Court Opinion

ID: 9732330
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 16:15:53.051792+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:26.457249
License: Public Domain

McDERMOTT, Justice,
concurring.
I join in the result reached by the majority because I believe the union officials had probable cause to initiate the warrant independent of the opinion of their counsel. I am not prepared to follow the majority, or Stritmatter v. Nese, 347 Pa. 9, 31 A.2d 510 (1943), in holding that opinion of counsel is an absolute defense. I believe that probable cause must exist in its own right, whether counsel opines that it does or does not is an ultimate question of law for the court to decide. We cannot abjectly surrender all consideration of the question to one’s counsel. One’s counsel may support the belief that probable cause existed, but where he or she is wrong another cannot be left injured.