USPS Not Reliable? Mailbox Rule Eroded by 3rd Circuit (PA)

It used to be that the United States Postal Service was so reliable that if a litigant attested to sending a salient piece of evidence by mail, it was presumed to have been received by the other party, known as the “mailbox rule”.  However, recently the Third Circuit recognized the difficulty of this position for a defendant—requiring him or her to prove a negative.

 

In Lupyan v. Corinthian Colleges, the Third Circuit reversed a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania granting summary judgment for the plaintiff’s employer in a FMLA case.  Lupyan had sued Corinthian for interference with her FMLA rights on the basis that it never sent her a letter confirming her leave for depression fell under FMLA.  Corithian, in its motion for summary judgment, included four affidavits from mailroom and human resources staff noting that the requisite letter had been sent.  The Western District thereby granted the motion because the college was afforded the benefit of the presumption of the receipt of properly mailed letters under the “mailbox rule,” and, thus, it was Lupyan’s responsibility to prove she did not receive the letter.

 

The Third Circuit overturned this decision noting that the presumption under the mailbox rule is a very weak presumption, especially today where letters can be easily certified or tracked, or proof of receipt obtained.  In these circumstances, the mailbox rule presumption was insufficient to establish receipt of the letter as a matter of law.  The court also noted the extreme difficulty faced by individual parties who are required under the rule to “prove a negative”—by establishing that they did not receive the disputed mail. Thus, it appears the Third Circuit has struck another blow the viability of this longstanding common law rule, thereby implying that it is largely insufficient as an evidentiary strategy.

 

This case serves as a useful reminder that all important letters and filing should always be attached to a tracking number to ensure proof of service.

Thanks to Remy Cahn for her contribution.

For more information, contact Denise Fontana Ricci at .