Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317 (1947). · Go Syfert
Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317 (1947). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
“when the legislature declares certain conduct to be unlawful it is tantamount in law to calling it injurious to the public. for one to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury.”
205 citation events (102 in the last 25 years) across 15 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Peters Township v. Russell (pacommwct, 2015-07-30)
Treatment trajectory · 1948 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1948 1987 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 36 distinct citers.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Peters Township v. Russell
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2015 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
hen the legislature declares certain conduct to be unlawful it is tantamount in law to calling it injurious to the public. for one to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury.
examined Cited as authority (quoted) Brewneer Realty Two, LLC v. Catherman, A. (3×) also: Cited "see", Cited "see, e.g."
Pa. Super. Ct. · 2022 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
when the legislature declares certain conduct to be unlawful it is tantamount in law to calling it injurious to the public. for one to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Eastern PA Chapter v. Bucks County Community College
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2025 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317, 321 (Pa. 1947); see also Philips Bros.
cited Cited as authority (rule) T.A. White v. PA DOC
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2025 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317, 321 (Pa. 1947)]. 6 the parties in new positions relative to Petitioner’s medical care.
cited Cited as authority (rule) M. Kaba v. J. Berrier, Acting Sec'y. for PA Dept. of L&I
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2022 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317, 323 (Pa. 1947).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Pocono Mountain Lake Forest Community Assoc., Inc. v. J. Swift
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2021 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317, 322 (Pa. 1947) (citation omitted).
cited Cited as authority (rule) A. Abbonizio & C. Abbonizio Contractors, Inc. v. City of Philadelphia & Thomas P. Carney, Inc.
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2020 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 52 A.2d 317, 321 (Pa. 1947); see also Philips Bros.
cited Cited as authority (rule) A.A. Wolk v. The Sch. Dist. of Lower Merion
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2020 · confidence medium
Israel, 52 A.2d at 321 (internal quotations omitted) (emphasis added).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Centennial Lending Group v. Seckel Capital
Pa. Super. Ct. · 2017 · confidence medium
N.T., 2/4/16, at 120.18 Therefore, if Centennial can prove that Seckel’s acquisition of Spadaccini’s customer list violates the PUTSA, the requirement of irreparable injury ____________________________________________ 17 In support of this holding, the Supreme Court cited the following authorities in SEIU: Commonwealth v. Coward, 489 Pa. 327 , 414 A.2d 91 , 98–99 (1980) (holding that where a statute prescribes certain activity, the court need only make a finding that the illegal activity occurred to conclude that there was irreparable injury for purposes of issuing a preliminary injuncti…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania v. Commonwealth (2×)
Pa. · 2014 · confidence medium
See Commonwealth v. Coward, 489 Pa. 327 , 414 A.2d 91, 98-99 (1980) (holding that where a statute prescribes certain activity, the court need only make a finding that the illegal activity occurred to conclude that there was irreparable injury for purposes of issuing a preliminary injunction); Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947) (holding that when the Legislature declares certain conduct to be unlawful, it is tantamount to calling it injurious to the public, and to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury for purposes of s…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Beaver County ex rel. Beaver County Board of Commissioners v. David
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2014 · confidence medium
For one to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury.’ ” Commonwealth v. Coward, 489 Pa. 327, 341 , 414 A.2d 91, 98 (1980) (quoting Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947)); see also Council 13, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO v. Casey, 141 Pa.Cmwlth. 199 , 595 A.2d 670, 674 (1991) (holding that a violation of an express provision of a statute is per se irreparable harm for purposes of a preliminary injunction).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Dillon v. City of Erie
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2014 · confidence medium
For one to continue such unlawful conduct constitutes irreparable injury.” Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Commonwealth v. Tap Pharmaceutical Products, Inc. (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2011 · confidence medium
Comm’n v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Com. v. TAP PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2011 · confidence medium
Id. at 409 , 52 A.2d at 321 (emphasis added).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Commonwealth v. Tap Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2011 · confidence medium
Id. at 409 , 52 A.2d at 321 (emphasis added).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Central Dauphin Education Ass'n v. Central Dauphin School District
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2002 · confidence medium
“The violation of a statute constitutes immediate and irreparable harm and issuing a preliminary injunction to avoid such a violation is justified.” Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Central Dauphin Education Ass'n v. Central Dauphin School District
pactcompldauphi · 2001 · confidence medium
Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Cappiello v. Duca
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1996 · confidence medium
