AmerisourceBergen Corp. v. John Does 1 & 2
81 A.3d 921
| Pa. Super. Ct. | 2013Background
- Appellants challenge two July 11, 2012 trial court orders governing pre-complaint discovery by ABC and Herson.
- First order denied Emergency Petition to Disqualify Counsel and to prohibit/pause action against Appellants.
- Second order granted Petition to Compel Disclosure of Appellants’ identities.
- Barron’s article commentary involved misattribution to a person named Neil Herson and subsequent identity discovery by Verizon.
- Court ordered disclosure pending appeal period; Appellants filed a timely Notice of Appeal.
- Court quashed the appeal for lack of finality/collateral review and remanded
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finality of the challenged orders | Appellants argue orders are final | Appellees contend orders are not final | Not final; appeal quashed |
| Collateral order doctrine applicability | First Amendment collateral-review rights apply per Pilchesky/Melvin | No collateral-right; speech not protected; no imminent loss | No collateral order jurisdiction |
| Ripe review of disqualification order | Disqualification order should be reviewable now | Riпe review not satisfied; premature | Not ripe for review |
Key Cases Cited
- Cooper v. Frankford Health Care Sys., Inc., 960 A.2d 134 (Pa.Super.2008) (pre-complaint discovery requires good faith and probable cause)
- McNeil v. Jordan, 934 A.2d 739 (Pa.Super.2007) (good faith and necessity for discovery)
- Geniviva v. Frisk, 555 Pa. 589, 725 A.2d 1209 (1999) (collateral-order doctrine strictness; public policy rights intertwined)
- Pilchesky v. Gatelli, 12 A.3d 430 (Pa.Super.2011) (requirements to disclose identity of pseudonymous speakers; balancing test)
- Melvin v. Doe, 836 A.2d 42 (2003) (collateral-order rights deeply rooted in public policy)
- Virginia State Bd. of Pharmacy, 425 U.S. 748 (1976) (free flow of information; First Amendment limits not extending to misattribution)
- Ins. Adjustment Bureau v. Ins. Comm’r for the Commonwealth of Penna., 518 Pa. 210, 542 A.2d 1317 (1988) (First Amendment protections do not blanket all speech)