Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/262/170/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 02:17:36+00:00

Document:
1. The court may affirm a decree dismissing a suit without putting the parties to the expense of printing the full record when the facts stated and admitted in the motion papers make it plain that the suit cannot be maintained. P. 262 U. S. 171.
2. The law of Porto Rico providing for summary foreclosure of mortgages without allowing other defenses than payment, but leaving the mortgagor plenary opportunity to assert other objections by separate suit, clearly does not deprive him of property without due process of law. Id.
Appeal from a decree of the District Court of the United States for Porto Rico, dismissing, for want of jurisdiction, a bill to restrain summary foreclosure proceedings.
This is a bill in equity filed in the district court to restrain proceedings under the mortgage law of Porto Rico to foreclose a mortgage. That law gives a summary suit in which, speaking broadly, no defense is open except payment, Mortgage Law Regulations, Art. 175, and it is contended that this deprives the plaintiffs, appellants, of their property without due process of law. The statutes give a separate action to annul the mortgage in which any defense to it may be set up, and also provided for a cautionary notice, Mortgage Law, Art. 42; Mortgage Law Regulations, Art. 91, which the Supreme Court of Porto Rico regards as a sufficient substitute for an injunction. American Trading Co. v. Monserrat, 18 P.R. 268. See Romeu v. Todd, 206 U. S. 358. The bill was dismissed by the district court for want of jurisdiction. The appellees move that the decree be affirmed.
the Supreme Court of the Island. Gimenez v. Brenes, 10 P.R. 124. In view of these decisions, we are of opinion that the constitutional question raised was only colorable, and that the decree dismissing the bill was right.

References: Art. 175
 Art. 42
 Art. 91
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