While our Supreme Court has recognized that statutory violations are sufficiently injurious to constitute irreparable harm, see Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947) (wherein the Supreme Court noted that when conduct proscribed by a statute is continued, such conduct constitutes irreparable injury); Save Our School v. Colonial School District, 156 Pa.Commw. 671, 677 n. 5, 628 A.2d 1210 , 1213 n. 5 (1993) (Commonwealth Court, citing Hempfield School District v. Election Board of Lancaster County, 133 Pa.Commw. 85, 574 A.2d 1190 , allocatur …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) West Penn Power Co. v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1987 · confidence medium
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Commonwealth v. Coward
Pa. · 1980 · confidence medium
In Pa. P. U. C. v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A.2d 317, 321 (1947), where a preliminary injunction was issued restraining a transportation company from operating taxicabs for compensation without the required certificates, this Court wrote: At the hearing the Commonwealth has made a prima facie showing that the defendants are operating taxicabs in violation of law.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Roberts v. School Dist. of Scranton (2×)
Pa. · 1975 · confidence medium
NOTES [1] We disagree with the conclusion of the Commonwealth Court that the status quo in this instance was non-busing. "`[T]he status quo which will be preserved by preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable [and, may we add, lawful] non-contested status which preceded the pending controversy.' A preliminary injunction is to put and keep matters in the position in which they were before the improper conduct of the defendants commenced and to prevent them from gaining any advantage by their own wrongful acts. [Citations omitted]. . . . [T]he court is not bound to preserve the status…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Milk Marketing Board of Commonwealth v. United Dairy Farmers Cooperative Ass'n
Pa. · 1973 · confidence medium
As stated by Judge Woodside in the germinal case of Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 406 , 52 A. 2d 317, 321 (1947), 9 “The argument that a violation of law can be of benefit to the public is without merit.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Commonwealth v. Queen Coal Co.
Pa. · 1971 · confidence medium
When the right to such injunction is clear, as it is here, under the undisputed facts, it is our duty to issue a preliminary injunction.” Id. at 406, 409 .
cited Cited as authority (rule) Emerman v. Baldwin
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1958 · confidence medium
The court below, in the exercise of a sound discretion, could grant a preliminary injunction to preserve the status quo: Pa. P.U.C. v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 407, 408 , 52 A. 2d 317 ; Mahanoy Twp.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) East Norriton Water Co. v. Inter-Township Water Co.
pactcomplmontgo · 1954 · confidence medium
Though there is language in Pa. Public Utility Commission v. Israel et al., 356 Pa. 400, 406 (1947), which is cited for the proposition that irreparable harm need not be shown, yet that case was one where the PUC sought an injunction in Dauphin County court under 66 PS §1343 and the court specifically noted that to continue the unlawful conduct would constitute irreparable injury and was injurious to the public.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Public Utility Commission v. Atlantic Freight Lines, Inc.
pactcompldauphi · 1954 · confidence medium
As held in Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel et al., 356 Pa. 400, 405, 409, 412, 414 , this statutory provision is valid and decisive.
cited Cited "see" Open PA Schools v. Dept. of Ed.
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2021 · signal: see · confidence high
See id. at 321-22 .
discussed Cited "see" In re Appeal of Little Britain Township from the Decision of the Zoning Hearing Board of Little Britain Township, Lancaster County (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1994 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A.2d 317 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" Township of South Fayette v. Boys' Home (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1977 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A.2d 317 (1947). ‘A preliminary injunction is to put and keep matters in the position in which they were before the improper conduct of the defendants commenced and to prevent them from gaining any advantage by their own wrongful acts: (citing eases).’ Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, supra, at 408 , 52 A.2d at 321-22 . 6 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. at 96 , 293 A.2d at 634 .
discussed Cited "see" Commonwealth v. National Federation of the Blind (2×)
Pa. · 1977 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A.2d 317 (1947).
cited Cited "see" Commonwealth v. Baker
pactcomplsomers · 1974 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania P.U.C. v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 (1947); Mead Johnson & Co. v. Martin Wholesale Distr., 408 Pa. 12 (1962).
discussed Cited "see" Commonwealth v. Schall (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1972 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A. 2d 317 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" HILLTOWN TWP. v. MAGER Et Ux. (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1972 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A.2d 317 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" Hilltown Township v. Mager (2×)
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 1972 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400 , 52 A. 2d 317 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" ALABAMA B. & C. CORP. v. Pa. Ind. Chem. Corp. (2×)
Pa. · 1963 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 407-08 , 52 A. 2d 317, 321 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" Alabama Binder & Chemical Corp. v. Pennsylvania Industrial Chemical Corp. (2×)
Pa. · 1963 · signal: see · confidence high
See Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission v. Israel, 356 Pa. 400, 407-08 , 52 A. 2d 317, 321 (1947).
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
v.
Israel Et Al., Appellants
Joseph Sharfsin , with him Irving R. Shull and Bernard L. Lemisch , for appellants. Gabriel D. Weiss , with him William M. Rutter , for appellee.
Maxey, Drew, Linn, Stern, Patterson, Stearns, Jones.
1 passage pin-cited by 1 case
Pinpoint authority: bottom 81%
Citer courts: Superior Court of Pennsylvania (1)

