Court Opinion

ID: 9706917
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:55:18.139071+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:25.925636
License: Public Domain

SILVESTRI, Senior Judge,
dissenting.
The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County rendered its decision under the limited discretion enunciated in Staton v. Civil Service Commission of the City of Philadelphia, 1 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 543, 275 A.2d 716 (1971). As the majority notes, the trial court employed the incorrect scope of review. The majority determined, however, that since Blystone had not raised the issue in this Court, it was accordingly waived; but rather than remand to the trial court to consider the appeal of Blystone under the proper standard of review, the majority addressed the appeal of Blystone only on the basis of substantial evidence1 as to the charges under Section 1190 of the Borough Code, 53 P.S. § 46190.
Blystone’s right of appeal derived from Section 1191 of the Borough Code which provides, inter alia, that “[a]ll parties concerned shall have immediate right of appeal to the court of common pleas of the county, and the case shall *36there be determined as the court deems proper.” 53 P.S. § 46191 (emphasis added). The plain language of the statute not only affords the parties the right to have their case determined by the court of common pleas, but to have it determined as that court deems proper.
In Eppolito v. Bristol Borough, 19 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 99, 339 A.2d 653 (1975), it was stated, “[i]t is well settled that the court below had discretion to modify the action of the Civil Service Commission.” When the court of common pleas is faced with an appeal pursuant to Section 1191 and it does not make a determination thereof because it, as herein, applied the wrong standard of review, the appellant (Blystone) has been denied his right to appeal, since there has been no determination made as “the court deems proper.” Stated another way, since the court has the discretion to modify the action of the Civil Service Commission, Blystone has the right to have the action of the Civil Service Commission considered by the trial court with the possibility of having such action modified.
As further stated in Eppolito, our scope of review under Section 1191 is to examine the testimony to determine whether the findings are supported by the evidence or whether the court was guilty of an abuse of discretion or an error of law. It is true that this Court can on its own determine whether the findings of the Commission are supported by the evidence. However, absent a determination by the trial court, who has the discretion to modify the action of the Civil Service Commission, which this Court does not possess, this Court cannot properly review the action of the Civil Service Commission consistent with the appeal rights of Blystone under Section 1191.
For the foregoing reasons, I would reverse and remand the matter to the court of common pleas to address the appeal of Blystone and to make a determination as it deems proper.

. The majority in footnote 2 quotes the portion of Section 1191 concerning scope of review and then states that the trial court had the authority to conduct a more expansive and de novo review. After stating that Blystone had waived the issue of incorrect scope of review, the majority concluded footnote 2 with the following quote "[t]herefore, we shall employe the Commission’s findings in reviewing this case.”
In so far as the testimony relating to the charges against Blystone under Section 1190, the only reference thereto is contained on page 34 of the majority’s opinion, as follows:
Blystone’s third argument is that the Borough failed to present substantial evidence to support the charges. We disagree. Officer Ayers clearly testified with respect to the failure to issue citations for the driving under the influence charges. The fact that Blystone's testimony or that of other witnesses was to the contrary is no basis for finding a lack of substantial evidence. The Commission, which was the only body to make factual findings in this case, was faced with conflicting testimony and credibility determinations; these determinations were within its province.