Court Opinion

ID: 9756711
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 21:49:03.667111+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:28.501566
License: Public Domain

CONCURRING OPINION BY
KLEIN, J.:
¶ 1 I agree with the majority that the defendant law firm has satisfied the “quality” test for determining whether the firm regularly conducts business in Philadelphia County. I also agree that under the case law, we cannot say that the trial court abuséd its discretion in concluding that the law firm’s acts in Philadelphia County satisfy the “quantity” test as well.
¶ 2 I write separately to note that in my opinion, there are no clear standards to *507guide the trial court in determining whether or not the “quantity” test has been met. Our case law is inconsistent and lacks specific guidelines for determining the appropriate quantity of contacts necessary to obtain venue over a corporation under Pa. R.C.P. 2179(a)(2). Whether or not the “quantity” test has been met is determined more by the gut feeling of the trial judge rather than by any objective standard. I note this because I believe that the matter at least merits clarification by a Court en banc, if possible.
¶ 8 In this case, a suburban-based law firm derives only 3-5% of its total revenue from its work in Philadelphia County, and most of this work is representing suburban clients. As part of the representation of suburban clients, the attorneys sometimes have to come into Philadelphia County. Sometimes it is because the suburban client was sued in Philadelphia, so that is not exactly voluntary work. Sometimes they have to come into Philadelphia County because that is where the federal court that. handles Delaware County matters sits. We certainly would not reverse the trial court if it had determined that this amount of business was small enough to fail the “quantity” test. As our case law has developed, it would be the rare case where we could say that the trial court erred no matter which way it ruled on the “quantity” test. I do not believe it serves justice to have such a loose standard. In many of these cases, it would be just as easy to achieve justice by going to the Atlantic City casinos and betting “red” or “black” on roulette as by having a judicial determination.
¶ 4 As the majority notes, “quantity of acts” means those that are so continuous and sufficient as to be considered habitual. A single act is not enough. The determination of what quantity is sufficient to confer venue must be made on a case-by-case basis. See Purcell v. Bryn Mawr Hosp., 525 Pa. 237, 579 A.2d 1282, 1285 (1990); Kisak v. Wheeling Park Comm’n, 898 A.2d 1083, 1086 (Pa.Super.2006), app. denied, 590 Pa. 669, 912 A.2d 838 (2006). The only problem is that there is no guidance in a close case. Is it 2%? 4%? 6%? 8%? It seems to depend less on the type of business than on the attitude of the trial judge.
¶ 5 Here, the trial court suggests that the “quantity” test is satisfied because the defendant law firm, which is located in Delaware County, has provided and is likely to continue providing legal services to its clients in Philadelphia courts. (Trial Court Op., 3/30/06, at 5.) Perhaps. However, the trial court does not address the actual amount of work performed by the defendants in Philadelphia County. It is undisputed that only 3-5% of the law firm’s gross revenue over a ten-year period was derived from litigation in Philadelphia.
¶ 6 In reviewing the case law, there are some cases that say 1-2% of contacts in a particular county is enough to meet the “quantity” test, while others say 3% is not enough. A sampling of the relevant cases follows.

Cases that do not meet the “quantity” test.

