Domínguez v. Heirs of Nadal de Gálvez
Domínguez v. Heirs of Nadal de Gálvez
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The appellant brought an action of debt against Angel Rodríguez Barzana as testamentary executor of the estate left by Dolores Nadal de Gálvez at her death and alleged that in her will the deceased appointed the defendant executor and partitioner with full powers to represent her estate generally and without limitation both judicially and extra-judicially; that the District Court of Mayagüez issued letters testamentary as executor and partitioner of the estate in favor of the defendant who accepted and is discharging the trust; that by virtue of the will the succession of the testatrix is composed of the persons specified in the complaint; that the succession owes the amount claimed for the consideration stated, and that the said succession should be adjudged to pay it through the defendant executor.
The defendant demurred on the ground that the complaint did not adduce facts sufficient to determine a cause of action against him. The court sustained the demurrer and rendered judgment dismissing the complaint.
In the ease of Pérez v. Zeda, 35 P.R.R. 303, the administrator brought an action of revendication after the declaration of heirship had been made and this court held that the administrator had no legal capacity to bring the action in the names
Therefore, as there are testamentary heirs in the instant ease, the defendant executor has no personality to represent the estate in this action, since the estate is represented by the heirs themselves, and consequently the complaint fails to show a cause of action as against him, notwithstanding the allegation that he was given full power to represent the estate judicially and extrajudieially, which powers can never include any that may restrict the rights granted to the heirs by law. The complaint is not amendable.
The judgment appealed from must be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.