García Dávila v. Banco Popular
García Dávila v. Banco Popular
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This appeal was taken by Federico García Dávila from a judgment dismissing his complaint.
He alleged in the lower court that by a notarial deed of December 31, 1924, he bought from Modesto G. Capiel for $3,000 his rights and interests in a contract with Ray P.. Mealier and wife for the purchase from them of two properties which they owned in Pueblo Viejo, of Guaynabo, and that subsequently the Banco Popular de Economías y Pres-
The bank opposed those claims and after trial judgment was rendered against the plaintiff on the ground, among others, that the deed of sale to García Davila by Modesto G. Capiel was executed in fraud of the creditors of the vendor because there was no consideration for the said sale. This holding is alleged to be erroneous in the second of the three .assignments of error because the lower court had no reason .for doubting the truth of the testimony of Modesto G. Capiel and Federico García Dávila.
In Santini Fertilizer Co. v. Burgos, 34 P.R.R. 830, in commenting on section 1264 of the Civil Code, according to which all contracts by virtue of which the debtor alienates property for a gratuitous consideration are presumed to be executed in fraud of creditors, in relation to article 40 of the Mortgage Law and a judgment of the Supreme Court of Spain, we held that it should be understood that no price or its equivalent figures in contracts when the notary does not certify to its payment, or if the debtors acknowledge that the payment had been made previously and this fact is not proved.
The appellant proved in the court below that some twenty days before the said deed of December 31, 1924, was executed he bought in a bank a draft for $1,800 and travelers’ checks for $140 which he delivered to Capiel, and he and Capiel testified that that money was a part of the purchase price of $3,000, of which the balance was paid to Capiel in money.
The lower court did not believe the statements that the draft and the checks were given on account of the purchase price and that later the balance was paid in money, and there is no basis for the allegation of the appellant that the court
No consideration having passed in this contract, Garcia Dávila has no right of action and, therefore, it is unnecessary to consider the other grounds of the appeal. -
The judgment appealed from must be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.