Opinion

G. Levitsky & M. Levitsky h/w v. Wallingford-Swarthmore S.D.

Court
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Filed
Apr 14, 2023
Status
Unpublished
On the bench
Ceisler, J.
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 23.1%

The opinion

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

George Levitsky and :

Marcia Levitsky h/w, :

Appellants :

:

v. : No. 1429 C.D. 2021

:

Wallingford-Swarthmore School :

District : Submitted: December 2, 2022

BEFORE: HONORABLE ANNE E. COVEY, Judge

HONORABLE ELLEN CEISLER, Judge

HONORABLE BONNIE BRIGANCE LEADBETTER, Senior Judge

OPINION NOT REPORTED

MEMORANDUM OPINION BY

JUDGE CEISLER FILED: April 14, 2023

George Levitsky and Marcia Levitsky (the Levitskys) appeal from the

November 15, 2021 order of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County (trial

court), which denied the Levitskys’ petition seeking a permanent injunction against

the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (District). Because the trial court’s

order denying injunctive relief does not meet the criteria required to be appealable

as of right under Rule 311(a)(4)(ii) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure,1 this Court

does not have jurisdiction to hear the Levitskys’ appeal, which is hereby quashed.

I. Background

The facts underlying this matter are largely undisputed. The Levitskys own a

single-family residence on Copples Lane in the Township of Nether Providence

1

Rule 311(a)(4)(ii) relevantly provides that an order granting or denying an injunction is

appealable as of right, unless the order was entered after trial but before entry of a final order, and

the order does not enjoin conduct previously permitted or mandate conduct not previously

mandated or permitted. Pa.R.A.P. 311(a)(4)(ii).

(Township). Original Record (O.R.), Item No. 93, Finding of Fact (F.F.) No. 2. The

Levitskys’ home is adjacent to King Field (the Field), an athletic field located at the

Strath Haven Middle School (SHMS) and maintained by the District. O.R., Item

No. 72, Ex. A-3. On October 25, 2017, the Levitskys filed an amended complaint

against the District alleging that noise, lights, and debris from the Field constituted

a private and public nuisance and a trespass against their interest.2 O.R., Item No.

12.

On January 17, 2020, the Levitskys filed a petition for preliminary and

permanent injunction, seeking an order that would include the following relief: (1)

limiting the District’s use of the Field to no more than 200 hours per year and

limiting athletic events to varsity football games; (2) prohibiting the Strath Haven

High School (SHHS) marching band from practicing on the Field and requiring that

the marching band sit in the Field’s “visitor” bleachers during football games; (3)

restricting use of the Field’s “home” bleachers to the first four tiers or, alternatively,

restricting all spectator seating to the Field’s “visitor” bleachers; (4) installing sound

barriers to reduce the level of noise emanating from the Field to the limits established

in Section 169-5 of the Township’s noise control ordinance (Noise Ordinance);3 (5)

prohibiting or severely restricting the Field’s use for non-school groups and

prohibiting their use of amplified music; (5) installing barriers to prevent access to

the Field when not in use, and (6) adjusting the Field’s lighting equipment to

eliminate glare on neighboring properties. O.R., Item No. 62. The Levitskys also

requested that the District hire police officers to maintain order at the Field during

2

The Township was also named as a defendant in the amended complaint but dismissed as

a party on February 7, 2018. O.R., Item No. 19.

3

Township of Nether Providence, Pa., Code § 169-5 (September 20, 2017). O.R., Item

No. 90, Ex. D3.

2

evening football games and establish a patrol comprised of parents and District

faculty to monitor the neighborhoods adjacent to the Field during those games. Id.

The Levitskys withdrew their petition for preliminary injunction on October

12, 2020. O.R., Item No. 69. Thereafter, the Levitskys filed a petition for permanent

injunction that essentially reiterated their prior request for relief. O.R., Item No. 72.

The trial court conducted evidentiary hearings over the course of four days in May

2021.

The Levitskys’ Evidence

Mr. Levitsky testified that the Field did not have bleachers when he and Mrs.

