Stepnowski v. Avery

Opinion by

Jacobs, J.,

This is an appeal from an order granting a petition to strike a default judgment. The seminal issue which is presented is whether the isolated sale of a personal residence by private individuals who thereafter become nonresidents is sufficient to meet the “doing business” requirement of the Pennsylvania long-arm statute;1 and, if so, whether the exercise of extraterritorial in personam jurisdiction based upon such a sale is consistent with due process requirements.

On August 15, 1973, the appellants, Raymond and Helmi Stepnowski, purchased a house in Montgomery County,…