Court Opinion

ID: 9762986
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:34:55.78359+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:55:08.656099
License: Public Domain

CIRILLO, Judge,
dissenting.
As the majority correctly states, the decision whether to grant a petition to open a judgment of non pros is within the discretion of the trial court and an appellate court will not reverse the decision of the trial court unless there has been a clear abuse of discretion or an error of law. Triffin v. Thomas, 316 Pa.Super. 273, 462 A.2d 1346 (1983). I find that the trial court has not abused its discretion in this case. Therefore, I must respectfully dissent.
A judgment of non-pros will only be opened if three criteria are met: 1) the petition is timely filed; 2) the reason for the default is reasonably explained or excused; and 3) the facts constituting grounds for the cause of action are alleged. Buxbaum v. Pequero, 335 Pa.Super. 289, 484 A.2d 137 (1984). It is my opinion that the appellants have failed to meet the second criterion; they have failed to satisfactorily explain their failure to file a complaint. In their petition to open judgment of non-pros, appellants assert two reasons why judgment should be opened in order to allow them to prosecute their claim. Appellants first contend that they needed time to compile “all of the relevant medical records and reports needed in order to file the Civil Complaint.” I find this claim unreasonable. The law of this Commonwealth does not require that a plaintiff gather all medical reports and records before a complaint is filed. White v. Alston, 231 Pa.Super. 438, 331 A.2d 765 (1974). Complaints need only plead the damages sought, not the specific treatment received.
Appellants’ second argument is that their attorney was granted several oral extensions of time by appellee’s attorney *22to file a complaint. The record reveals that appellants were granted one extension of time by letter from appellee’s attorney. The letter extended the time to file the complaint to August 1, 1990. Appellant contends that subsequent to that date several additional extensions of time were granted by telephone. Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 201 dictates that any business of court conducted by attorneys must be memorialized in a writing in order to bind the parties. This rule has been extended to agreements regarding extensions of time. See Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital v. Hubbard, 267 Pa.Super. 436, 406 A.2d 1120 (1979). Therefore, any oral extensions of time, which appellants claim were granted by appellee, are invalid because they were not memorialized in writing.
The majority finds that since appellants averred that the complaint was timely filed due to extensions granted by appellee, and the appellee asserted that they did not grant such extensions, an evidentiary hearing should be held in accordance with Rule 209 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure in order to resolve the disputed issues of fact. However, under Rule 201 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure there are no disputed issues of fact. The record reveals only one written extension of time. Therefore, only that one written extension can be considered by the court. The majority states that because the trial court acted prematurely in denying appellants’ petition to open without first considering proof of their averments, the case should be remanded to allow appellants to proceed as provided by Rule 209. I disagree. Remand is not required when either the petitioner or respondent lists the case for argument on the basis of the petition and answer alone. Lazzarotti v. Juliano, 322 Pa.Super. 129, 469 A.2d 216 (1983). Here, appellee listed the case for argument subsequent to the filing of a petition and answer. The parties had ample opportunity to present argument about the oral extensions of time to the trial court. Therefore, the majority’s finding that the trial court erred in failing to order the parties to proceed pursuant to Rule 209 is meritless.
*23An evidentiary hearing to determine whether any oral extensions were granted would be an exercise in futility; oral extensions are not binding. See Pa.R.C.P. 201. Under Rule 201 and the case law of the Commonwealth appellants have failed to establish a valid explanation or excuse for not filing a timely complaint. Thus, I would affirm the trial court’s order denying the petition to open the non-pros judgment.