Levitsky purchased the land for their home in 1979. O.R., Item No. 88, Notes of

Testimony (N.T.), 5/10/21, at 44. At that time, approximately 8-12 football games

were played on the Field over the course of a year. Id. at 46. Between 1982 and

1984, the District installed lights on the Field, which consisted of 4 poles with 8-10

lights installed on each pole. Id. at 44-45. In 2009, the District installed 80-foot

poles with 10-12 lights on each pole. Id. Mr. Levitsky believes that metal bleachers

were added to the Field after the lights were installed. Id. at 46. The bleachers are

163 feet long, and approximately 40-50 feet high, with a two-story press box

attached to one set of bleachers. Id. at 46-47. Mr. Levitsky stated that “[i]t’s

daylight” when the Field lights are operating and he asserted that the lights operate

even when no events are taking place. Id. at 47, 51. The District installed artificial

turf on the Field in 2013. Id. at 50. Mr. Levitsky advised that activity on the Field

“skyrocket[ed]” following installation of the artificial turf. Id. He estimated that

events take place on the Field daily from 2:00-10:00 p.m. Id.

In addition to light pollution created by use of the Field, Mr. Levitsky stated

that, at times, the amplified sound from the Field and music from the marching band

3

causes his home to shake. Id. at 58-59. Mr. Levitsky testified that items from the

Field, such as balls, rocks, and water bottles, are frequently thrown on his property.

Id. at 60. He asserted that the District rents the Field to non-school groups, whose

events are not monitored or supervised by the District. Id. at 63-64. Id. Mr. Levitsky

advised that the noise and lights from the Field have had a detrimental effect on his

and Mrs. Levitsky’s health. Id. at 75. The Levitskys keep a calendar on which they

mark each day the lights are used on the Field. Id. at 71. Mr. Levitsky calculated

that the Field lights were operated 150 times in 2019. Id. at 72.

On cross-examination, Mr. Levitsky conceded that the Field lights are not

operated during the summer months, and they are not operated every night during

the school year. Id. at 106. Mr. Levitsky agreed that the District’s athletic events

are exempt from the limits established in the Noise Ordinance and that, to his

knowledge, the District’s use of the Field did not otherwise violate any Township

ordinance or state law. Id. at 107, 116-17. He acknowledged that music performed

by the marching band is not electronically amplified. Id. at 139. While Mr. Levitsky

agreed that the District did not condone the behavior of individuals who threw rocks

and bottles on the Levitskys’ property, he maintained that the District “gave them

the platform to throw the stuff at my house.” Id. at 157-58. Mr. Levitsky

acknowledged that many of his health issues existed before he moved to Copples

Lane. Id. at 119-21. Mr. Levitsky also acknowledged that he chose to build his

home 350 feet off Copples Lane on the rear section of his property. Id. at 118.

Mrs. Levitsky testified that when she and Mr. Levitsky bought their property

in 1979, the Field had wooden bleachers, which were visible from the yard. O.R.,

Item No. 89, N.T., 5/13/21, at 39. She stated that sound from the Field dramatically

increased when the District installed metal bleachers. Id. at 54. Mrs. Levitsky

4

agreed during cross-examination that the marching band does not practice on the

Field in January, February, or from April through July. Id. at 160-61. She also

agreed that the Field lights are typically turned off by 10:00 p.m. Id. at 168.

The Levitskys presented the live testimony of Marc Gramatges, Ph.D., a

psychologist who evaluated the Levitskys on two occasions for the purpose of

assessing the psychological impact of light and sound emanating from the Field. Id.

at 211. Dr. Gramatges opined that light and sound from the Field were stressors that

negatively impacted the Levitskys’ ability to sleep and conduct their daily activities.

Id. at 220. The trial court sustained an objection by the District to Dr. Gramatges

testimony that light and noise from the Field aggravated the Levitskys’ preexisting

medical conditions, as such an opinion was beyond his expertise. Id. at 220, 222.

Dr. Gramatges acknowledged that he met with the Levitskys purely for evaluation

purposes and he did not provide any treatment. Id. at 225. He agreed that he did not

assess the Levitskys’ overall psychological conditions, and his evaluation was

limited to whether those conditions were affected by light and sound from the Field.

Id. at 227. He did not review or consider any other “stressors” that might affect the

Levitskys. Id. Dr. Gramatges conceded that his understanding of the Levitskys’

medical history came from the Levitskys and he did not review any of their medical

records. Id. at 229. Moreover, the Levitskys led him to believe that light and sound

emanated from the Field every day and at all hours. Id. at 247-48.

