Borough of Jenkintown v. Hall

OPINION BY

Judge LEAVITT.

Stephen Hall and his union, the Police Bargaining Unit of the Police Department of Jenkintown, appeal an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County vacating an Act 111 arbitration award. The trial court found that the arbitrator lacked jurisdiction to make Hall, a probationary police officer, a permanent employee of the Jenkintown Police Department. In this case, we consider the circumstances under which a court’s review of an arbitrator’s decision on jurisdiction is plenary, as opposed to deferential.

This appeal arose from a grievance filed by Hall, who…