Court Opinion

ID: 9712448
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:54:13.624544+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:12.301056
License: Public Domain

HOFFMAN, Judge,
dissenting:
I dissent. I would affirm the lower court’s order dismissing appellant’s complaint pursuant to Montgomery County Rule of Civil Procedure 302(d) because: (1) contrary to the majority’s conclusion, the record contains no evidence that the brief was ever filed anywhere; and (2) appellant’s only excuse avers nothing more than the mere inadvertence of counsel.
*198Appellant’s brief and oral argument to this Court stated that the required brief was filed with the prothonotary’s office rather than the court administrator’s office as required. Mere allegations in a party’s written and oral arguments, however, do not place otherwise omitted facts on the record for appeal. “An appellate court may not consider facts or materials referred to in a party’s brief but not of record.” Guy v. Eberle, 279 Pa.Superior Ct. 101, 122, 420 A.2d 1050, 1062 (1980). Accord, Marine Bank v. Huhta, 279 Pa.Superior Ct. 130, 420 A.2d 1066 (1980); In the Interest of Carroll, 260 Pa.Superior Ct. 23, 393 A.2d 993 (1978). Accordingly, the alleged fact that the brief was misfiled is not properly before us, and the majority’s reliance upon appellant’s self-serving, non-record statements is manifestly improper.
Astonishingly, even if we could consider the allegations in appellant’s brief, they do not assert a reasonable excuse for violation of the local rule, because they aver nothing more than the mere inadvertence of counsel. Although this Court has willingly afforded procedural and substantive relief to parties presenting a reasonable excuse for noncompliance with Montgomery County Rule of Civil Procedure 302(d),* in all cases “the reason given for the noncompliance [must be] more than mere inadvertence of counsel.” Haney v. Sabia, *19959 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 123, 129, 428 A.2d 1041, 1044 (1981). See generally Horan v. R. S. Cook & Associates, Inc., 287 Pa.Superior Ct. 265, 430 A.2d 278 (1981). Appellant admits in her brief that her counsel’s office staff was notified promptly of the correct procedure for filing the required brief, and that her counsel’s office staff failed to follow those instructions. She thus avers nothing more than mere inadvertence of counsel as her only excuse. Consequently, the lower court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing her complaint, and I would thus affirm its order.

 Though rule 302(d) is silent as to the procedure to be followed after a sanction has been imposed, this Court has held that the lower court may vacate an order imposing a sanction if the noncomplying party, by timely petition, offers a reasonable excuse for its failure to file a timely brief. Hesselgesser v. Glen-Craft Contractors, Inc., 287 Pa.Superior Ct. 319, 325, 430 A.2d 305, 308 (1981). If the lower court abuses its discretion in deciding upon such a petition to vacate, this Court may reverse upon appeal, id., or it may remand if the record is inadequate to support meaningful appellate review, Seidel v. Great Factory Store, 291 Pa.Superior Ct. 255, 435 A.2d 896 (1981). Cf. Pa.R.Civ.P. 209. If the noncomplying party does not petition the lower court to vacate its order, but instead appeals directly to this Court, we may reverse if the “record before us clearly reveals a reasonable excuse for appellants’ failure to file their brief,” Shapiro v. Albright, 287 Pa.Superior Ct. 414, 421, 430 A.2d 672, 675 (1981), or may remand if the record is unclear, id., or may affirm if the record on appeal fails to set forth a reasonable excuse, Dunham v. Temple University, 288 Pa.Superior Ct. 522, 432 A.2d 993 (1981); Hesselgesser v. Glen-Craft Contractors, Inc., supra.