Court Opinion

ID: 9652131
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 17:18:28.733192+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:48.638834
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Cohen :
In his complaint the plaintiff alleges that, “. . . promotions must be made by the Board of Commissioners in order of rank upon the written examination given for the position and that he has, therefore, been illegally bypassed by the defendants for promotion and unlawfully and wrongfully deprived from his right to fill the position of Sergeant and perform the duties thereof and receive the pay and emoluments appertaining thereto.”
*14However, I find nothing in the Second Class County-Code which requires the Commissioners to make promotions, as alleged in the complaint, “in order of rank on written examination.” Nor do I find any provision in the Code which would make the plaintiff’s complaint actionable. On the contrary, 16 P.S. §4509 of the Code indicates, “the rules and regulations shall prescribe the minimum qualifications of all applicants to be examined and the passing grades.” (Emphasis supplied). And “[t]he commission shall post in its office the eligible list containing the names and grades of those who have passed the ewammation for positions under this article.” (Emphasis supplied).
The purpose of the written examination is to furnish a pool of men who have passed the examination, which pool will then comprise an eligible list for the Commissioners’ consideration for promotion. The majority opinion does not cite any statute, nor have I been able to ascertain any provision in law, which requires the Commissioners to do what the majority now compels them to do.
I dissent.
Mr. Justice Eagen joins in this dissenting opinion.