De Villanueva v. Villanueva, 239 U.S. 293 (1915)

De Villanueva v. Villanueva


No. 65


Argued November 9, 1915
Decided December 6, 1915
239 U.S. 293

APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

Syllabus

The Court has jurisdiction to review the judgment of the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands in an action for divorce, where the affidavits supporting the appeal show, without contradiction, that the value of the community property involved is of the jurisdictional amount. De la Rama v. De la Rama, 201 U.S. 303.

Even where this Court may review findings of fact, as in appeals from the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands in cases involving the statutory amount in controversy, it will not reverse findings when made by both courts below in the absence of conviction of clear error.

In appeals from the territorial courts, this Court follows and sustains the application of the local law to the facts as made by the courts below, unless constrained to the contrary by a sense of clear error committed.

A judgment of the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands affirming the court of first instance in rejecting complainant’s demand for divorce, affirmed by this Court in the absence of conviction of clear error of the courts below either in the findings of fact or the application of the local law to the facts as found.

The facts which involve the jurisdiction of this Court of appeals from the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands and the validity of a judgment of that court rejecting the demand of a wife for divorce from her husband, are stated in the opinion.