohibited Attorney 

McArdle from pursuing additional litigation against either the same or related 

____________________________________________

1 We take judicial notice that, on November 22, 2016, subsequent to 

argument in this matter, Attorney McArdle’s license to practice law in 

Pennsylvania was suspended for one year and one day.

2 Attorney McArdle has also initiated proceedings in federal court on related 

grounds.
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defendants3regarding the same or related claims unless he was represented 

by counsel.4 See Order, 7/25/12; see also Pa.R.C.P. 233.1.

Instantly, the Cusicks and the Welsches presented motions seeking 

counsel fees in the amounts of $3,248.40 and $910.00, respectively. The 

trial court granted these motions, finding that the amounts were fair, 

reasonable and warranted in light of the improper filings in this matter. See

42 Pa.C.S. § 2503(9) (providing for award of counsel fees where “the 

conduct of another party in commencing the matter or otherwise was 

arbitrary, vexatious or in bad faith.”) Accordingly, we discern no error in the 

award of counsel fees. We find that the opinion authored by the Honorable 

Judith L. A. Friedman on September 24, 2015, comprehensively addresses 

the history of this matter and the issues raised on appeal, and we direct the 

parties to attach a copy of that opinion in the event of further proceedings.

Order affirmed.

____________________________________________

3 The Welsches were not parties to the litigation that resulted in the order of 

July 25, 2012.

4 Notably, this order was appealed to this Court, which affirmed the trial 

court on December 19, 2012. McArdle v. Hufnagel, 64 A.3d 28 (Pa. 

Super. 2012) (unpublished memorandum).
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Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.

Prothonotary

Date: 12/30/2016
Circulated 12/09/2016 10:05 AM