RIOP Corporation v. José González Laabes

16. RIOP Corporation v. José González Laabes

Citation: TA2025AP00332, Tribunal de Apelaciones de Puerto Rico, Panel Especial (Nov. 6, 2025)

Relevant Facts

• On April 18, 2017, the parties entered into a lease agreement with purchase option for a commercial property of approximately 13,000 square feet in Rincón, Puerto Rico, plus an adjacent solar (lot) including a mechanical workshop area.

• RIOP was granted the option to purchase within five years at $800,000.

• In December 2021, RIOP notified González Laabes of its intent to exercise the purchase option.

• During finalization, González Laabes refused to include the adjacent solar (mechanical workshop area) in the deed of sale.

• The trial court rendered judgment ordering González Laabes to perform segregation and grouping of the property and complete the sale.

• A visual inspection determined the solar to segregate comprised approximately 600–620 square meters, including the mechanical workshop and its parking area.

• RIOP appealed, alleging the trial court erred in determining the scope of the solar and showed bias.

Legal Issues

Contract interpretation of the adjacent solar included in the purchase option; specific performance and property segregation requirements; and whether the trial court’s factual findings were supported by evidence.

Positions of the Parties

Riop: Alleged multiple errors including adjudicating without evidence, determining an additional price never requested, improperly ordering segregation of undefined property, and showing bias toward González Laabes.

Gonzalez: The contract only covered the main commercial space and the adjacent workshop area; the trial court properly limited the controversy; the mechanical workshop and parking were separate properties.

Decision of the Court

AFFIRMED. The trial court’s determination that the area to be segregated comprises approximately 600–620 square meters was upheld.

Reasons for the Decision

• The contract explicitly included the adjacent solar of the mechanical workshop area.

• The trial court’s factual findings were consistent with evidence presented at trial and confirmed during the visual inspection.

• No indication of partiality or error by the trial court.

• The mechanical workshop and its parking area are a unified space with sole access through the front parking.

• RIOP’s claim of an 800-meter solar was not supported by the trial record.