Shisler v. Keavy

• Decision Date: 19 January 1874
• Citation: 75 Pa. 79
• Parties: Shisler <I>versus</I> Keavy.
• Court: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

75 Pa. 79

Shisler versus Keavy.

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

January 7, 1874.

January 19, 1874.

January 7th 1874.

Before AGNEW, C. J., MERCUR and GORDON, JJ. SHARSWOOD, J., at Nisi Prius

Error to the District Court of Philadelphia: No. 125, to January Term 1872 A. Thompson, for plaintiff in error.—A submission is revocable: Watson on Awards 16, 21; Wilson v. Young, 9 Barr 101; Power v. Power, 7 Watts 213; Bailey v. Stewart, 3 W. & S. 560; McGheehan v. Duffield, 5 Barr 500; Vynoir's Case, 8 Rep. 162. If the award is substantially defective, it may be set aside: Etter v. Edwards, 4 Watts 63. Unless an affidavit is filed with the agreement the judgment upon it is voidable: Wall v. Fife, 1 Wright 394.

A. A. Hirst (with whom was W. L. Hirst), for defendant in error.

The opinion of the court was delivered, January 19th 1874, by MERCUR, J.

The parties, by writing filed March 7th 1871, agreed to refer all matters in controversy, in a pending suit, to three persons named, under the Act of 16th June 1836. They further agreed, that the submission should be made a rule of court, and that each party should be bound and concluded by the award of the referees, or of a majority of them, "without the right to appeal, file exception, or take out writ of error." It is claimed, however, that the award is invalid by reason of the omission to file the affidavit directed by the second section of said act. It is true, it was said in Wall's Administrators v. Fife, 1 Wright 394, that the agreement and submission are not entitled as a matter of right to be entered on the docket by the prothonotary without the affidavit. But neither this section nor the decision referred to applies to a submission and rule in a pending suit. If either did so apply, the filing of the affidavit might be waived by the parties. Their subsequent written agreement, filed June 20th 1871, whereby they agreed that another person named be substituted as an arbitrator in the place of one of the former, who had declined to serve, was such a waiver that the absence of an affidavit cannot now be successfully interposed. Besides, when the submission is in a pending action it is unnecessary expressly to stipulate that it be made a rule of court: McAdams' Executors v. Stillwell, 1 Harris 90; Buckman v. Davis, 4 Casey 211; Quay v. Westcott, 10 P. F. Smith 163; Summy v. Hiestand, 15 P. F. Smith 309. Where there is an agreement to refer in an action pending, consent to make it a rule of court will be implied: Painter v. Kistler, 9 P. F. Smith 331.

The other ground urged against the validity of the award is the revocation of the submission. The record shows that upon the same day on which the award was made and signed, the plaintiff in error filed a "withdrawal from rule of arbitration." Which was first in point of time the record does not show. That the withdrawal preceded the making of the award, the plaintiff in error sought to establish extrinsic to the record. It is the province of the court below to take cognisance of and correct the errors not shown by the record, of the arbitrators, just as it would remedy those committed by a jury, on a motion for a new trial, and its decisions cannot be reviewed unless there be errors of law apparent upon the record itself: Kline v. Guthart, 2 Penna. R. 495; Sands v. Rolshouse, 3 Barr 457; Rogers et al. v. Playford, 2 Jones 181; Buckman v. Davis, 4 Casey 211. The depositions or other evidence are no part of the record, and...