Title: West v. West
Citation: 301 Pa. Super. 75, 446 A.2d 1342
Docket Number: N/A
State: Pennsylvania
Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Date: June 18, 1982

301 Pa. Superior Ct. 75 (1982) 446 A.2d 1342 Ruth Grace S. WEST v. Sidney WEST, Appellant. Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Argued February 22, 1982. Filed June 18, 1982. *76 Carolyn E. Temin, Philadelphia, for appellant. William D. Parry, Philadelphia, for appellee. Before CAVANAUGH, McEWEN and HOFFMAN, JJ. PER CURIAM: This is an appeal from an "INTERIM ORDER" compelling appellant to pay appellee $180 "per week for support and maintenance . . . until further ORDER." Appellant contends that the order is final and appealable. See, e.g., Paul v. Paul, 281 Pa.Superior Ct. 202, 209, 421 A.2d 1219, 1223 (1980). Appellee contends, however, and we agree, that the order is not final and that the appeal is interlocutory and must be quashed. Toll v. Toll, 293 Pa.Superior Ct. 549, 555, 439 A.2d 712, 715 (1981). The order appears final insofar as it compels appellant to pay support, but it also "invite[s] him back into court," Conaway v. 20th Century Corp., 491 Pa. 189, 196, 420 A.2d 405, 409 (1980) (order dismissing complaint "in accordance with . . . opinion" that invited reconsideration was not final), for the "completion of testimony." The order was captioned "INTERIM ORDER," and, although that label alone does not justify a conclusion that the order is not final, there are ample indications in the record that both attorneys and the court contemplated further proceedings before entering a final support order. See N.T. August 18, 1981 at 93-101, R.29b-37b (counsel indicating desire to call additional witnesses; discussing propriety of "Interim Order" with court). Moreover, the lower court's opinion articulates its motivation for entering the subject order: Although the lower court's order could have been more explicit, we are satisfied that the practical effect of the order was not to preclude appellant from presenting the merits of his claim to the court. Consequently, because we conclude that the order was not final, we must quash the appeal as interlocutory. Appeal quashed.