Opinion
March 15, 1938.
April 13, 1938.
Practice — Judgments — Summary judgment — Affidavit of defense — Proceedings in other states — Action against surety — Guardian's bond.
In an action against the surety on a guardian's bond, concerned with the receipt by the guardian of money from the sale of real estate in another state which belonged to the ward, and in which it appeared that the proceedings relative to the sale of the land were not made a part of the plaintiff's statement and that the surety might be affected by the proceedings and order of the court in the other state authorizing the sale and the receipt of money by the guardian, summary judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense for more than a specific amount was properly refused.
Appeal, No. 10, March T., 1938, from order of C.P. Dauphin Co., March T., 1936, No. 194, in case of Commonwealth, to use of John S. Hoppes, guardian of the Estate of Carl Hanson, Jr., a minor, v. Fidelity Deposit Company of Maryland.
Before KELLER, P.J., CUNNINGHAM, BALDRIGE, STADTFELD, PARKER and RHODES, JJ. Order affirmed.
Assumpsit on surety bond.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Superior Court.
Motion for judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense, to the extent of specific amount, sustained, but otherwise overruled and judgment entered accordingly, opinion by Fox, J. Plaintiff appealed.
Errors assigned, among others, were various excerpts from opinion.
Paul A. Kunkel, with him Lynn M. Irvine, for appellant.
William H. Neely, with him Lewis S. Kunkel, for appellee.
Argued March 15, 1938.
This appeal is by the plaintiff from an order refusing to enter judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense for more than $855.29, with interest from June 30, 1931. The action is against the surety on a guardian's bond. It is concerned with the receipt by the guardian of money from the sale of real estate in Massachusetts which belonged to the ward. The proceedings relative to the sale of the land in Massachusetts are not made a part of the plaintiff's statement. The liability of the surety may be affected by the proceedings and order of the court in Massachusetts authorizing the sale and the receipt of the money by the guardian.
After reading the pleadings and considering the arguments of counsel we cannot say that it is "clear and free from doubt" that the court erred in refusing judgment for the balance of plaintiff's claim. See Kaster v. Penna. Fuel Supply Co., 300 Pa. 52, 150 A. 153. On the contrary we are of opinion that the liability of the defendant may be affected by the record of the court proceedings in Massachusetts, and hence the case is not one for summary judgment but calls for a full development of the facts on the trial.
Following the usual course pursued in such cases we shall not discuss the applicable rules of law until the facts have been developed on the trial.
Order affirmed.