In this quiet title case, the Pennsylvania Superior Court reversed the trial court’s order granting plaintiffs a new trial and issued an ominous warning that the court “must not allow the unauthorized practice of law.” The matter proceeded as a bench trial to determine the rightful owner of two properties in Philadelphia. At trial, the plaintiff was “represented” by his nephew, a non-lawyer. After losing the case, the plaintiff hired an attorney who successfully moved for a new trial. The Superior Court reversed because the trial court’s decision was at odds with controlling precedent. But the Court remanded so the plaintiff to refile claims that were not litigated.
