Court Opinion

ID: 9641392
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:30:32.634096+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:37.108514
License: Public Domain

POMEROY, Justice,
concurring.
There is case law in the federal courts holding that in actions brought by administrative agencies to enforce subpoenas or other discovery demands, a lower court order directing or refusing to direct compliance with such demands is considered “final” and appealable under the federal final judgment rule.1 See Overnite Transportation Co. v. EEOC, 397 F.2d 368, 369 & n. 4 (5th Cir. 1968); Wilmot v. Doyle, 403 F.2d 811, 814 & n. 5 (9th Cir. 1968). See generally 9 Moore’s Federal Practice ¶ 110.13[2], at 153-59. But no Pennsylvania case that my research has disclosed has expressly adopted this rule,2 and in my judgment the rationale for permitting such an order to be considered appealable as of right is not sufficiently strong to override the weighty policy against piecemeal litigation in the appellate courts. See, e. g., Pugar v. Greco, 483 Pa. 68, 394 A.2d 542 (1978). . I do not agree with appellant that refusal to hear this direct appeal necessarily bars further effective review in cases such as this one, for Section 702(b) *39of the Judicial Code 3 provides access to appellate consideration of interlocutory orders in important cases where the trial court is willing to certify that such an order involves “a controlling question of law as to which there is a substantial ground for difference of opinion” and an appeal of which “may materially advance the ultimate termination of the matter.” Appellant, however, did not seek to employ this protective procedure in the case at bar, and accordingly I agree with the Court that this appeal should be quashed.

. 28 U.S.C. § 1291, the federal counterpart to our “final order” statutes (e. g., 42 Pa.C.S. § 722), provides in relevant part that federal “courts' of appeals shall have jurisdiction of appeals from all final decisions of the district courts of the United States.”

. In Commonwealth ex rel. Specter v. Freed, 424 Pa. 508, 228 A.2d 382 (1967), where the procedural posture was the same as the situation presented here, the question of this Court’s jurisdiction seems to have been overlooked.

. 42 Pa.C.S. § 702(b) (effective June 27, 1978), codifying Section 501(b) of the Appellate Court Jurisdiction Act, Act of July 31, 1970, P.L. 673, No. 223, art. V, 17 P.S. § 211.501(b) (Supp.1978).