Opinion by

Mr. Chief Justice Maxey,

The entire decree of the court below, enjoining the defendants from, inter alia, operating motor vehicles in the City of Philadelphia or elsewhere in this Commonwealth in the manner or of the character herein described; from offering, rendering, furnishing or supplying service as a public utility within this Commonwealth; from operating motor vehicles in this Commonwealth bearing the word “taxicab” or “cab” upon such vehicle; from holding out, offering, or undertaking, directly or indirectly, service for compensation, whether in the nature of tips, gratuities or otherwise to the public for the transportation of passengers; from permitting or suffering any motor vehicle owned by them or any of them to be operated in any of the manners aforesaid, is affirmed upon the opinion of Judge Wood-side of the court below.

Judge Woodside in his opinion discussed and correctly decided all the questions raised in the court below.

In this court appellants for the first time contended that the court below did not possess the jurisdiction nor the power to enter its decree upon the subject matter involved and against the defendants herein. We have considered this contention and we find no merit in it. Appellants claim that the alleged lack of jurisdiction arises from Article Y, section 26, of the Constitution of Pennsylvania. This section provides as follows: “All laws relating to courts shall be general and of uniform operation, and the organization, jurisdiction and powers of all courts of the same class or grade, so far as regulated by law, and the force and effect of the process and judgments of such courts, shall be uniform . . .”

In answer to this contention, it must be noted (1) that Article 5, section 4, of the Constitution provides as follows: “Until otherwise directed by law the courts of common pleas shall continue as at present established, except as herein changed . . .” And (2) that the Act[*411] of April 7, 1870, P. L. 57; 17 PS 255, provides as follows: “The court of common pleas of the county of Dauphin is hereby clothed with jurisdiction, throughout the state, for the purpose of hearing and determining all suits, claims and demands whatever, at law and in equity, in which the commonwealth may be the party plaintiff, for accounts,- unpaid balances, unpaid liens, taxes, penalties and all other causes of action real, personal and mixed.” [2] -

In Commonwealth v. Wilkins, 271 Pa. 523, 115 A. 887, this court said of the above Act of 1870, “its evident purpose is that the Commonwealth,, when suing in her own right, shall be allowed to prosecute her claims at the seat of government, and not be required to go to other parts of the State, where the defendants happen to reside. The fact that, under other legislation, she has also the privilege of proceeding wherever the defendants may be found and served with process, is beside the question; for this does not repeal the Act of 1870, either expressly or by implication, and hence she still has the absolute right to litigate her claims in Dauphin County, if she chooses so to do.”