Singley v. Flier, 851 A.2d 200 (Pa.Super.2004): The plaintiff sued Villanova University in Philadelphia County on the ground that it held a few classes and a nursing practicum in Philadelphia. Notwithstanding the number of Philadelphia students who attend Villa-nova, because the university did not have a campus in Philadelphia, nor did it own or operate any real estate there, this Court held there was no proper venue in Philadelphia and affirmed the transfer to Delaware County. Id. at 203.
*508Goodman v. Fonslick, 844 A.2d 1252 (Pa.Super.2004): This Court held that the defendant hospital’s activities of providing a limited number of medical services to patients in Philadelphia was insufficient to confer venue in Philadelphia County. The Goodman Court emphasized that the hospital’s corporate objective was to provide medical services to patients in Montgomery County, where the hospital is located.. Id. at 1255. That seems similar to the instant case, where the objective of the law firm is to provide legal services to Delaware County clients and only go into Philadelphia when circumstances require it.
Masel v. Glassman, 456 Pa.Super. 41, 689 A.2d 314 (1997): This Court held that venue was improper in Philadelphia County where the defendant medical practice, which is located in Bucks County, derived only 3% of its gross revenue from Philadelphia residents, even though it also derived 20% of its revenue from Philadelphia third-party payors. Id. at 318. This is less activity than in the instant case.
Mathues v. Tim-Bar Corp., 438 Pa.Super. 231, 652 A.2d 349 (1994): This Court upheld a change of venue from Montgomery County to York County in an employment dispute between a salesman and his employer. The plaintiff sued his employer, which had offices in York and Adams Counties, for breach of contract in Montgomery County. The Court held that venue was improper there because the company’s acts in Montgomery County were “isolated and limited” and only two or three sales transactions took place in Montgomery County. Id. at 351.
Battuello v. Camelback Ski Corp., 409 Pa.Super. 642, 598 A.2d 1027 (1991): This Court affirmed the transfer of venue from Philadelphia County to Monroe County in a case against a Monroe County ski resort. As a basis for venue in Philadelphia, the plaintiff asserted, among other things, that a Philadelphia-based company, Eastern Ski Tours, regularly sent its customers there. In concluding that the quantity test was not met, the Court noted that “only five percent of Eastern’s customers are from Philadelphia” and “less than one percent of Camelback’s business consists of skiers sent by Eastern.” Id. at 1030. The Court also noted that “the number of Philadelphia season pass holders is extremely small in relation to the total number of season passes sold.” Id. at 1029. Once again, the activity in the instant case is equally isolated.

Cases that meet the “quantity” test.

Canter v. American Honda Motor Corp., 426 Pa. 38, 231 A.2d 140 (1967): The Supreme Court concluded that a car dealership that regularly conducted 1-2% of its total business in Philadelphia County was sufficient to satisfy the quantity test. Although the dealership was located in Delaware County, its acts of driving into Philadelphia to demonstrate cars and consummate sales were sufficient, even though they amounted to only 1-2% of its total business. Id. at 142-43.
Monaco v. Montgomery Cab Co., 417 Pa. 135, 208 A.2d 252 (1965): The Supreme Court concluded that a taxi company that collected 5-10% of its gross revenue from customer drop-offs in Philadelphia was sufficient to sustain venue in Philadelphia County. Although the company was prohibited from picking up passengers in Philadelphia, it was permitted to pick them up in Montgomery County and drop them off in Philadelphia. The Court stated, *509“A corporation may perform acts ‘regularly’ even though these acts make up a small part of its total activities.” Id. at 256. This is similar to the instant case.
¶ 7 The cases are imprecise in their discussion of the appropriate quantity of contacts. Rather than focus on raw percentages, some courts compare the number and type of contacts with the company’s overall business purpose, employing a hybrid “quality-quantity” analysis. For example, in Singley, supra, in affirming the venue transfer to Delaware County, this Court concluded:
Although one cannot dispute that the instruction of students is Villanova’s main purpose, we find that these limited classes and practical experience offered in Philadelphia County, but not at a satellite campus, do not satisfy either the quantity or quality test.
851 A.2d at 208; see also Goodman, supra. Under this standard, the law firm in this case would not be subject to venue in Philadelphia County.

Conclusion

¶ 8 In my view, none of the cases offers any clear guidance for trial courts in determining what quantity of contacts is sufficient to confer venue over a corporation under Rule 2179(a)(2). It appears that a plaintiff can file suit against a corporate defendant in any county where it conducts any amount of business, even if it is as little as 1 or 2%. I am concerned about the precedent we are setting by allowing venue to stand in Philadelphia County against a primarily suburban law practice, where it is undisputed that none of the activities giving rise to the litigation arose in Philadelphia. We may be giving plaintiffs too much leeway in selecting a forum in which to litigate their claims against a corporation.
¶ 9 In light of the conflicting case law, I believe this issue should be considered by a Court en banc. For this reason, I am compelled to concur.