{
  "id": "nexus-ext-1-0034-315623",
  "citation": "Res. 00258-2022 Tribunal de Apelación de Sentencia Penal III Circuito Judicial de Alajuela San Ramón",
  "section": "nexus_decisions",
  "doc_type": "court_decision",
  "title_es": "Responsabilidad penal de representantes legales por desobediencia a resoluciones del consumidor",
  "title_en": "Criminal liability of legal representatives for disobeying consumer protection orders",
  "summary_es": "El Tribunal de Apelación de Sentencia Penal del Tercer Circuito Judicial de Alajuela, San Ramón, resolvió un recurso de apelación contra una sentencia que había absuelto a los representantes de una sociedad mercantil del delito de desobediencia a la autoridad, tipificado en los artículos 68 de la Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor y 314 del Código Penal. La decisión impugnada consideró que los representantes legales no habían sido apercibidos personalmente y que no se les podía atribuir responsabilidad penal por el incumplimiento de una resolución de la Comisión Nacional del Consumidor dirigida a la empresa. El tribunal de alzada revocó la absolutoria y validó el criterio del Ministerio Público, sosteniendo que el artículo 35 de la Ley 7472 establece de manera expresa la responsabilidad de los representantes legales de establecimientos mercantiles por sus propios actos u omisiones. Concluye que no es necesario un apercibimiento individual a cada representante cuando la orden ha sido debidamente notificada a la persona jurídica, y que la conducta de desobediencia puede ser atribuida a quienes ostentan su representación legal, en tanto son ellos quienes tienen el deber de cumplir las resoluciones administrativas dirigidas a la empresa.",
  "summary_en": "The Criminal Appeals Court of the Third Judicial Circuit of Alajuela, San Ramón, resolved an appeal against a judgment that had acquitted the legal representatives of a commercial company of the crime of disobedience to authority under Articles 68 of the Law for the Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Protection and 314 of the Penal Code. The appealed decision had held that the representatives were not personally warned and could not be held criminally liable for failing to comply with an order from the National Consumer Commission addressed to the company. The appellate court overturned the acquittal and upheld the prosecution’s position, ruling that Article 35 of Law 7472 expressly establishes the liability of legal representatives of commercial establishments for their own acts or omissions. It concluded that individual warning to each representative is unnecessary when the order has been properly notified to the legal entity, and that the act of disobedience can be attributed to those holding legal representation, as they bear the duty to comply with administrative orders addressed to the company.",
  "court_or_agency": "Tribunal de Apelación de Sentencia Penal III Circuito Judicial de Alajuela San Ramón",
  "date": "29/03/2022",
  "year": "2022",
  "topic_ids": [
    "_off-topic"
  ],
  "primary_topic_id": "_off-topic",
  "es_concept_hints": [
    "desobediencia a la autoridad",
    "apercibimiento",
    "representante legal",
    "persona jurídica",
    "Comisión Nacional del Consumidor"
  ],
  "article_citations": [
    {
      "law": "Código de Comercio",
      "article": "182",
      "doc_id": "norm-6239",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 3284",
      "article": "182",
      "doc_id": "norm-6239",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Código Penal",
      "article": "314",
      "doc_id": "norm-5027",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 4573",
      "article": "314",
      "doc_id": "norm-5027",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley General de la Administración Pública",
      "article": "150",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 6227",
      "article": "150",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley General de la Administración Pública",
      "article": "169",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 6227",
      "article": "169",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley General de la Administración Pública",
      "article": "243",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 6227",
      "article": "243",
      "doc_id": "norm-13231",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "35",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "35",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "64",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "64",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "68",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "68",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "71",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "71",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
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    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "72",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "72",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
