From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

O'Donnell v. Bachelor

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
May 24, 1967
425 Pa. 626 (Pa. 1967)

Opinion

May 1, 1967.

May 24, 1967.

Appeals — Appealable orders — Interlocutory orders — Order dismissing post-trial motions — Failure to enter judgment on verdict — Quashing appeal.

An appeal from an order dismissing a motion for a new trial where no judgment has been entered on the verdict, must be quashed as an appeal from an interlocutory order.

Mr. Justice MUSMANNO and Mr. Justice COHEN took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.

Before BELL, C. J., JONES, EAGEN, O'BRIEN and ROBERTS, JJ.

Appeal, No. 224, Jan. T., 1967, from order of Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, No. 65-6941, in case of Eugene F. O'Donnell v. William Alfred Bachelor. Appeal quashed.

Trespass for personal injuries. Before GROSHENS, P. J.

Verdict for defendant and plaintiff's motion for new trial denied. Plaintiff appealed.

Henry T. Reath, with him Duane, Morris Heckscher, for appellant.

Edwin W. Heuser, with him Jonathan DeYoung, for appellee.


This is an appeal from the Order of the lower Court which, after a jury verdict for defendant, dismissed plaintiff's motion for a new trial. Unfortunately, the appellant failed to have judgment entered on the verdict before this appeal was taken. We have repeatedly held that, in the absence of such judgment, no appeal lies: Lynch v. Metropolitan L. Ins. Co., 422 Pa. 488, 222 A.2d 925. In Lynch, the Court said (page 489): " No judgment on the verdict has ever been entered. In the absence of such judgment no appeal lies. In Menyo v. Sphar, 409 Pa. 223, 224 (footnote), 186 A.2d 9, we recently said: 'Too many members of the Bar mistakenly believe that the appeal is from an Order which dismissed their motion for a new trial, instead of from a judgment which was entered on the verdict: [citing authorities].' See also: Denmon v. Rhodes, 416 Pa. 568, 569, 207 A.2d 860; Gelzhiser v. Fisher, 418 Pa. 88, 208 A.2d 836. [Emphasis in original]

"The instant appeal, being premature, must be quashed."

Appeal quashed.

Mr. Justice MUSMANNO and Mr. Justice COHEN took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.


Summaries of

O'Donnell v. Bachelor

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
May 24, 1967
425 Pa. 626 (Pa. 1967)
Case details for

O'Donnell v. Bachelor

Case Details

Full title:O'Donnell, Appellant, v. Bachelor

Court:Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Date published: May 24, 1967

Citations

425 Pa. 626 (Pa. 1967)
229 A.2d 755

Citing Cases

K.H. v. J.R

Under our Appellate Rules, an appeal in a civil case in which post-trial motions are filed lies from the…

White v. Rosenberry

The second appeal is from the refusal of the court below to permit the filing of a motion for a new trial…