Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758 v. García Méndez
Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758 v. García Méndez
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
This case is now submitted to our consideration for the second time. See Logia Caballeros del Plata v. García, 63 P.R.R. 279.
By a deed dated August 6, 1936, Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758 appeared to sell to defendant Lucía Garcia
In the bill of particulars filed by the plaintiff it is stated that the reason why plaintiff lacks authority to alienate the property without the consent of the Grand Order of Oddfel-lows of America is “that the latter is the supreme body of said organization and that under its by-laws and regulations it is bound to supervise all the dealings of the local chapters, and insofar as property is concerned, the Grand Order of Oddfellows of America in almost every case contributes with money to the purchase thereof.” To support that allegation the plaintiff, in a supplemental bill of particulars cites Article 11, Section 5 and succeeding Sections of the Constitution of the District Grand Lodge, which was approved at a meeting held in Philadelphia on July 12, 13, and 14, 1880, and which is still in force.
The defendants answered and specifically denied the es
Defendant Lucía García Méndez in a cross complaint prayed that, in case the complaint were sustained, the plaintiff lodge be adjudged to pay to the cross-claimant, in addition to the selling price — $1,500—the sum of $191.93 as taxes paid on the property, plus $2,104.38 as expenses incurred in the preservation of the property.
On April 2, 1947, the lower court rendered judgment for the defendants and adjudged the plaintiff to pay the costs and $250 as attorney’s fees. In the present appeal the plaintiff contends that the.trial court erred in holding that the plaintiff lodge and the “Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758 de Cayey,” which sold the property to the defendants, are two distinct corporations, since the latter had been dissolved by Act No. 14 of April 9, 1941, thereby losing its capacity to sue or be sued.
The documentary evidence introduced by both parties (plaintiff’s Exhibits D and F and defendant’s Exhibits 5 and 14) shows (a) that the articles of incorporation of “Respetable Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758” were filed in the office of the Executive Secretary of Puerto Rico on August 2, 1920; (6) that this association was dissolved by Act No. 14 of April 9, 1941; and (c) that the articles of incorporation of “Respetable Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758,” plaintiff-appellant herein, were filed in the office of the Executive Secretary on July 23, 1941.
The articles of incorporation of the plaintiff lodge contain the following clause:
“9. This association shall be the successor and continuator of “Respetable Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758,” which was incorporated in the office of the Executive Secretary of Puerto Rico on August 2, 1920. This Association was dissolved by the Legislature of Puerto Rico, Act No. 14, approved April 9, 1941.”
The contention of the plaintiff is that both lodges, the one organized in 1920 and dissolved in 1941 and the plaintiff
That contention is untenable. The statement of Motives of Act No. 14 of April 9, 1941, “To dissolve certain domestic corporations and associations” including “Respetable Logia Caballeros del Plata No. 9758,” recites that the corporations and associations to be dissolved “have lost all their properties, and all of them have ceased to engage in the business for which they were organized.” At the time Act No. 14 took effect the lodge, which by virtue of the same law was dissolved, had already sold by public deed to Lucía Garcia Méndez the property in controversy, and the money received by the vendor lodge was used to pay the liens and taxes which encumbered the property sold. The amount remaining after payment of all those charges, was distributed in equal shares among the active members of the vendor lodge, and the sum •of $60 was allotted to each member, as appears from the corresponding receipts introduced in evidence.
The certificates admitted in .evidence show that the in-corporators of the lodge dissolved by Act No. 14 of 1941, were distinct from the incorporators of the plaintiff lodge herein.
The vendor corporation ceased to exist on July 9, 1941, the date on which Act No. 14 of that same year became effective. Even assuming that the sale made on August 6, 1936, notwithstanding the fact that it was authorized and ratified by the active members of the lodge, were voidable or nonexistent, we would always have to reach the unavoidable conclusion that the plaintiff lodge has not established its right to request that said sale be annulled or declared nonexistent.' The plaintiff has not introduced any evidence tending to show that any right of action which said corporation might have had was assigned by the latter before its dissolution, or by its active members subsequent to the date on which said corporation ceased to have any legal existence.
The judgment appealed from will be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.