http://planupdate.blogspot.com/Legal news and information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.ennoreply@blogger.com (PLAN Legal Updates)2012-01-19T07:27:09-08:001029125http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/pfa-familyhousehold-member-relationship.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-19T07:27:09-08:00Commonwealth v. Walsh - Superior Court - January 19, 2012http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Superior/out/a33042_11.pdf Conviction for contempt of PFA order upheld for violating terms of order prohibiting threats. Appellant threatened the protected party -- S.S., the teen-age daughter of his paramour of 13 years -- when he told the daughter's friend that if he saw SS, "she'd be fucked." The friend 2012-01-19T10:27:09.062-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/admin-law-due-process.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-18T07:03:45-08:00Gombach v. Department of State, 692 A.2d 1127, 1129-30 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1997)The right to due process is equally applicable to administrative agencies as it is to judicial proceedings. The fundamental requirements of due process are notice and an opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. Procedural due process requires that the individual be given adequate information 2012-01-18T10:03:45.392-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/uc-vol-quit-late-payment-of-wages.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-17T05:59:25-08:00Smith v. UCBR - Cmwlth Court - January 9, 2012 - unreported memorandum decisionhttp://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/835CD11_1-9-12.pdfClaimant did not have good cause to quit work because of late payment of wages where- only one instance of late payment- Claimant did not complaint to ER before quitting- Claimant did not tell ER before she quit.2012-01-17T08:59:25.693-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/uc-refusal-of-drug-testing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-17T05:58:42-08:00Keeler Transport v. UCBR - January 9, 2012 - unreported memorandum decision.http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/820CD11_1-9-12.pdfClaimant held ineligible for UC because of failure to immediately report for drug testing when instructed to do so.In UGI Utilities, Inc. v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, 851 A.2d 240 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2004), this Court held that Section 402(e.1) of 2012-01-17T08:58:42.677-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/abuse-expungement-single-hearsay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-17T05:57:37-08:00In re E.A. - Cmwlth. Court - January 9, 2012 http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/650CD11_1-9-12.pdfCorroboration needed for hearsay statement of very young child. - CYS determintion of abuse based on single out-of-state DVD about which defendant had no notice does not support finding of abuse. The Supreme Court‟s guidelines in A.Y. appear to allow that, in special situations, 2012-01-17T08:57:37.063-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/uc-vol-quit-firm-offer-of-new-job-temp.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-06T06:58:23-08:00Solar Innovations v. UCBR - January 5, 2012 - Cmwlth. Court (2-1)http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/933CD11_1-5-12.pdfAlthough an employee who resigns from employment to accept a "firm offer" of employment elsewhere may be eligible for UC benefits when the second job proves to be unavailable, Empire Intimates v. UCBR, 655 A.2d 662 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1995), this is not what occurred here. The 2012-01-06T09:58:23.888-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2012/01/uc-employee-v-indpt-contractor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2012-01-01T11:00:55-08:00Tobey-Karg Sales Agency v. Dept. of Labor and Industry - Cmwlth. Court - December 30, 2011http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/283CD10_12-30-11.pdfCompany petitioned for reassessment for past unpaid Unemployment Compensation (UC) contributions, interest, and penalties on wages not previously reported to the Department.Sales reps held to be independent contractors rather than employees 2012-01-01T14:00:55.759-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/uc-appeal-email-timeliness-opportunity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-16T08:10:40-08:00Bennett v. UCBR - Cmwlth. Court - December 16, 2011 (en banc, 6-1)http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/2703CD10_12-16-11.pdfThe Court vacated the UCBR decision on timeliness of the appeal and remanded the case, directing the Board to consider the claimant's evidence on the issue, which the Board had previously ignored, holding that this was a capricious disregard of competent 2011-12-16T11:10:40.209-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/admin-law-federal-apa-arbitrary-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-13T12:56:02-08:00http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/10-694.pdfkey quote -This case requires us to decide whether the BIA’s policy for applying a section of the immigration law is "arbitrary [or] capricious" under the Administrative Procedure Act(APA), 5 U. S. C. §706(2)(A). The scope of our reviewunder this standard is "narrow"; as we have often recognized, "a court is not to substitute its judgment for 2011-12-13T15:56:02.578-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/uc-hearsay-no-duty-to-rebut.