Court Opinion

ID: 9757837
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 23:01:08.597271+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:44.805377
License: Public Domain

NIX, Justice,
dissenting.
The majority, after concluding that Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas had the right to promulgate local rule procedures covering the area addressed by Montgomery County Rule of Civil Procedure No. 302(d), attempts, nevertheless, to strike it down by claiming that it is in conflict with Rule 126 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. I find no such conflict. Our Rule 126 providing for liberal construction and application of rules generally was never intended to prohibit a court from providing procedures which will ensure the expeditious disposition of matters before the Court.
The time frames set forth in the rule as it then existed were reasonable. Appellant’s claim of ignorance of the rule change has a hollow ring where the amendment had been in effect for over two months when the complained of incident occurred.
Nor am I impressed by the majority’s attempt to suggest an unfairness resulting from different results depending upon the defaulting party. Where the moving party fails to comply, the rule provided that the motion, petition or preliminary objection will be dismissed. Where as here the responding party is in default, the motion, petition or preliminary objection is granted. In each instance, the defaulting party loses the issue. The fact that it may result in a termination of the action where the defaulting party is the respondent does not create a disparity.
I, therefore, dissent.