Vega v. Rodríguez
Vega v. Rodríguez
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the coprt.
The appellants brought a suit in the District Court of Arecibo for a division and delivery of property due by inheritance, to rescind certain sales and to cancel certain records. To succeed in the action it was necessary for them to allege and prove that they were the heirs of Miguel Vega. The averment was made in this way: “That on account of all that has been said the Estate of Miguel Vega devolves upon the complainants named in this case and upon- the defendants, Telesfora and Petrona Rodriguez, as daughters of Gregoria Vega; José and Mercedes Rodriguez, descendants of the same lady; Aurelia Vega, daughter of Juan José; and Federico Calaf, heir to the share of Simona Vega. That these and no others aré the only persons interested in the estate of Miguel Vega; and that, with the exception of the wills of Miguel, Simona, and-Petrona Vega, all the other transmissions of heritable rights arose by way of intestate succession, the ‘declaratorias’ of which will be presented in due time to complete the' division of the inheritance which is sought in the ease.”
The defendants demurred to the complaint on two grounds: First, because it did not state a cause of action, and second, because it was unintelligible and ambiguous. 'On
The district court accordingly entered up judgment oh July 15, 1910, saying that the law and the facts were in favor of the defendants and dismissing the complaint. The appeal is taken from the judgment, and the principal ground of error alleged is that the judgment should not have been final but merely equivalent to a nonsuit. Another ground of error suggested is that the motion for judgment was not notified to the complainants. It is not urged that the demurrer was improperly sustained.
When a court sustains a demurrer the case is for the moment decided and the winning party is entitled to a judgment, unless the other party is given an opportunity to amend or take some other step. This opportunity may arise by the terms of the law, by the permission or'concession of the court, given voluntarily or at the instance of the losing party, or such opportunity may perhaps arise from some agreement or stipulation of the parties. If none of these things happen the judgment is a necessary consequence of the sustaining of -the demurrer (as a similar judgment would be the necessary
Similar considerations apply to the question of giving notice to the complainants. The court in its discretion might have ordered such notice, but it is not an indispensable requirement. The motions to which section 315 of the Code of Civil Procedure relate are those on which orders and not judgments are founded, and section 317 provides:
“When a written notice of a motion is required by this code, it must be given, unless a different kind is prescribed, if the hearing is had in the same district in which the action is pending, or the proceeding had, five days before the time appointed for the hearing; otherwise, 10 days. When the notice is served by mail, the number of days before the hearing must be increased one day for every 25 miles of distance between the place of deposit and the place of service, such increase, however, not to exceed in all 30 days; but the court or judge may prescribe a shorter time. Copies of all the moving papers, except records of the court and files in the action, must be served*241 witb tbe notice, or with an order to show cause, but no written notice of any motion affecting the pleadings or for judgment, or of any (motion made’during the progress of the trial, shall be required.”
An application or motion for judgment is thus made an exception.
The appellants allege no error in the action of court in. sustaining the demurrer to the amended complaint. They had due opportunity to he heard. They made no application, to the court below for a reconsideration. We find -nothing in. the record to justify a reversal, and the judgment must be affirmed.
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.