Assouline, N. v. Reynolds, J. , 184 A.3d 970 ( 2018 )

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2018 Pa. Super. 53
NISSIM ASSOULINE : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
JACQUELINE REYNOLDS AND :
CHARLES REYNOLDS :
: No. 674 WDA 2017
Appellants :
Appeal from the Order May 2, 2017
In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County Civil Division at No(s):
LT No 17-000259
BEFORE: OLSON, J., DUBOW, J., and STRASSBURGER*, J.
OPINION BY OLSON, J.: FILED MARCH 9, 2018
Appellants, Jacqueline Reynolds and Charles Reynolds, appeal from the
order entered on May 2, 2017, denying their request to strike a magisterial
district judge’s order of possession and judgment issued to Nissim Assouline
(Assouline) with regard to a residential property in Bethel Park,
Pennsylvania. We affirm.
We summarize the facts and procedural history of this case as follows.
Appellants were the owners/occupants of a residential property in Bethel
Park, Pennsylvania. After Appellants failed to pay real estate taxes on the
property for 14 years, Assouline purchased the property at a sheriff’s sale on
May 4, 2015. Appellants filed a petition to set aside the sheriff’s sale with
the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. The trial court denied
relief, the Commonwealth Court affirmed that decision, and our Supreme
Court denied further review on December 13, 2016. See Bethel Park
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* Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
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School Dist. v. Reynolds, 2016 WL 3196682 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2016), appeal
denied, Bethel Park School District v. Reynolds, 164 A.3d 454 (Pa.
2016). On October 2, 2017, the United States Supreme Court denied
certiorari. See Reynolds v. Bethel Park School Dist., 138 S. Ct. 109
(2017).
On February 1, 2017, Assouline filed an eviction action with the Bethel
Park Magisterial District Judge. On February 15, 2017, the magisterial
district judge ruled in favor of Assouline and entered an order for his
possession of the subject residence, as well as a judgment in the amount of
$12,202.85, representing $12,000.00 for rent in arrears and $202.85 for
filing fees. On March 7, 2017, Appellants filed a praecipe for writ of
certiorari with the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. On March
30, 2017, Appellants filed a specification of errors, alleging that the
magisterial district judge lacked subject matter jurisdiction to resolve the
dispute. More specifically, Appellants averred that there was no lease
agreement or landlord/tenant relationship between the parties and,
therefore, the magisterial district judge lacked subject matter jurisdiction to
entertain an eviction proceeding. Accordingly, Appellants requested that the
trial court strike the order granting possession of the subject property to
Assouline. Appellants did not challenge the amount of the monetary
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judgment entered. By order entered on May 2, 2017, the trial court denied
relief. This timely appeal resulted.1
Appellants raise the following issue for our review:
1. Whether the [trial] court erred in [] determining that [the
magisterial district judge had] subject matter jurisdiction
[over this matter] where the plaintiff filed a landlord[/]tenant
action where there was no landlord[/tenant relationship] and
no lease?
Appellant’s’ Brief at 3 (complete capitalization omitted).
In sum, Appellants’ argument is as follows:
There is no provision [in the statute that confers subject matter
jurisdiction upon a magisterial district judge, 42 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 1515,] for entertaining actions of ejectment. [Assouline] is not
a landlord, [Appellants] are not tenants, and this case does not
fall within the scope of the Landlord Tenant Act.
Additionally, the courts in this state have denied a [magisterial]
district [judge] the authority to try any question directly
concerning title to land.
Accordingly, this [C]ourt should strike the order for possession
and the money judgment as the [magisterial] district [judge]
had no subject matter jurisdiction to entertain an ejectment
action. The proper place for this action is Common Pleas Court
in an ejectment action.
Appellants’ Brief at 8-9 (case citations omitted).
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1 Appellants filed a notice of appeal on May 5, 2017. On May 8, 2017, the
trial court directed Appellants to file a concise statement of errors
complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Appellants
complied timely. On August 14, 2017, the trial court entered an order
pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) stating that the reasons for its decision were
set forth in its earlier May 2, 2017 order.
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Initially, we reject Appellant’s suggestion that the magisterial district
judge in this matter was deciding which party had proper title over the
subject property. Here, the issue of title has been fully litigated and it was
determined that Assouline was the rightful owner of the subject property via
sheriff sale. See Bethel Park School Dist. v. Reynolds, 2016 WL 3196682
(Pa. Cmwlth. 2016), appeal denied, Bethel Park School District v.
Reynolds, 164 A.3d 454 (Pa. 2016); Reynolds v. Bethel Park School
Dist., 138 S. Ct. 109 (2017). At the time of the eviction action, issues
concerning title to the land were not before the magisterial district judge.
We now turn to the issue of subject matter jurisdiction. In this
matter, the trial court determined that “whether characterized technically as
a landlord/tenant case, trespass case, or simple civil claim wherein the
demanded sum does not exceed $12,000.00, the magisterial district judge
was not without jurisdiction to enter the February 15, 2017 judgment [and
order of possession] for [Assouline].” Trial Court Order, 5/2/2017, at *1.
“Subject matter jurisdiction speaks to the competency of a court to
hear and adjudicate the type of controversy presented.” Commonwealth
v. Elia, 83 A.3d 254, 265 (Pa. Super. 2013) (internal citation omitted).
“Jurisdiction is purely a question of law; the
appellate standard of review is de novo and the scope of review is
plenary.” Id. (internal citation omitted).