Gregory D. Marhefka, M.D., testified that he has treated Mr. Levitsky since

2011, when Mr. Levitsky suffered a heart attack. Id. at 260-61. Dr. Marhefka

authored a letter in 2019 in which he opined that noise pollution could have a

negative impact on Mr. Levitsky’s cardiac health. Id. at 285. Dr. Marhefka

acknowledged that Mr. Levitsky suffers from significant and complicated

5

cardiovascular disease that is affected by other underlying conditions, such as

morbid obesity. Id. at 287, 293. He agreed that Mr. Levitsky’s records do not

document any complaints from him about the Field prior to 2019. Id. at 289.

The Levitskys also presented the live testimony of Colin Brigham, an

industrial hygienist engineer. Mr. Brigham stated that an industrial hygienist

engineer is responsible for the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of

workplace health hazards, including sound. O.R., Item No. 91, N.T., 5/14/19, at 6.

Mr. Brigham visited the Levitsky property on May 15, 2019, at which time a

“relatively lonely[-]attended event” took place. Id. at 38. He understood that the

applicable sound ordinance prohibited noise exceeding 57 decibels (dB) between

7:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and exceeding 52 dB between 10:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Id. at 48. While at the Levitskys’ home, Mr. Brigham recorded noise levels

exceeding 60.2 dB. Id. at 49. To address the effects of noise from the Field on the

Levitskys, Mr. Brigham generally recommended limiting the use of lights and sound

on the Field, moving the bleachers to a different part of the Field, limiting the use of

the Field to non-school groups, and prohibiting the use of “boomboxes” to play

music. Id. at 57-58. Mr. Brigham opined that noise levels exceeding the limits

established in the Noise Ordinance would cause adverse effects, such as sleep

disturbance and interference with speech and communication. Id. at 63-64. As part

of his analysis of sound levels emanating from the Field, Mr. Brigham reviewed a

report prepared by Kerry Delewski (Delewski Report), the technician who installed

the Field’s sound system. Id. at 51. The District lodged an objection to this

testimony, which the trial court sustained, as Mr. Delewski had not been called as a

witness to the proceedings and the Delewski Report had not been submitted into

evidence. Id. at 52, 55.

6

During cross-examination, Mr. Brigham conceded that his only visit to the

Levitsky home, and the surrounding neighborhood, lasted approximately 90

minutes. Id. at 74. He did not speak with any of the Levitskys’ neighbors during

that visit. Id. at 76. Mr. Brigham also conceded that he only observed the Field

bleachers from the Levitskys’ yard, and he did not visit the Field itself. Id. at 87.

Mrs. Levitskys’ sister, Amelia Maurizio, testified that she visits the Levitskys

frequently and that their home is “inundated with light” when the Field lights are

operated. Id. at 95. She stated that they have had to leave the home at times when

athletic events take place because the sound is “overwhelming[.]” Id. at 96. Ms.

Maurizio conceded that the Field lights are turned off at 10:00 p.m. Id. at 105.

Neighbors of the Levitskys, Stephen Kopsick and Karen Capobianco, agreed

that activity on the Field dramatically increased after the artificial turf was installed.

N.T., 5/10/21, at 174-75; N.T., 5/14/21, at 114. Mr. Kopsick stated that the lights

from the Field were so bright he could read the newspaper inside his house. N.T.,

5/10/21, at 178. He also asserted that the volume of amplified music from the Field

is unnerving and audible inside his home, even with the doors and windows shut.

Id. at 175. Ms. Capobianco confirmed that she could sit outside at night and read a

book by the lights from the Field, and that amplified music from the Field was

audible inside her house. N.T., 5/14/21, at 114-15. She believed that the Field was

in use approximately 10 months out of the year. Id. at 115. Ms. Capobianco stated

that the District was “not [a] very good” neighbor, and she had previously dealt with

school buses that were parked in the street with engines idling “for hours in the

morning,” and emitting noxious fumes. Id. at 118-19. She estimated that it took a

few weeks to resolve the bus issue with the District. Id. at 120. Ms. Capobianco

agreed that there were good points to living near the school and that her children

7

participated in activities that utilized the Field, including the marching band. Id. at

123. She acknowledged that marching band practice usually ended by 8:30 p.m. and

that the Field lights were typically turned off by 10:00 p.m. Id. at 125.

At the conclusion of Ms. Capobianco’s testimony, the Levitskys rested their

case. The District moved for a directed verdict on the basis that the Levitskys failed

to demonstrate they established a public or private nuisance or trespass. Id. at 148.

