United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Bonet v. Texas Company , Inc., 308 U.S. 463 (1940)

Bonet v. Texas Company (P.R.), Inc.

No. 132

Argued December 11, 1939

Decided January 2, 1940

308 U.S. 463

Syllabus

1. To warrant reversal of a decision of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico on construction of local statutes the error must be manifest; the interpretation must be inescapably wrong; the decision must be patently erroneous. P. 308 U. S. 470.

2. The Circuit Court of Appeals erred in overruling the following conclusions of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, construing Island statutes, viz.,

(a) That under § 9 of Act No. 102, 1925, an uninsured employer could have an award of the Workmen's Relief Commission reviewed, including the issue whether or not he was insured. Pp. 308 U. S. 465, 308 U. S. 471.

Page 308 U. S. 464

(b) That in place of the provision of § 7 of that Act for collection by the Attorney General of awards made against uninsured employers, amendatory legislation had substituted collection by the Treasurer. Pp. 308 U. S. 466, 308 U. S. 472.

(c) That the Treasurer had power of distraint. Pp. 308 U. S. 468, 308 U. S. 472.

102 F.2d 710 reversed; 52 P.R.Dec. 658; 53 id. 475, affirmed.

Review by certiorari, post, p. 538, of a judgment of the Circuit Court of Appeals which reversed the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico in a suit to enjoin the Treasurer of the Island from enforcing by distraint orders of the Puerto Rico Workmen's Relief Commission.