While a party’s showing that their attorney neglected their case due to a serious illness might be enough to convince a court to open a default judgment, it does not meet the higher standard required to open a final judgment in a contested proceeding, a split Pennsylvania Superior Court panel has ruled.

In Becrett v. R&H Resources, a three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to uphold a trial judge’s denial of strip mall owner Becrett’s bid to reopen a lease dispute involving one of its tenants that had been tossed out on summary judgment.