Court Opinion

ID: 9696079
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:35:39.7135+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:18.288571
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Bell:
One of the Constitutionally guaranteed rights which the American people highly cherish is the absolute right of trial by jury. The Act of May 17, 1956 gives a defendant a right to appeal from a judgment of a magistrate or a justice of the peace (where the judgment does not exceed $100, excluding costs) only if his appeal is “specially allowed” by the Court of Common Pleas. The Act was not intended by the Legisla*180ture as a mere idle gesture nor was it a frivolous attempt to needlessly increase a Judge’s work or impose upon him additional and unnecessary clerical duties. It was, we repeat, an obviously transparent attempt to limit the Constitutional right of trial by jury by giving to the Court of Common Pleas the right, in its absolute and uncontrolled discretion, to allow or refuse a jury trial to certain designated persons. This Act is clearly unconstitutional.
When the Court’s clerk, undoubtedly acting under the orders of the Court,* refused to accept for filing, defendant Booz’s appeal from the judgment entered against him by a justice of the peace in the sum of §98, Booz, in my opinion, specifically and properly raised the Constitutionality of this Act, and is entitled to have this question specifically decided at this time by this Court. Moreover, in these days of congested Court calendars and long delays suffered by litigants, Courts should, whenever reasonably possible, expedite or end litigation, instead of requiring additional time-consuming and costly litigation.
I would reverse the judgment which the lower Court entered for defendant.

 Courts take judicial knowledge of many things. If there is one thing which a Judge can certainly take judicial knowledge of, it is that if his clerk makes a mistake or oversteps his authority or disobeys his orders, the Judge will correct it as soon as it is brought to his attention and if the circumstances warrant, will forthwith discipline the clerk.