Court Opinion

ID: 9701884
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 22:41:56.12217+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:30.436389
License: Public Domain

SPAETH, Judge
(dissenting).
I would not decide this appeal because I believe that it is before the wrong court.
The majority, in its opinion, disposes of three separate appeals: Leveto v. National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp., No. 56 April Term, 1976; Kasemer v. National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp., No. 57 April Term, 1976; and National Fuel Gas Distribution Company v. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, No. 209 April Term, *5211976. Nos. 56 and 57 are appeals from contempt orders entered against appellant National Fuel Gas for violation of court orders directing it to supply gas to appellees Leveto and Kasemer. No. 209 is an appeal from an order of the Pennsylvania Utility Commission; National Fuel Gas argues that this order compelled it to disobey the court orders directing it to supply gas to appellees. I agree that these cases should be joined, for they are mutually dispositive, but I think they should be joined and heard by the Commonwealth Court, not this court.
The appeal in No. 209 was originally brought before the Commonwealth Court. By order dated October 23, 1975, the Commonwealth Court transferred it to this court so that it might be consolidated with the appeals in Nos. 56 and 57. I believe that this procedure was wrong. The Appellate Court Jurisdiction Act of 1970, 17 P.S. § 211.4031 provides:
The Commonwealth Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of appeals from final orders of administrative agencies in any of the following cases:
(1) . . . appeals from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission . . ..

Id.

Since the appeal in No. 209 is from a final order of the PUC we cannot hear it.
It follows that we should transfer No. 209 back to the Commonwealth Court, and since Nos. 56 and 57 should be heard with No. 209, we should transfer them along with it. Having jurisdiction over No. 209, the Commonwealth Court is empowered to decide Nos. 56 and 57 by *522virtue of § 503(c) of the Appellate Court Jurisdiction Act of 1970, which provides:
The Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court shall have power pursuant to general rules, on their own motion or upon petition of any party, to transfer any appeal to the other court for consideration and decision with any matter pending in such other court involving the same or related questions of fact, law or discretion.

. Act of July 31, 1970, P.L. 673,° No. 223, art. IV, § 403, as amended June 3, 1971, No. 6, § 1; Dec. 21, 1973, No. 151, § 1, 17 P.S. § 211.403 (1976 Supp.).