The trial court denied the motion, citing Pa.R.Civ.P. 226(b), which only permits a

directed verdict following the close of all evidence. Id. at 165-66.

A. The District’s Evidence

Thereafter, the District presented the live testimony of David Splain, the

Township’s chief of police (Chief Splain). Chief Splain testified that he moved into

the District in August 1976, and that in 1981 he graduated from Nether Providence

High School, which later merged with SHHS. Id. at 169. To his knowledge,

bleachers were always present on the Field. Id. at 169. Chief Splain agreed that, if

he stood at the top of the bleachers next to the press box and turned around, he could

see directly into the Levitskys’ property. Id. at 178. He stated that Township police

officers provide security for Friday night football games due to the size of the crowd

in attendance; they do not regularly provide security for other Field events. Id. at

175-76, 183. If Township police had observed an individual throwing items into the

Levitskys’ yard, they would work with any District staff present to identify and

remove the individual. Id. at 179. Chief Splain estimated that the Levitskys have

contacted the Township on 50 occasions to complain about light and noise from the

Field. Id. at 182. He is not aware of any other resident making similar complaints.

Id. Chief Splain acknowledged that the Field lights operate on a timer and that

occasionally the lights shut off while activity is ongoing. Id. at 185. Chief Splain

8

understands that the District is exempt from the Noise Ordinance, based on a legal

opinion provided by the Township solicitor, and Chief Splain has advised the

Levitskys of the exemption. Id. at 186, 195.

The District also provided the live testimony of Pat Clancy, the athletic

director at SHHS. Mr. Clancy advised that SHHS has 25 varsity athletic teams, 13

junior varsity (JV) teams, 4 freshman teams, and 3 club teams. Id. at 209-10. Eight

varsity teams practice and play their home games at the Field. Id. at 211. Mr. Clancy

uses a computer program to schedule light use on the Field, which takes into

consideration the time of year and when sunset is expected to occur. Id. at 213. The

Field lights are “almost always” scheduled to shut off at 9:15 p.m., except during

football games. Id. at 214. Mr. Clancy can turn off the lights early if the Field is

not in use; however, he admitted that he has forgotten to do so on occasion. Id. He

advised that the Field lights are not in use five months of the year. Id. at 213. In

2018, the District changed the start time for Friday night football games from 7:30

p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Id. at 223.

Mr. Clancy indicated that the District is required to provide equal opportunity

to girls and boys sports. Id. at 215. The Field is used for boys’ and girls’ varsity

sporting events as it is the only athletic field with an artificial turf. Id. Generally,

JV, freshman, and middle school athletic events are held on the District’s other

athletic fields. Id. at 217. Those fields do not meet the size and dimension

requirements for some sports, and some fields lack bathroom facilities, rendering

them inappropriate for varsity events. Id. at 217, 221. While the attendance at Friday

night football games can range from 2,000 to 2,500 spectators, Mr. Clancy estimated

that between 75 and 150 tickets are sold for other varsity events. Id. at 226. Mr.

Clancy acknowledged that the District rents the Field to non-school groups;

9

however, he advised that approximately 80% of those organizations are community

groups. Id. at 224. In general, the Field is only available for non-school groups on

Sunday, and the Field is not booked every Sunday. Id. at 244. Although the District

does not regulate these non-school events or provide security, the events are

recorded by the Field’s surveillance equipment. Id. at 240-41. Non-school groups

do not have access to the Field’s sound system. Id. at 225.

Regarding music, Mr. Clancy advised that the District instituted a new policy

in the fall of 2019 providing that any amplified music played on the Field prior to a

game cannot contain lyrics and that a staff member or adult volunteer must be

present to supervise the use of music. Id. at 230. To his knowledge, the District is

exempt from the Noise Ordinance; however, Mr. Clancy stated that he tries to limit

sound from the Field whenever possible. Id. at 232. If a lacrosse game runs late, for

example, the public address system will be turned off. Id. at 232-33.

Kimberly Killeen testified that she resides on Copples Lane next to the bus

parking lot, and that she has lived at that location since 2001. O.R., Item No. 90,

N.T., 5/19/21, at 6. Ms. Killeen understood that she would have to contend with

increased traffic by living next to SHMS and the Field; however, she felt that the

athletic events at the Field were good for the entire community. Id. at 8-9. She

stated that the Field lights are usually turned off by 9:30 p.m., and they are not in

use during the winter months. Id. at 10-11.

