In This Case a Tie Does Not Result In a “Push”

In blackjack, typically when the dealer and a player get the same point total the result is a "push," meaning neither side wins.

In Robinson Township, et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2012 Commonwealth LEXIS 222 (July 26, 2012), the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court struck down important aspects of Pennsylvania’s new oil and gas law, known colloquially as Act 13. It held that the General Assembly: 1) improperly sought to compel local government to allow industrial gas operations in nearly all zoned -- including residential -- districts, and 2) failed to establish adequate standards for instances when the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) may waive setback requirements designed to protect streams and other surface waters.

The Corbett administration appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court and is looking for something more than a "push." Here’s why.

The Commonwealth Court is comprised by law of nine "commissioned" judges. One of those nine, Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt, recused herself and therefore did not participate in the decision. By rule, seven judges are impaneled to hear a case en banc, meaning the entire court. Judge Renee Cohn Jubilerer, wife of former president pro tempore of the Senate (R — District 30), was not on the panel of seven. The decision to toss out parts of Act 13 was made by a vote of 4-3, with Democrats in the majority. Internal operating rules of the court provide that any "commissioned" judge not on the panel may file an "objection" to the majority opinion, and if that vote results in a tie of all "commissioned" judges, the opinion has to say so. If one looks at footnote one of the majority opinion, it explains that the opinion was being filed under a specific rule "because ... the vote of the remaining commissioned judges on those Counts resulted in a tie." So, the majority that struck down portions of Act 13 had the votes to do so because of the judges who were impaneled for this particular en banc hearing. The actual vote of "commissioned" judges was 4-4.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, on the other hand, is made up of seven justices. One of those seven, Justice Joan Orie Melvin, is currently suspended from participating on the court because of felony charges alleging that her judicial staff improperly worked on her 2003 and 2009 election bids. (Joan, of course, is the sister of state Sen. Jane Orie, who was convicted of ethics violations, theft of services, and forgery, and was sentenced to prison). That leaves six justices — split evenly between Democrats and Republicans — to hear the Commonwealth's Robinson appeal. Since Justice Orie Melvin’s suspension, the Supremes have split evenly on two different cases. It is not inconceivable that the same could happen in the Robinson appeal. A tie vote in the Supreme Court would mean that the majority vote of the Commonwealth Court would be affirmed.

And that is why the Corbett administration, which crafted and pushed through the overbearing zoning provisions of Act 13, is hoping for something other than a "push" before the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court votes 3-3, the Corbett administration loses.