The subject matter jurisdiction for magisterial district judges is set
forth at 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1515 and provides, in pertinent part:
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(a) Jurisdiction.--Except as otherwise prescribed by general
rule adopted pursuant to section 503 (relating to reassignment
of matters), magisterial district judges shall, under procedures
prescribed by general rule, have jurisdiction of all of the
following matters:
(1) Summary offenses, except those arising out of the
same episode or transaction involving a delinquent
act for which a petition alleging delinquency is filed
under Chapter 63 (relating to juvenile matters).
(2) Matters arising under the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.
69, No. 20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act
of 1951, which are stated therein to be within the
jurisdiction of a magisterial district judge.
(3) Civil claims, except claims against a Commonwealth
party as defined by section 8501 (relating to
definitions), wherein the sum demanded does not
exceed $12,000, exclusive of interest and costs, in
the following classes of actions:
(i) In assumpsit, except cases of real contract where
the title to real estate may be in question.
(ii) In trespass, including all forms of trespass and
trespass on the case.
(iii) For fines and penalties by any government
agency.
42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1515 (internal footnote omitted).
The objective of interpretation and construction of statutes is to
ascertain and effectuate the intention of the General Assembly. 1 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 1921(a). Generally, the best indication of legislative intent is
the plain language of the statute. Koken v. Reliance Ins. Co., 893 A.2d
70, 81 (Pa. 2006) (citation omitted).
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Here, the trial court concluded that although the parties did not have a
formal landlord/tenant agreement, the magisterial district judge had subject
matter jurisdiction over the eviction proceedings. We agree. Despite
Appellants’ claim that this case does not fall within the scope of the Landlord
and Tenant Act, under that Act, “any person who acquires title to real
property by descent or purchase shall be liable to the same duties and shall
have the same rights, powers and remedies in relation to the property as the
person from whom title was acquired.” 68 P.S. § 250.104. Furthermore,
“[i]n the case of a tenant whose right of possession is not paramount to that
of the purchaser at a sheriff's or other judicial sale, the latter shall have the
right as a landlord to collect by assumpsit or to distrain for rent from the
date of the acknowledgment of his deed[.]” 68 P.S. § 250.304.
Additionally, despite the lack of a lease or formal agreement between
the parties for possession of the subject residence, we have determined:
Unjust enrichment is essentially an equitable doctrine. We have
described the elements of unjust enrichment as benefits
conferred on defendant by plaintiff, appreciation of such benefits
by defendant, and acceptance and retention of such benefits
under such circumstances that it would be inequitable for
defendant to retain the benefit without payment of value. The
application of the doctrine depends on the particular factual
circumstances of the case at issue. In determining if the doctrine
applies, our focus is not on the intention of the parties, but
rather on whether the defendant has been unjustly enriched.
The most important factor to be considered in applying the
doctrine is whether the enrichment of the defendant
is unjust. Where unjust enrichment is found, the
law implies a contract, referred to as either a quasi contract or
a contract implied in law, which requires that the defendant pay
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to plaintiff the value of the benefit conferred. In short, the
defendant makes restitution to the plaintiff in quantum meruit.
Schenck v. K.E. David, Ltd., 666 A.2d 327, 328–329 (Pa. Super. 1995)
(internal quotations and citations omitted; italics in original).
Finally, we note that, “[e]jectment is a possessory action only, and can
succeed only if the plaintiff is out of possession, and he has a present right
to immediate possession.” Croyle v. Dellape, 832 A.2d 466, 476 (Pa.
Super. 2003) (citation omitted). “A court only has jurisdiction over
an [a]ction in [e]jectment if the defendant possesses the land and the
plaintiff has the right to possess.” Id. (citation omitted).
Taking all of these legal concepts together, we conclude that the
magisterial district judge had subject matter jurisdiction over this dispute
under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1515(a)(2). Again, it was previously determined that
Assouline has proper title over the subject property. Thus, he has the right
to possession. Furthermore, Appellants were unjustly enriched when they
continued living at the residence in question without any compensation to
Assouline. Hence, there was a contract implied in fact and Assouline was
permitted to file an action for ejectment and rental arrears in the magisterial
district court, in the same way a landlord would seek recovery.
Furthermore, the statute conferring subject matter jurisdiction on
magisterial district judges clearly states that they have jurisdiction over civil
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claims, under $12,000.00,2 involving all forms of trespass. 42 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 1515(a)(3)(ii). “In Pennsylvania, a person is subject to liability
for trespass on land in accordance with the dictates of Restatement (Second)
of Torts § 158.” Gavin v. Loeffelbein, 161 A.3d 340, 355 (Pa. Super.
2017) (citation omitted). “One is subject to liability to another for trespass,
irrespective of whether he thereby causes harm to any legally protected
interest of the other, if he intentionally [] enters land in the possession of
the other, or causes a thing or a third person to do so, or [] remains on
the land, or [] fails to remove from the land a thing which he is under a
duty to remove.” Id., citing Restatement (Second) of Torts § 158 (a-c)
(emphasis supplied).
Because a magisterial district judge has subject matter jurisdiction
over all actions of trespass, including situations such as this, where
Appellants remained on the land that was held in possession of another, we
discern no error of law by the trial court in this matter.
Accordingly, for all of the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the
magisterial district judge had subject matter jurisdiction over this trespass
action where the civil claim did not exceed $12,000.00 and Assouline was
entitled to rent in arrears based upon unjust enrichment and a contract
implied in law. Hence, Appellants’ sole appellate contention fails.
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2 There is no dispute that the judgment entered in this matter was under
the $12,000.00 threshold.
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Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 3/9/2018
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