Munday v. Wisconsin Trust Co., 252 U.S. 499 (1920)

Munday v. Wisconsin Trust Company

No. 288

Argued March 25, 1920
Decided April 19, 1920
252 U.S. 499

ERROR TO THE SUPREME COURT

OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

Whether a state statute is intended to validate a contract previously unenforceable under the state law is for the state courts finally to decide, and involves no federal question. P. 502.

As applied to transactions subsequent to its enactment, a state law providing that conveyances of local realty taken by sister-state corporations before they have filed their articles with the local secretary of state shall be wholly void on behalf of them or their assigns violates neither the contract clause nor the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. P. 503.

The power of the state to exact such conditions of outside corporations precedent to acquisition of land within the state, and the rule that conveyances are governed by the lex loci rei sitae are not affected by delivery of the deeds, etc., in another state; the transaction does not thus become a matter of interstate commerce. Id.

168 Wis. 31 affirmed.

The case is stated in the opinion.