Court Opinion

ID: 9641344
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:29:32.338729+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:36.772651
License: Public Domain

CERCONE, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
In my estimation refusing to grant a timely petition to open a default judgment when defense counsel promptly notifies plaintiff’s counsel of his intention to defend, and only fifty days elapses following service of the complaint, is a questionable exercise of discretion at best. As we stated in Moyer v. Americana Mobile Homes, Inc., 244 Pa.Super. 441, 445, 368 A.2d 802, 804 (1976):
“The purpose of the rules in authorizing the entry of default judgments is to prevent a dilatory defendant from impeding the plaintiff in establishing his claim. The rules are not primarily intended to provide the plaintiff with a means of gaining a judgment without the difficulties which arise from litigation. Kraynick v. Hertz, supra [443 Pa. 105, 277 A.2d 144 (1971)]; Slott v. Triad Distributors, Inc., 230 Pa.Super. 545, 327 A.2d 151 (1974).”
Moreover, when the taking of a judgment under the circumstances described above occurs without notifying defense counsel of an intention to do so, I conclude that refusal to open the judgment constitutes a palpable abuse of discretion. See Ashton v. Ashton, 257 Pa.Super. 134, 139-140, 390 A.2d 282, 285 (1978); Moyer v. Americana Mobile Homes, Inc., supra; Williams v. Allegheny Union Plaza, Inc., 231 Pa.Super. 170, 332 A.2d 493 (1974); Highway Equipment Co. v. Hamlin Coal Co., 230 Pa.Super. 311, 326 A.2d 570 (1974); Silverman v. Polis, 230 Pa.Super. 366, 326 A.2d 452 (1974). The fact that defense counsel in the instant case vacationed for two weeks during the period for filing an answer, and that counsel’s failure to answer was partly explained by defendant’s confusion concerning the necessity of advancing a retainer fee, only exacerbates the error of the court below.
Therefore, I would reverse the order of the court below, open the judgment and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.