L. Strouse & Co. v. Bard
L. Strouse & Co. v. Bard
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The question in this appeal arises ■ under the provisions of the Act of May 26, 1897, P. L. 95, “ relating to proceedings where goods or chattels have been levied upon or seized by the sheriff and claimed to belong to others than the defendant in the execution or process.” Under the provisions of section 10 of said act, “ the courts of common pleas may make general rules governing the proceedings under this act not inconsistent herewith,” in accordance wherewith the courts of common pleas of Allegheny county adopted certain rulés, numbered from 133 to 137 inclusive, printed in the appellant’s paper-book. Said rules are not at variance with the provisions of the act above referred to. Rule 134 provides : “ If the parties or either of them fail to appear and answer the rule (obtained upon the application of the sheriff) under oath within five days after the' service thereof, the rule shall be discharged and if the default is made by the plaintiff alone the officer shall release the property claimed, otherwise he shall proceed with the execution.”
A careful examination of the rules adopted by the court for carrying into effect the provisions of the sheriff’s interpleader act, hereinbefore referred to, leads us to the conclusion that the said rules are not only in harmony with the provisions of the act but are such as will facilitate the disposition of cases thereunder. Whether the appellant made manifest to the court any reasons for her failure to comply with the rules relating to this subject the record does not show. As the recordstands, we have a plain violation of the rules of court by the appellant. Admitting that the court below had the right to suspend its own rules or to condone their violation, upon proper cause shown, its unwillingness to do so is an exercise of discretion with which an appellate court will not interfere.
The provisions of the procedure act of May 25, 1887, relating to the time within which affidavits of defense are to be filed, have no possible application to the question under consideration.
It is possible that the claimant, the appellant here, presented a case in her affidavit which had merit and would have received favorable consideration, if it had been brought to the attention of the court within the time limited by the rule. Having failed to do this, however, we are not disposed to interfere with the action of the court in reference thereto.
The decree is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. Strouse & Company v. W. H. Bard. Sarah A. Bard
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Practice, G. P. — Buies of court — Discretion of court — Appellate court will not 'review. • . The courts of common pleas have power under section 10 of the Sheriff's Interpleader Act Of May 26, 1897, P. L. 95, to make general rules governing proceedings thereunder not inconsistent with said acts. Rules 188 to 187 inclusive of Allegheny county, are not at variance with the act. The claimant having failed to file an affidavit within the time required by Rule 184, the appellate court will not review the ease on the merits of the affidavit, or interfere with the discretion of the court below in reference thereto. The fact that the lower court has refused to condone the violation of its rule is an exercise of discretion with which the appellate court will not interfere.