Opinion ID: 2549762
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Bonner

Text: At trial, Theodore Krohn, appellant's former law clerk, testified appellant presided over a bench trial in State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Bonner, Luzerne County Docket No. 2147-C-2000. He testified he thought State Farm should prevail, but appellant indicated she was going to decide in favor of the Bonners because they were a somewhat prominent Italian family in the Hazelton area who had supported [appellant] politically. Lokuta I, at 1112. As the Board had not mentioned this case in its complaint, appellant objected, claiming she had no notice of it. The court permitted the Board to amend its complaint to include Bonner, finding appellant had sufficient notice because the Board informed her about Bonner more than a year before. The court further reasoned even if the Board raised Bonner in its complaint, the outcome would have been no different. Id., at 1112-14. Appellant alleges the Board failed to set forth sufficiently particularized notice of the charges against her, denying her due process by depriving her of the opportunity to defend against the charges. Appellant highlights Bonner, where she was sanctioned despite not receiving notice in the complaint. [8] The Board contends the court acted within its proper discretion in allowing it to amend its complaint. The Board alleges it did not include Bonner in its complaint because Krohn could not properly identify the case, and it was only introduced when Krohn unexpectedly referred to it during direct examination. Nonetheless, the Board suggests appellant was given notice of the existence of this claim on three occasions more than a year before Krohn testified. Further, appellant had nearly two months from when Bonner was identified until Krohn completed his testimony. Thus, the Board argues she had ample notice of Bonner. [T]he Conference Judge may, in his or her discretion, permit substantive amendments to a Board Complaint with the written consent of the Judicial Officer or after a hearing on the motion in open court. Pa.C.J.D.R.P. 303(a). It is well-settled... the right to amend pleadings is within the sound discretion of the trial court and should be liberally granted. Ash v. Continental Insurance Co., 593 Pa. 523, 932 A.2d 877, 879 (2007). [9] Appellant was informed of Krohn's allegations more than a year before he testified. Although the case's name was not revealed until trial, appellant still had more than a month to prepare a response. Further, appellant does not further identify how she was prejudiced by the court's decision to allow the Board to amend its complaint. She does not indicate she was unable to complete any necessary investigation or procure witnesses. Thus, the court did not abuse its discretion in permitting the Board to amend its complaint and introduce evidence regarding Bonner. Likewise, as appellant does not show how she was prejudiced by the admission of Bonner, she cannot prove her due process rights were violated. See Commonwealth v. Brado, 470 Pa. 306, 368 A.2d 643, 645 (1977) (Under most circumstances, a claim of due process violation requires a showing of identifiable prejudice....). Accordingly, this claim fails.