Rothman v. Court of Common Pleas
Rothman v. Court of Common Pleas
Concurring Opinion
concurring.
I concur in the result reached by the majority. For the reasons stated in my concurring opinion in Liciaga v. Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, — Pa. —, 566 A.2d 246 (1989) (Larsen, J., concurring), I reiterate my objection to the majority’s position that an issuing authority is not empowered to make a credibility determination.
Opinion of the Court
OPINION ANNOUNCING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
This case comes before this Court on a Writ of Prohibition filed by petitioner, Bernard. Rothman, D.D.S., on May 11, 1988. The pertinent facts are as follows. On January 7, 1988, petitioner was arrested and charged with violating numerous subsections of Article XIV of the Public Welfare Code, Fraud and Abuse Control, 62 Pa. S. §§ 1401-1411.
On March 24, 1988, the Commonwealth filed, with the district justice scheduled to preside at petitioner’s preliminary hearing, a motion to quash the subpoenas duces tecum, and petitioner filed a motion to enforce the subpoenas.
This Court recently agreed in Liciaga v. The Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Pennsylvania, —— Pa. —, 566 A.2d 246 (1989), (Opinion Announcing the Judgment of the Court per Nix, C.J., joined by Justices Flaherty and Zappala and concurring opinions by Justices Larsen and Zappala) that a writ of certiorari could not be used to review a decision of a district justice finding that the Commonwealth had failed to make out a prima facie case. In that decision we noted that such a ruling was not a final order, but rather an interlocutory one and therefore not appealable. We reasoned in that decision that since the action of the district justice possessed no element of finality or prejudice to the losing party, relief by way of appeal or certiorari would be unnecessary and is not provided for under our procedural rules. We find that decision to be controlling under the instant facts.
In Liciaga the Commonwealth’s complaint was that the district justice improperly rejected the testimony of their key witness. In that case it was evident that that rejection was based upon a credibility ruling which was inappropriate at that level. Although we agreed that the Commonwealth was correct in its underlying complaint, because of the
Accordingly, the writ of prohibition is granted.
. Section 1411 of the statute limits the time within which an action may be brought and provides in pertinent part: "[a]ny civil actions or criminal prosecutions brought pursuant to this act for violations hereof shall be commenced within five years of the date the violation or violations occur.” It therefore does not appear, nor has it been alleged, that the statute of limitations in this instance is in any way implicated. 62 Pa.S. § 1411.
Concurring Opinion
concurring.
I join in the majority opinion based upon the rationale set forth in my concurring opinion in Harry Liciaga v. The Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, — Pa. —, 566 A.2d 246 (1989).
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
For the reasons stated by me in Harry Liciaga v. The Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, — Pa. —, 566 A.2d 246 (1989), I respectfully dissent here as well.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Bernard ROTHMAN v. The COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pennsylvania
- Status
- Published