Finally, the District presented the live testimony of Henry Pearlberg, the

District’s music department chairperson and assistant director of SHHS marching

band. Mr. Pearlberg testified that the Field’s existing bleachers and press box were

in place prior to 1983, when the District first hired him. Id. at 22. Mr. Pearlberg

stated that the marching band had approximately 40 members when he first began

10

working for the District. Id. at 24. The marching band has averaged 420 members

for the past 10 or 15 years. Id. It performs at all home football games. Id. at 25-26.

The marching band performs acoustically. Id. at 28. Mr. Pearlberg estimates that

the marching band is done performing by 9:30 or 9:40 p.m. Id. at 30. He advised

that the marching band also practices on the Field, and it performs a concert there

every fall. Id. at 32. While the marching band will also practice on other athletic

fields owned by the District, Mr. Pearlberg stated that the Field is more appropriate

for practicing and “fine tun[ing]” the half-time performances. Id. at 35.

Furthermore, the District’s other fields are muddy and unusable after a rainstorm.

Id. at 35-36. During football season, the marching band will have three or four

evening rehearsals that usually run from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Id. at 39. The

marching band conducts a two-week camp at the Field each summer between the

hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Id. at 36. The marching band does not use the

Field in January or February or from May through June. Id. at 40-41.

Mr. Pearlberg does not believe the marching band could continue in its current

form if it was prohibited from using the Field, in part because the marching band is

a curricular activity that takes place during the school day. Id. at 44. He advised

that it would not be feasible to transport all 400 plus members of the marching band

every day to another location for practice and then back to SHHS for the remainder

of the school day. Id. at 44-45.

After resting its case, the District renewed its motion for a directed verdict,

which the trial court denied. Id. at 50. Counsel for the Levitskys sought to present

an additional witness, the District superintendent. Id. at 51. The trial court denied

the request, as the Levitskys had not listed the superintendent as a potential witness

for the Levitskys. Id. at 52. The trial court indicated that “[a]ll the evidence ha[d]

11

been presented from both sides[,]” and the trial court was not inclined to reopen the

Levitskys’ case. Id.

B. Trial Court Decision

The trial court issued an order on November 15, 2021, denying the Levitskys’

petition for permanent injunction. O.R., Item No. 93, at 7. The trial court noted that

Section 169-5 of the Noise Ordinance limited noise levels in residential districts to

57 dB between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and to 52 dB between the hours

of 10:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. Id., F.F. No. 17. Section 169-6 of the Noise Ordinance

relevantly exempts electronically amplified announcements at athletic events and

sounds from school and public activities that are not electronically amplified and

created by “organized school-related programs, activities, athletic and entertainment

events or other public programs, activities or events, other than motor vehicle racing

events.” F.F. No. 18. After reviewing the evidence, the trial court concluded that

the Levitskys failed to establish that their right to relief was clear, one of the required

elements for a permanent injunction. Additionally, the trial court noted, without

further discussion, that “the statute of limitations, doctrine of [laches], and the

Political Subdivision [Tort] Claim[s] Act”4 prevented the trial court from fully

considering the Levitskys’ claims. Trial ct. op. at 7. The trial court recognized that,

4

Section 8541 of what is commonly referred to as the Political Subdivision Tort Claims

Act (Act) generally establishes governmental immunity for local agencies. 42 Pa.C.S. § 8541.

Section 8542 of the Act provides several exceptions to governmental immunity. 42 Pa.C.S. §

8542. A local agency may be liable for damages, provided the injury was caused by the negligent

acts of the local agency or an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment, and the

acts involved the operation of a vehicle, the loss of personal property within the possession or

control of the local agency, damages caused by a dangerous condition of real property, trees, traffic

controls, street lighting, utility services, streets, sidewalks, and animals either owned by or under

the care, custody or control of a local agency, as well as conduct which constitutes sexual abuse,

if the injuries were caused by the negligent acts or omissions of a local agency. 42 Pa.C.S. §

8542(b).