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    {
      "law": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "article": "74",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 7472",
      "article": "74",
      "doc_id": "norm-26481",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley de Notificaciones Judiciales",
      "article": "20",
      "doc_id": "norm-64786",
      "source": "metadata"
    },
    {
      "law": "Ley 8687",
      "article": "20",
      "doc_id": "norm-64786",
      "source": "metadata"
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  ],
  "keywords_es": [
    "desobediencia a la autoridad",
    "responsabilidad penal",
    "representantes legales",
    "derechos del consumidor",
    "Ley 7472",
    "apercibimiento",
    "persona jurídica",
    "notificación",
    "delito de desobediencia",
    "Art. 314 Código Penal"
  ],
  "keywords_en": [
    "disobedience to authority",
    "criminal liability",
    "legal representatives",
    "consumer rights",
    "Law 7472",
    "warning",
    "legal entity",
    "notification",
    "crime of disobedience",
    "Art. 314 Penal Code"
  ],
  "excerpt_es": "\"II. [...] Este Tribunal de alzada avala las razones de decisión transcritas. En primer término, los representantes legales de una sociedad mercantil sí tienen responsabilidad penal en materia de derecho de consumidor por actos o hechos propios. Al respecto, el art. 35 de la Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor, N° 7472, dispone: “Régimen de responsabilidad. El productor, el proveedor y el comerciante deben responder concurrente e independientemente de la existencia de culpa, si el consumidor resulta perjudicado por razón del bien o el servicio, de informaciones inadecuadas o insuficientes sobre ellos o de su utilización y riesgos. Sólo se libera quien demuestre que ha sido ajeno al daño. Los representantes legales de los establecimientos mercantiles o, en su caso, los encargados del negocio son responsables por los actos o los hechos propios o por los de sus dependientes o auxiliares. Los técnicos, los encargados de la elaboración y el control responden solidariamente, cuando así corresponda, por las violaciones a esta Ley en perjuicio del consumidor.” (Lo resaltado en negrita es suplido). Por su parte, el art. 68 de ese mismo cuerpo legal, contempla una modalidad de delito de desobediencia a la autoridad, sancionado en el art. 314 del Código Penal, el cual reza: [...]\"",
  "excerpt_en": "\"II. [...] This appellate court endorses the transcribed reasons for decision. First, the legal representatives of a commercial company do bear criminal liability in consumer law matters for their own acts or omissions. In this regard, Art. 35 of Law for the Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Protection, No. 7472, provides: ‘Liability regime. The producer, supplier and merchant shall be jointly and independently liable, regardless of the existence of fault, if the consumer is harmed by reason of the good or service, by inadequate or insufficient information about them or by their use and risks. Only those who demonstrate that they were unrelated to the damage are released. The legal representatives of commercial establishments or, where applicable, those in charge of the business are liable for their own acts or omissions or those of their employees or assistants. Technicians, those in charge of production and control are jointly and severally liable, where applicable, for violations of this Law to the detriment of the consumer.’ (The highlighting in bold is added). In turn, Art. 68 of that same legal body contemplates a form of the crime of disobedience to authority, punishable under Art. 314 of the Penal Code, which reads: [...]\"",
  "outcome": {
    "label_en": "Granted",
    "label_es": "Con lugar",
    "summary_en": "The court overturned the acquittal and held that the legal representatives of a company can be held criminally liable for disobeying a National Consumer Commission order, without needing personal warning if the order was notified to the company.",
    "summary_es": "El tribunal revocó la absolutoria y declaró que los representantes legales de una sociedad mercantil pueden ser responsables penalmente por desobedecer una resolución de la Comisión Nacional del Consumidor, sin necesidad de un apercibimiento personal si la orden fue notificada a la empresa."
  },
  "pull_quotes": [
    {
      "context": "Considerando II",
      "quote_en": "The legal representatives of commercial establishments or, where applicable, those in charge of the business are liable for their own acts or omissions or those of their employees or assistants.",
      "quote_es": "Los representantes legales de los establecimientos mercantiles o, en su caso, los encargados del negocio son responsables por los actos o los hechos propios o por los de sus dependientes o auxiliares."
