Fisher v. Commonwealth, Department of Public Welfare

I must vigorously dissent to the plurality’s decision and reasoning in this case, particularly its application of a “strict construction” approach to the interpretation of the public assistance provisions of the Public Welfare Code. By engaging in dubious semantics, the plurality’s interpretation of the Code has deprived many deserving claimants of benefits that the legislature surely intended them to have. I would affirm the Commonwealth Court’s common sense and just decision on the basis of Judge Colins’ opinion for the unanimous panel (Colins, Rogers and Craig, JJ.) which states, in…