Court Opinion

ID: 9646365
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 12:58:00.965893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:05:30.692472
License: Public Domain

*89ROBERTS, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent. The majority, in reversing the decree of the Orphans’ Court Division vacating judgment without prejudice so that all real parties in interest may be made a party to the proceedings, loses sight of the fact that orphans’ court proceedings are basically equitable in nature and are to be conducted accordingly. See Orphans’ Court Rule 3.1; Cf. Smith v. Dale, 405 Pa. 293, 175 A.2d 78 (1961) (action in assumpsit). The propriety of relief is therefore to be determined on the basis of equitable principles. The scope of our review in such instances is limited to the question of whether the action of the orphans’ court constituted an abuse of discretion. Smith v. Dale, supra.
Here, the orphans’ court, while noting that the carelessness and negligence of the Credit Union caused the present confusion, nevertheless determined that the interests of justice required that the son, the real party in interest, be before the Court prior to proceeding further. I cannot conclude that this was an abuse of discretion. The funds in the Credit Union account have not yet been distributed. The orphans’ court carefully provided that its action was without prejudice to appellant’s right to file an amended petition for citation to all real parties in interest to show cause why the funds held by the Credit Union should not be paid to her. Appellant may now proceed to prove her entitlement to the funds. The action of the orphans’ court, unlike the majority opinion, allows the determination of who is entitled to the funds decedent had deposited with the Credit Union to be made in a single proceeding. Thus, I dissent and would affirm the action of the Orphans’ Court Division.