United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Sy Joc Lieng v. Gregorio Sy Quia, 228 U.S. 335 (1913)

Sy Joc Lieng v. Gregorio Sy Quia

No. 177

Argued March 7, 10, 1913

Decided April 14, 1913

228 U.S. 335

Syllabus

Every presumption is in favor of the validity of a marriage where the marital relations have continued uninterruptedly for over forty years without any question's being raised or right asserted by anyone claiming under an earlier marriage of one of the parties until more than ten years after the death, and five years after the distribution of the property, of that party.

The validity of such a marriage should not be impugned except upon clear, strong, and unequivocal proof; nor, in the absence of such proof, will this Court reverse the judgment of the lower court sustaining its validity when attacked by those who had opportunity to do so before the death of both spouses.

16 Phil. 137 affirmed.

The facts, which involve conflicting claims to the estate of a Chinese merchant domiciled in the Philippine Islands and of the validity of his marriage, are stated in the opinion.

Page 228 U. S. 336