Appellants specifically contend that section 903 of the Public Utility Law of May 28, 1937, P. L. 1053, 66 PS 1343, is in direct conflict with Article 5, section 26, of the Constitution. This section provides as follows: “Whenever the commission shall be of opinion that any person ... is violating, or is about to violate, any provisions of this act, or has done, or is about to do any act, matter, or thing herein prohibited or declared to be unlawful; . . . then and in every such case the commission may institute in the court of common pleas of Dauphin County, injunction, mandamus, or other ap[*412] propriate legal proceedings, to restrain such violations of the provisions of this act, or of the regulations, or orders, of the commission, and to enforce obedience thereto; and such court of common pleas is hereby clothed with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the Commonwealth to hear and determine all such actions. No injunction bond shall be required to be filed by the commission.”

In adopting the Constitution of 1874 containing Article 5, section 4, above quoted, the people of this Commonwealth obviously intended that the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County should until otherwise directed by law “continue as at present established”, that is, continue as a court with State-wide jurisdiction in all litigation “in which the Commonwealth may be party plaintiff.”

When by section 903 of the Public Utility Law of May 28,1937, the Public Utility Commission as an agent of this State was authorized to institute in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County injunction, mandamus or.other appropriate legal proceedings to restrain the violations of the Public Utility Law of this Commonwealth or of the regulations or orders of the Commission and in effect directed that the Commission could resort to no other court for the same purpose, the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County “continued as at present established”. Section 903 of the Act of 1937, supra, merely gave to the Public Utility Commission access for certain public purposes, to. this long-established Court of Common Pleas, which since 1870 has possessed State-wide jurisdiction. The fact that this access, was thus given to an agency of the State which was not in existence in 1870 did not change the character of the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County.

The fact that section 903 of the Act of 1937, supra, gave the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County “exclusive jurisdiction throughout the Commonwealth to hear and determine all such actions”, i. e., the actions[*413] enumerated in this section, does not offend Article 5, section 26, of the Constitution, which declares that “the organization, jurisdiction and powers of all courts of the same class or grade . . . shall be uniform.” Since by the Act of 1870 the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County was made a Court of Common Pleas of a special class, to wit, a court with State-wide jurisdiction, and since Article 5, section 4, of the Constitution declares that the “Court of Common Pleas shall continue as at present established” (meaning thereby that the court of common pleas of Dauphin County as well as all other courts “should continue as at present established”), the Act of 1937 giving the court with unique jurisdiction exclusive jurisdiction of the actions enumerated in Section 903, does not offend the uniformity provisions the appellants invoke.

It would be anomalous if any provision of the Constitution required this court to cripple the Commonwealth in the performance of its functions by holding that the Act of 1870, supra, and the Act of 1937, supra, are invalid, and that as a result of such invalidity the Commonwealth, whose seat of government is in Dauphin County, can in prosecuting claims or in resorting to legal and judicial process in enforcing its laws resort to the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County only when the defendants in such proceedings reside in that County or can be served with process there. Apparently those men who framed, and the voters who adopted, the Constitution of 1874 never intended that the Commonwealth should be compelled when it is its duty to assume the role of a litigant, to depart from the seat of government and to institute and carry on its actions, in law or in equity, in that one of the State’s 67 counties in which those against whom its actions are directed happen to reside.

Under the Act of 1937, supra, the Public Utility Commission could institute these proceedings to restrain violations of the provisions of the Public Utility[*414] Act and' of tlie regulations and orders of the Public Utility Commission and to enforce obedience to those laws and regulations, only in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County and that Court possessed the exclusive jurisdiction to enter its decree upon the subject matter involved. This Act of 1937 is constitutional. The decree appealed from is well supported in fact and is in obedience to the prescriptions of the law.

The decree is affirmed, costs to be paid by the appellants.

2

The Act of Hay 25, 1937, P. L. 793, amended the above Act of 1870 by adding after the word •‘Dauphin” the following: “the judges of the orphans’ court of Dauphin County are hereby clothed with jurisdiction throughout the State”, etc.: 17 PS 1946 Cumulative Annual Pocket Part section 255.