Clifford I. Bragman v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company

OPINION OF THE COURT

Presented in this appeal from summary judgment against a title company is an important issue relating to the responsibilities, under Pennsylvania law, of a purchaser of real estate at a sheriffs sale. Here, the purchaser was the successful bidder at a December 1972 sheriff’s sale but, because of litigation in state court over the validity of the sale, he did not receive the deed from the sheriff until March 1973. He was issued a policy of title insurance on the property in March 1973, insuring him against “[a]ny defect in or lien or encumbrance on such title.” Under…