12

in the past, the District had accommodated requests from property owners living

near the Field, and the trial court “urged” the District “to consider further

accommodation for noise, light[,] and debris.” Id. The trial court opined that

granting the injunction would cause greater harm to the District and, given the

Levitskys’ failure to establish a clear right to the requested relief, the trial court

denied their request for permanent injunctive relief. This appeal followed.5

II. Issues

On appeal, the Levitskys argue that the trial court erred in concluding that

activities conducted on the Field are exempt from the Township’s sound ordinance

and that the Levitskys failed to establish a right to injunctive relief. The Levitskys

also argue that the trial court erred in precluding Dr. Gramatges’ testimony regarding

any aggravation of the Levitskys’ preexisting health concerns and Mr. Brigham’s

discussion of the Delewski Report.

III. Discussion

Before we review the merits of the Levitskys’ appeal, we must first address

the appealability of the trial court’s November 15, 2021 order, which denied their

request for permanent injunction but which did not dispose of the nuisance and

trespass claims in their amended complaint.

Rule 311 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure (Rule 311) establishes when an

appeal may be taken as of right. Pa.R.A.P. 311. Generally, an appeal may only be

taken as of right from a final order entered by a government unit or trial court.

5

Our review of an order granting or denying a permanent injunction turns on whether the

trial court properly found that the party seeking the injunction established a clear right to relief as

a matter of law. Our standard of review of a question of law is de novo, and our scope of review

is plenary. Penn Square General Corp. v. Cnty. of Lancaster, 936 A.2d 158, 167 n.7 (Pa. Cmwlth.

2007).

13

Pa.R.A.P. 311(a).6 Rule 311(a)(4)(ii) creates an exception to the general rule and

provides that an order granting or denying an injunction may be appealed as of right,

“unless the order was entered . . . [a]fter a trial but before entry of the final

order.” Pa.R.A.P. 311(a)(4)(ii) (emphasis added). An exception to the exception

exists where the order granting or denying injunctive relief “enjoins conduct

previously permitted or mandates conduct not previously mandated or permitted,

and [the order] is effective before entry of the final order.” Id.

Instantly, the trial court entered its November 15, 2021 order denying

permanent injunctive relief following a four-day trial. The Levitskys have not

disputed that the trial court’s order did not dispose of all claims and, thus, was not a

final order under Rule 311(b). They assert, however, that the exceptions in Rule

311(a)(4)(ii) do not apply and, therefore, the trial court’s November 15, 2021 order

was immediately appealable.

We disagree. Rule 311(a)(4)(ii) clearly provides that an order denying or

granting an injunction is not immediately appealable as of right if (1) the order was

entered after trial but prior to entry of a final order and (2) the order maintained the

status quo. It is undisputed that the trial court’s order was not a final order. In the

docketing statement filed with this Court on April 5, 2022, the Levitskys

acknowledged that their appeal was taken from an order denying their request for a

permanent injunction and the order was entered “after trial but before [entry of a ]

final order.” While the Levitskys also acknowledged that the trial court’s order did

not enjoin conduct previously permitted or mandated, they suggested that the order

“permitt[ed] or mandate[d] conduct not previously mandated or permitted.” The

principal brief filed by the Levitskys in their appeal to this Court fails to identify any

6

Rule 311(b) relevantly defines a final order as one that disposes of all claims. Pa.R.A.P.

311(b).

14

conduct that was allegedly permitted or mandated following the trial court’s order

and that was not previously permitted or mandated.

The trial court’s November 15, 2021 order recognized that the District had

previously accommodated “certain requests from [the Field’s] adjacent neighbors,”

and the trial court “urged” the District to consider further accommodations. O.R.,

Item No. 93, trial ct. op. at 7. The trial court did not, however, permit or mandate

any conduct that was not previously permitted or mandated. Rather, the trial court’s

order simply maintained the status quo.

As a result, the trial court’s November 15, 2021 order was not immediately

appealable as of right under Rule 311(a)(4)(ii), and the Levitskys’ appeal is not

properly before this Court. Accordingly, this Court lacks jurisdiction to address the

merits of the Levitskys’ appeal, which we are obliged to quash.

____________________________

ELLEN CEISLER, Judge

Judge Fizzano Cannon did not participate in the decision of this case.

15

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

George Levitsky and :

Marcia Levitsky h/w, :

Appellants :

:

v. : No. 1429 C.D. 2021

:

Wallingford-Swarthmore School :

District :

ORDER

AND NOW, this 14th day of April, 2023, because the November 15, 2021

order of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County (trial court) was not a final

order or an interlocutory order for which there exists an appeal as of right, the appeal

filed by George Levitsky and Marcia Levitsky is hereby quashed.

____________________________

ELLEN CEISLER, Judge

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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