    }
  ],
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      "id": "norm-6239",
      "citation": "Ley 3284",
      "title_en": "Commercial Code",
      "title_es": "Código de Comercio",
      "doc_type": "law",
      "date": "30/04/1964",
      "year": "1964"
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    {
      "id": "norm-5027",
      "citation": "Ley 4573",
      "title_en": "Penal Code — Law 4573",
      "title_es": "Código Penal — Ley 4573",
      "doc_type": "law",
      "date": "04/05/1970",
      "year": "1970"
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      "id": "norm-13231",
      "citation": "Ley 6227",
      "title_en": "General Law of Public Administration",
      "title_es": "Ley General de la Administración Pública",
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      "date": "02/05/1978",
      "year": "1978"
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    {
      "id": "norm-26481",
      "citation": "Ley 7472",
      "title_en": "Law for the Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Protection",
      "title_es": "Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor",
      "doc_type": "law",
      "date": "20/12/1994",
      "year": "1994"
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      "citation": "Ley 8687",
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    {
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    "sen-1-0034-314680",
    "sen-1-0034-425513",
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  "temas_y_subtemas": [
    {
      "Subtemas": [
        {
          "id": 1,
          "nombre": "Modalidad de inobservancia de resoluciones emitidas por la Comisión Nacional del Consumidor"
        },
        {
          "id": 2,
          "nombre": "Responsabilidad penal de los representantes legales de una sociedad mercantil en materia de derechos del consumidor e innecesario apercibimiento a cada uno de ellos"
        },
        {
          "id": 3,
          "nombre": "Consideraciones acerca de la doble intimación y notificación al administrado de las resoluciones en disputa"
        }
      ],
      "id": 1,
      "nombre": "Desobediencia"
    }
  ],
  "cascade_only": false,
  "amendment_count": 0,
  "body_es_text": "\"II. [...] Este Tribunal de alzada avala las razones de decisión transcritas. En primer término, los representantes legales de una sociedad mercantil sí tienen responsabilidad penal en materia de derecho de consumidor por actos o hechos propios. Al respecto, el art. 35 de la Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor, N° 7472, dispone: “Régimen de responsabilidad. El productor, el proveedor y el comerciante deben responder concurrente e independientemente de la existencia de culpa, si el consumidor resulta perjudicado por razón del bien o el servicio, de informaciones inadecuadas o insuficientes sobre ellos o de su utilización y riesgos. Sólo se libera quien demuestre que ha sido ajeno al daño. Los representantes legales de los establecimientos mercantiles o, en su caso, los encargados del negocio son responsables por los actos o los hechos propios o por los de sus dependientes o auxiliares. Los técnicos, los encargados de la elaboración y el control responden solidariamente, cuando así corresponda, por las violaciones a esta Ley en perjuicio del consumidor.” (Lo resaltado en negrita es suplido). Por su parte, el art. 68 de ese mismo cuerpo legal, contempla una modalidad de delito de desobediencia a la autoridad, sancionado en el art. 314 del Código Penal, el cual reza: [...]\"",
  "body_en_text": "\"II. [...] This Appellate Court endorses the transcribed reasons for the decision. Firstly, the legal representatives of a commercial company do bear criminal liability in consumer law matters for their own acts or deeds. In this regard, Art. 35 of the Law on the Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Defense (Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor), No. 7472, provides: “Liability regime. The producer, the supplier, and the merchant must respond concurrently and independently of the existence of fault, if the consumer is harmed by reason of the good or service, by inadequate or insufficient information about them, or by their use and risks. Only one who demonstrates that they were unrelated to the harm is released. The legal representatives of commercial establishments or, as the case may be, the persons in charge of the business are liable for their own acts or deeds or for those of their dependents or auxiliaries. Technicians, those in charge of development and control, are jointly and severally liable, when applicable, for violations of this Law to the detriment of the consumer.” (The boldface emphasis is supplied). For its part, Art. 68 of that same body of law contemplates a modality of the crime of disobedience to authority, sanctioned in Art. 314 of the Penal Code, which reads: [...]\""
}