Court Opinion

ID: 9702977
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:35:24.575624+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:44.454289
License: Public Domain

JOHNSON, Judge,
dissenting:
The majority holds that “[wjhile the Prothonotary was unauthorized to assess damages, it does not appear that the entry of the default judgment itself was unauthorized.” At 344. The opinion then proceeds to address the petition to open judgment. I must respectfully disagree with such an analysis, and therefore I respectfully dissent.
*346Once we determine, from the face of the record, that the prothonotary was without authority to enter such judgment, we should uphold the order striking the judgment. See Malakoff v. Zambar, Inc., 446 Pa. 503, 288 A.2d 819 (1972). Instead, the majority bifurcates the judgment into one for liability and one for the assessment of damages. Finding that the judgment as to liability was valid, the majority proceeds to consider the petition to open. However, I believe that we must strike the judgment because of the defect pertaining to damages, without referring to the question of liability. Compare, Leomporra v. American Baking Co., 198 Pa.Super. 545, 178 A.2d 806 (1962) (judgment in excess of monetary jurisdiction stricken without reference to the merits), vacated on other grounds, 198 Pa.Super. 545, 182 A.2d 917 (1962).
While Rule 1037, Pa.R.C.P. provides for bifurcation before the trial court when the prothonotary is unable to assess damages from the face of the complaint, I do not believe that it is proper on the appellate level to do likewise. When faced with a fatally defective judgment, we should not attempt to salvage a portion for further review.1
I would affirm the order striking the default judgment.

-. I also question the validity of the trial court’s alternate order opening judgment. Once it had stricken the judgment, was there anything left to open?