Porter, D. v. Toll Brothers, Inc.

J-A09019-19 2019 PA Super 257 DANIEL PORTER AND CAROLYN : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PORTER : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL PA II, : L.P., TOLL PA GP, CORP., TOLL : No. 894 EDA 2018 ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, I, P.A. AND : ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS., INC. TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC ANDTOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A. : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): September Term, 2017, No. 01002 MANOJ PRASAD AND CHETANA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PRASAD : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 895 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : J-A09019-19 Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901803 MATTHEW O'DONNELL AND JILL : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF O'DONNELL : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 897 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 1709 RICHARD ORLANDO AND KRISTIN : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ORLANDO : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 898 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : : -2- J-A09019-19 APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017 Case ID: 171003573 JOSHUA M. OWEN AND ALLISON R. : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF OWEN : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 899 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901823 RAJESH PARNERKAR AND SHILPA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PARNERKAR : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 900 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : -3- J-A09019-19 AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017, Case ID: 171003574 ROBERT T. ROSS AND DAWN D. : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ROSS : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 901 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901815 JOSEPH A. SAMARCO AND LORI : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LYNN SAMARCO : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : -4- J-A09019-19 : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 902 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901903 ANDREW TURK : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : No. 903 EDA 2018 AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017 Case ID: 171003572 VENKA REDDY SUNKARA AND : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ANITHA BADVELU SUNKARA : PENNSYLVANIA : -5- J-A09019-19 : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 904 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sep. Term 2017 Case ID: 171003549 IGOR ZAVALNY AND TAMARA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF VOLKOVA : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 905 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 -6- J-A09019-19 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017 Case ID: 171003433 TIMOTHY WELCH AND CYNTHIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF WELCH : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., & TOLL PA GP : No. 906 EDA 2018 CORP., : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., & : TOLL PA GP CORP., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 8, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Nov. Term 2016 Case ID: 161100904 MICHAEL A. ZISKIND AND INGRID C. : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ZISKIND : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 907 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : -7- J-A09019-19 Appeal from the Order Entered March 8, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Nov. Term 2016 Case ID: 161101721 MICHAEL MILEY AND JENNIFER : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF MILEY : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 908 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901824 BRETT ADAMS, JILL O'DONNELL, : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF JASON TEPFENHARDT, JESSICA : PENNSYLVANIA TEPFENHARDT, JAMES WIEGERS & : ANN MARIE WIEGERS : : : v. : : : No. 909 EDA 2018 TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : -8- J-A09019-19 : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Jan. Term 2017 Case ID: 170101225 BRIAN G. BENTRIM AND CATHERINE : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF S. BENTRIM : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 910 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017 Case ID: 171002359 AARON CARLSON AND SUZANNE : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CARLSON : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 911 EDA 2018 -9- J-A09019-19 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901005 BENJAMIN LACSON AND EVELYN : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LACSON : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 912 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017, Case ID: 171003576 JULIAN CASTANEDA AND BRENNA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CASTANEDA : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : -10- J-A09019-19 : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA IV, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 913 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA IV, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Oct. Term 2017 Case ID: 171003533 JOHN J. COFFEY AND EILEEN COFFEY : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : No. 914 EDA 2018 AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901200 