Porto Rico v. New York & Porto Rico Steamship Co.
Porto Rico v. New York & Porto Rico Steamship Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the following opinion:
Defendant claims the right to construct 'a pier in the harbor of San Juan. The complainant sued out an injunction from the insular district court to prevent it from doing so. Answer has been filed, and the case removed to this court. A motion is now made by the defendant, upon some eight or nine grounds, to dis
One of the grounds, however, is that the injunction was granted without the giving of any bond, and if it should he finally held that it was granted wrongfully, defendant would he remediless as to any damage. The determination of this ground should not be delayed. It is urged upon its part that the complainant should he required to give bond, or that the suit should he dismissed. It was granted in the insular court without a bond because there is an act of the legislature of Porto Rico expressly authorizing it in such a case. The case having been removed, however, to this court, the question is to be governed by the practice in equity in this court. It having been granted, however, in the insular court without bond, this court is not inclined to require it unless in the exercise of its discretion it clearly should do so. It is true that where no undertaking has been required upon the granting of an injunction, no damages can be awarded except in the form of a decree for the costs of a suit It is, however, a matter in the discretion of the court whether it will require a bond. This court has power, upon a proper showing and in proper cases, to grant an injunction without requiring any bond whatever. Where, however, damages are likely to accrue in the event it is wrongfully sued out. it will exact a bond. The court, however, has been unable to find any authority for requiring it in a case v/here the state or political sovereignty brings the suit. It is urged that, unless required, the individual may be greatly damaged, and have no redress; but, as it is the sovereignty suing, it would seem that the proper policy would be, if damages accrued, that the person
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PEOPLE OF PORTO RICO v. NEW YORK & PORTO RICO STEAMSHIP COMPANY
- Status
- Published