United States v. Marina Realty Co.

82 F. Supp. 640, 1949 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3065
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedFebruary 28, 1949
DocketCiv. No. 4893
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 82 F. Supp. 640 (United States v. Marina Realty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Marina Realty Co., 82 F. Supp. 640, 1949 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3065 (prd 1949).

Opinion

CHAVEZ, District Judge.

Defendant, a civil partnership, is the owner of the perpetual usufruct of a tract of land located in the Ward of La Marina of the Municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico, duly recorded at page 241 of Book 23 of the Capital, Property No. 976. Said property is subject to an annuity (censo redimible) in favor of plaintiff United States of America in the principal sum of $13,256.00 and is also subject to the payment to the United States of America of an annual rent or “censo” of $662.88, payable on June 30th of each year.

Plaintiff alleges that defendant and its predecessors in title have failed to pay the annuities or “censo” which became due and payable on June 30th of each year from 1924 to 1947, both inclusive, and prays judgment at the rate of $662.88 per annum for the years 1924 to 1947, both inclusive, plus compound interest at 6% per annum, [641]*641amounting to a total of $33,671.65, and costs, and in default thereon, that all right's and title of defendant in the property be sold at public auction, and that the $33,671.-65 be paid out of the proceeds.

Defendant denies that it and its predecessors have failed to pay the annuities for the years 1924 to 1947, but alleges that since it acquired the property, that is, since July 14, 1944, defendant has not paid plaintiff or any other person the annuity.

For other defenses, defendant alleges:

1. That the registry of property shows only a redeemable annuity in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $13,256.00, upon which there was payable an annual pension of $662.80.

2. That when defendant acquired title, there was no record in the Registry of any accrued annuities or pensions and that defendant had no notice of the same.

3. That on October 29, 1946, defendant notified plaintiff of its desire to redeem the censo by payment of the principal and the last five annual pensions or income.

4. That plaintiff did not, prior to this action, demhnd payment from defendant or its predecessors, of any accrued annual pensions or income, and that therefore it is not entitled to collect interest on such accrued annuities.

. 5. That defendant is an innocent third person acquiring without notice, and is not liable for annual pensions in excess of the last five years, under Section 34 of the Mortgage Law, and that all claims in excess of said period are barred by Section 1866(3) of the Civil Code of Puerto Rico.

Cross-Complaint

In the cross-complaint, defendant-cross-complainant alleges that in the exercise of its right of redemption, it offers payment of the principal in the sum of $13,256 and the last five annual pensions or incomes in conformity with section 1866(3) of the Civil Code, and prays judgment declaring that plaintiff is only entitled to $3,314 in payment of the last five annual pensions accrued prior to the date of the filing of the complaint and to the annual payment of $662.80 for each year accruing thereafter, pending redemption of the redeemable annuity (censo redimible) in the sum of $13,256 and ordering the cancellation of said censo redimible, upon payment by defendant-cross-complainant of the principal $13,256, and $3,314, the amount of the five annual pensions accrued prior to the filing of the complaint and the additional annuities of $662.80 accruing each year thereafter.

Plaintiff has filed a motion for summary judgment, and a motion to dismiss the cross-complaint on the ground that the United States cannot be sued without its consent.

Subsequently on April 8, 1948, a stipulation was filed stating that even though the annuities subject of the proceeding have not been paid since the date alleged by the plaintiff there are questions of law raised in the answer as to the number of annuities defendant is bound to pay and agreeing on 20 days for filing of memoranda on said questions of law.

Plaintiff’s motion for Summary Judgment is accompanied by the following supporting papers:

T. Affidavit of David D. Hochstein, an attorney, in the Lands Division of the Department of Justice, wherein affiant states that on December 17, 1946,' he requested the Treasury Department to inform him whether it had any record of payments of the censo or annual ground rent subsequent to 1923. On the same date a letter was addressed from the Department of Justice to the Solicitor of the Department of Interior requesting information as to whether the Department of the Interior had any record of any payments of the censo;

That on January 6, 1947, the Assistant General Counsel, Treasury Department, wrote to the Lands Division to the effect that a diligent search of the record revealed no record of any payments subsequent to 1923; that by letter dated January 8, 1947, the Director of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions replied to the Lands Division stating that there was no record of the payment of any'ground rent later than 1914; that deponent made a further search of the records of the Department of Justice and that the records disclosed that [642]*642no such payments have been made subsequent to 1923.

2. Letter of General Counsel, Treasury Department, stating that a diligent search of the files of the Solicitor of the Treasury was made and that no record of any payments on the censo subsequent to- 1923 was found.

3. Letter from the Director of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions stating that there are no records in the Division of payment of ground rents-later than 1914.

Motion to Dismiss

Plaintiff has filed a motion to dismiss the cross-complaint on the ground that the-United States has not given its consent to be sued.

Maricopa County v. Valley National Bank of Phoenix, 318 U.S. 357, 63 S.Ct. 587, 87 L.Ed. 834.

Petitioners were counties of Arizona and certain county officers. Respondent was a national banking association incorporated under the laws of the United States, having its principal banking house at Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. It sued petitioners to restrain the collection of certain state, county school district and municipal taxes for the years 1935 and 1936. Prior to March 9, 1933, National Banks were not authorized to issue preferred shares. On that day they were given such authority and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation was authorized to subscribe for such shares. 12 U.S.C.A. §§ 51a, 51d. Respondent issued certain shares to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. By section 5219 of the Revised Statutes, 12 U.S.C.A. § 548, Congress consented on certain conditions to State taxation of shares of stock of national banking associations. Petitioner’s assessments for 1935 included respondent’s preferred 'shares owned and held by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and taxes were levied against respondent in 1935 on the basis of said assessment. Respondent, thereupon, filed its bill in the. United States District Court. While the cause was still, pend-

ing, the Supreme Court held on February 3, 1936, in Baltimore National Bank v. State Tax Commission, 297 U.S. 209, 56 S. Ct. 417, 80 L.Ed. 586, that preferred shares of a national bank held by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation were subject to state taxation by reason of the consent of Congress given in Sec. 5219 of the Revised Statutes.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
82 F. Supp. 640, 1949 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3065, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-marina-realty-co-prd-1949.