JAMES COOKE AND TRACY COOKE : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA -11- J-A09019-19 : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA VI, L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : No. 915 EDA 2018 AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA VI, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170903045 THOMAS DEANGELO AND CAGLAYAN : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF DEANGELO : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 916 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 -12- J-A09019-19 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901003 JAMES COY AND DENISE COY : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : No. 917 EDA 2018 AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901196 TODD ELLIOTT AND JUDITH : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ELLIOTT : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 918 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : -13- J-A09019-19 ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170901907 ROBERT KASPROW AND LAURA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF KASPROW : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA , L.P., TOLL PA GP : No. 919 EDA 2018 CORP., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, INC., : AND TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA , L.P., : TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC., AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): Sept. Term 2017 Case ID: 170902048 FURRUKH MUNAWAR AND AAIYSHA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF MUNAWAR : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL PA, II, : L.P., TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL : No. 920 EDA 2018 BROS., INC., TOLL ARCHITECTURE, : INC., TOLL ARCHITECTURE I, P.A., : AND ANDERSON WINDOWS : : -14- J-A09019-19 : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL PA II, L.P., (IMPROPERLY PLED : AS TOLL PA, II, L.P.,) TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL BROS., INC., TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, INC. AND TOLL : ARCHITECTURE, I., P.A. : Appeal from the Order Entered March 1, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): No. 171003571 KEVIN MARCIANO AND ANGELA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF MARCIANO : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS INC., TOLL BROS, : INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA. GP : No. 1640 EDA 2018 CORP., AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, : INC. : : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS INC., : TOLL BROS, INC., TOLL PA II, L.P., : TOLL PA. GP CORP. : Appeal from the Order Dated April 30, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): September Term, 2017, No. 170903704 JAMES WOJNICKI AND KIMBERLY : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF WOJNICKI : PENNSYLVANIA : : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL PA, : L.P., TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL BROS, : No. 1912 EDA 2018 INC., AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, : INC., : -15- J-A09019-19 : : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL PA, L.P., TOLL PA GP CORP., : TOLL BROS, INC. ( COLLECTIVELY, : THE "TOLL : : Defendants : : Appeal from the Order Dated May 22, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): 02349 February Term, 2018 MENG KOUCH AND LISA C. KOUCH : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : TOLL BROTHERS, INC., TOLL PA, : L.P., TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA GP : CORP., TOLL BROS, INC., AND : No. 1913 EDA 2018 ANDERSEN WINDOWS, INC., : APPEAL: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL PA II, L.P., TOLL PA, L.P., TOLL : PA GP CORP., AND TOLL BROS., INC. : ( COLLECTIVELY, THE "TOLL”) : : Defendants : : : Appeal from the Order Dated May 22, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): 02432 March Term, 2018 JAMES MCFADDEN V. TOLL : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF BROTHERS, INC., TOLL PA, L.P., : PENNSYLVANIA TOLL PA GP CORP., TOLL BROS, : INC., AND ANDERSEN WINDOWS, : INC. : : -16- J-A09019-19 : APPEAL OF: TOLL BROTHERS, INC., : TOLL PA, L.P., TOLL PA GP CORP., : No. 2869 E1DA 2018 TOLL BROS, INC., AND ANDERSEN : WINDOWS, INC. : Appeal from the Order Entered August 14, 2018 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Civil Division at No(s): 180502212 BEFORE: KUNSELMAN, J., MURRAY, J., and PELLEGRINI*, J. CONCURRING OPINION BY KUNSELMAN, J.: FILED AUGUST 21, 2019 I join the Majority Opinion in all respects except for one. I agree with my learned colleagues that (1) the warranty at issue does not bind any homeowners who did not execute Toll Brothers’ TB Form 1302, (2) the homeowners are not third-party beneficiaries under the warranty, and (3) the language in the homeowners’ complaints does not constitute admissions that the homeowners accepted the warranty and arbitration clause. However, unlike the Majority, I believe that Toll Brothers sufficiently argued their claim of equitable estoppel. After citing and explaining the background of Scottsdale Ins. Co. v. Kinsale Ins. Co., 253 F.Supp.3d 796 (E.D.Pa. 2017), and E.I. DuPont v. Rhone Poulec Fiber & Resin Intermediates, S.A.S., 269 F.3d 187 (3d. Cir. 2001), as well as other Third Circuit and district court cases, Toll Brothers applies their holdings to the homeowners’ allegations as follows: ____________________________________________ *Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court. -17- J-A09019-19 Under Pennsylvania law, non-signatories