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-08T08:05:16-08:00Chambersburg Hospital v. UCBR - December 8, 2011 - unpublished memorandum opinionhttp://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/954CD11_12-8-11.pdfEmployer relies on L. Washington & Associates v. UCBR, 662 A.2d 1148 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1995), for the proposition that one’s silence may constitute an admission. The "failure of a party to reply to a statement made in his presence or at hearing, is 2011-12-08T11:05:16.614-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/uc-claimant-not-self-employed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-08T07:58:57-08:00Moran v. UCBR - Cmwlth. Court - December 8, 2011 - unpublished memorandum decision http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/474CD11_12-8-11.pdfThe court reversed the Board decision that claimant was an independent contractor.Section 402(h) of the Law provides an employee "shall be ineligible for compensation for any week … in which he is engaged in self-employment." 43 P.S. §802(h). The 2011-12-08T10:58:57.747-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/custody-statutory-factors-reasons-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-07T07:36:17-08:00J.R.M. v. J.E.A. - Superior Court - December 6, 2011http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Superior/out/a30019_11.pdfThe court remanded the trial court's order giving mother primary custody of 8-month old child and placing limitations on father's partial custody rights, because:- the lower court failed to consider the factors listed in "23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5328(a), a newly enacted section of the child 2011-12-07T10:36:17.396-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/12/disability-remand-treating-phys-opinion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-12-06T08:38:33-08:00Bethea v. Astrue - ED Pa. - December 5, 2011http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/11D1317P.pdfThe court affirmed the decision of the magistrate judge, who "properly observed that the ALJ’s evaluation of the medical evidence in this case was ‘not sufficiently detailed to allow for meaningful judicial review.’”“[T]he medical judgment of a treating physician can be rejected only on the 2011-12-06T11:38:33.015-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/admin-law-body-that-did-not-hear-case.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-23T08:25:47-08:00Graff v. DPW - Cmwlth. Court - November 21, 2011 - unreported memorandum decisionhttp://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/176CD11_11-21-11.pdfClaimant contends that the Secretary lacked authority to alter the ALJ‟s factual finding that she was permanently disabled by her work injury. The Department counters that the Secretary is vested with final fact-finding authority, and, thus, error did 2011-11-23T11:25:47.258-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/consumer-cpl-fraud-v-deceptive-parol.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-23T07:36:17-08:00Schnell v. Bank of New York - ED Pa. - November 21, 2011http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/11D1284P.pdfThis state consumer protection law case concerms Plaintiff's claim that accuses the banks of first deceiving her and then pressuring her into accepting a mortgage she and her late husband could not afford. The CPL’s catch-all provision bars “[e]ngaging in any other fraudulent or 2011-11-23T10:36:17.671-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/consumer-contract-under-seal-statute-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-22T06:46:28-08:00Osprey Portfolio, Inc. v. Izett - Superior Court - November 21, 2011http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Superior/out/a21030_11.pdfGuaranty under seal for related promissory note was an instrument under seal subject to 20-year statute of limitations (SOL) under 42 Pa. C.S. 5529(b)(1) rather than normal 4-year contract SOL, 42 Pa. C.S. 5525.The guaranty, which had the pre-printed word "SEAL" next to 2011-11-22T09:46:28.549-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/social-security-disability-treating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-10T08:07:13-08:00Callahan v. Astrue - ED Pa. - November 7, 2011http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/11D1256P.pdfOver defendant's objection, the court affirmed the Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation recommending that plaintiff’s Request for Review be granted and the case be remanded to defendant for further proceedings pursuant to the fourth sentence of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). The disputes before 2011-11-10T11:07:13.716-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/custody-relocation-consideration-of-all.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-10T07:33:27-08:00ED v. MP - Superior Court - November 9, 2011http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Superior/out/s54005_11.pdfWhich statute applies? - Because Father initiated his relocation request after the effective date of the new Act and Mother’s request for modification of the custody order followed, the provisions of the new Child Custody Act apply here. Duty of court to consider statutory factors - The court 2011-11-10T10:33:27.697-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/uc-vol-quit-health-reasons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-10T07:02:15-08:00Tracy v. UCBR - Cmwlth. Court - November 10, 2011 - unreported memorandum opinionhttp://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/408CD11_11-10-11.pdfTo be eligible for benefits under Section 402(b) of the Law, a claimant must prove that the separation from employment was for a necessitous and compelling reason. Diehl v. UCBR, 4 A.3d 816 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2010), appeal granted, ___ Pa. ___, 20 A.3d 1192 (2011-11-10T10:02:15.930-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/wages-flsa-overtime-condit-class.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-10T06:51:59-08:00Titchenell v. Apria Health Care - ED Pa. - Nov. 8, 2011http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/11D1253P.pdfPlaintiff Connie Titchenell filed this action against her former employer, defendant Apria Healthcare, Inc. (“Apria”), alleging that defendant violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq. She contends that, as a Customer Service Specialist, she worked ten 2011-11-10T09:51:59.983-05:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/11/civil-procedure-default-judgments.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-11-04T08:18:04-07:00Kelly v. Siuma - Pa. Super. - November 3, 2011http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Superior/out/a31006_11.pdfA petition to open a default judgment is an appeal to the equitable powers of the court. Absent an error of law or a clear, manifest abuse of discretion, it will not be disturbed on appeal. An abuse of discretion occurs when a trial court, in reaching its conclusions, overrides or misapplies 2011-11-04T11:18:04.833-04:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/10/uc-vol-quit-change-in-health-care-plan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-10-18T06:37:13-07:00Elliot Co. v. UCBR - Cmwlth. Court - October 13, 2011 (en banc, 5-2)http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/1783CD10_10-13-11.pdfThe Court held that the claimant had not met his burden of proving that the changes in his health care plan were so substantial to him that he had good cause to voluntarily quit his employment.The 2-person dissent said that the majority had improperly subtituted 2011-10-18T09:37:13.835-04:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/10/uc-failure-to-appear-at-hearing-good.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-10-17T08:01:08-07:00Beaumont Retirement Center v. UCBR - Cmwlth. Court - October 17, 2011- unreported memorandum opinion.http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/2627CD10_10-17-11.pdfThe employer's failed to appear at the referee hearing, and the referee and Board granted benefits. The court rejected the employer appeal, because no good cause for failure to appear was shown."Where a party fails to appear at a 2011-10-17T11:01:08.796-04:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/10/federal-courts-removal-30-day-limit.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-10-13T07:14:57-07:00DeLalla v. Hanover Insurance - Third Circuit - October 13, 2011http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/103933p.pdfIn order to remove a lawsuit filed in state court to a federal district court under the federal removal statute, 28 U.S.C. §§ 1441, 1446, a defendant must file a notice of removal within thirty days of the date on which the plaintiff serves the defendant. Courts have split in 2011-10-13T10:14:57.474-04:00http://planupdate.blogspot.com/2011/10/city-of-philadelphia-v.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Donald Marritz)2011-10-05T07:46:42-07:00City of Philadelphia v. Lane Advertising, Inc. - Cmwlth. Court - October 4, 2011 (en banc) (5-2)http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Cwealth/out/1449CD10_10-4-11.pdfDefault judgment stricken, because the notice of intention to take a default judgment did not comply with the relevant rules of civil procedure. A default judgment entered where there has not been strict compliance with the rules of civil2011-10-05T10:46:42.567-04:00