may be estopped from disclaiming an arbitration agreement. Bouriez v. Carnegie Mellon Univ., 359 F.3d 292, 294 (3d. Cir. 2004). That is, Pennsylvania contract law does not permit a party “to claim the benefits of the contract and simultaneously avoid its burdens.” Scottsdale 253 F. Supp. 3d at 801. In fact, this sort of “cherry picking” is “precisely the situation the doctrine of equitable estoppel seeks to prevent.” Id. Otherwise stated, a non-signatory cannot embrace an agreement or receive direct benefits under it, but avoid the burdens of that agreement. DuPont, 269 F.3d 187 at 200. The plaintiffs embraced (i.e., relied on) the Limited Warranty in at least two ways to their benefit. First, the plaintiffs rely predominately on statements in the Limited Warranty to assert the claims in their complaints. See, e.g., R. 65a, 509a, 918a, 1314a, 1687a, 2198a, 2574a, 2955a, 3335a, 3714a, 4089a, 4485a, 4897a, 5305a, 5772a, 6213a, 6593a, 7033a, 7446a, 7824a, 8259a, 8690a, 9124a, 9567a, 10005a, 10427a, 11002a, 11380a, 12125a, 12384a (“Toll Brothers represented in its warranty that it acknowledged that . . . Toll Brothers had an ‘obligation to build in accordance with applicable building codes.’”); R. 280a, 541a -542a, 949a, 1344a - 1345a, 1720a, 2228a -2229a, 2606a, 2987a, 3365a, 3744a, 4119a, 4510a, 4920a, 5338a, 5805a, 6244a, 6625a, 7064a, 7479a, 7855a, 8292a, 8723a, 9157a, 9600a, 10037a, 10457a, 11026a, 11408a, 12151a - 12152a, 12409a (“Toll Brothers, and/or the other Toll Defendants, made misrepresentations in the warranty extended on the Home that it was obligated by law to comply with Applicable Building Code and so complied with Applicable Building Code.”). Second, for at least eleven of the homes at issue, the plaintiffs have submitted explicit warranty requests for the damages at issue in their complaints (whether using Toll’s warranty request form, sending an email, or through their counsel). R. 679a, 3485a, 3855a, 4281a -4282a, 5032a - 5034a, 6584a ¶¶137,139, 7182a, 8885a, 11174a -11175a, 11730a ¶¶155,158, 11550a; Tr. 11:14-20; 33:12-14. At least four other homes also have warranty requests submitted by the plaintiffs. There is no question that these particular plaintiffs embraced and availed themselves of the -18- J-A09019-19 benefits conferred by the Limited Warranty by asserting warranty claims for Toll to address. It is obvious that the plaintiffs embraced the Limited Warranty. And, simply put, the plaintiffs cannot have their cake and eat it too. They have availed themselves of the Limited Warranty such that they cannot circumvent the corresponding agreement to arbitrate. Accordingly, the plaintiffs are estopped from disavowing the arbitration agreement given that they availed themselves of the benefits of the Limited Warranty for other purposes. Toll Brothers’ Brief at 52 – 54. Given all those citations to the homeowners’ complaints, I believe Toll Brothers adequately explained why the federal authority in Scottsdale and DuPont applies in this case. Thus, I would reach the merits of the equitable estoppel claim. Congress, in passing the FAA, drew no distinction between arbitration demands made in state or federal court. Indeed, the FAA preempts state law disfavoring arbitration agreements. See, e.g., AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, 563 U.S. 333 (2011). Moreover, due to FAA preemption, I would apply the Third Circuits’ precedents on this issue. I would apply DuPont and Bouriez, just as this Court did in Washburn v. Norther Health Facilities, Inc., 121 A.3d 1008 (Pa. Super. 2015), but refuse to compel arbitration for the reasons I discuss below. To do otherwise might subject our case law to a preemption challenge in federal court. See AT&T, supra. Turning to the merits of Toll Brothers’ equitable estoppel claim, I conclude no appellate relief is due. The party seeking to compel arbitration by a non-signatory can succeed under a claim of equitable-estoppel if the -19- J-A09019-19 other “person embraces the agreement and directly benefits from it.” Bouriez, 359 F.3d at 295 (emphasis added). In making its argument, Toll Brothers has misrepresented the federal precedent upon which it relies. Beginning with the false premise that this is an “or” test, Toll Brothers claims that “a non-signatory cannot embrace an agreement or receive direct benefits under it, but avoid the burdens of that agreement.” Toll Brothers’ Brief at 52 (emphasis added). The Bouriez Court, which first applied DuPont to a Pennsylvania contract, directs otherwise. In fact, Bouriez refused to compel arbitration based on the absence of a benefit to the non-signatory. “[T]here is simply no evidence in the record to indicate that Mr. Bouriez directly benefited from the 1996 Agreement [containing the arbitration clause].” Id. at 295. The same is true here. There is no evidence that the homeowners benefited from Toll Brothers’ warranty, despite their alleged reliance upon it. Indeed, nowhere in Toll Brothers’ brief does it indicate how the homeowners actually benefited from the now-expired warranties on their homes. In every instance where one of the homeowners here attempted to seek remuneration under the warranty, Toll Brothers rejected the claim for one reason or another. Thus, no benefit at all came to any of these homeowners under the warranty. That is why the homeowners sued Toll Brothers. Accordingly, Toll Brothers may not force the non-signatory homeowners into arbitration based upon a warranty under which they received no benefit. -20- J-A09019-19 In sum, I concur with the decision to affirm the order entered below; the trial court rightfully denied the petition to compel arbitration. -21-