The Puerto Rico Court of Appeals recently ruled in a significant case involving Data@ccess Communications, Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). The court decided on September 8, 2026, to reverse a lower court's order that transferred the case from San Juan to Aguadilla. This ruling affects how businesses can litigate contract disputes in Puerto Rico.

Data@ccess Communications, based in Caguas with a postal address in San Juan, filed a lawsuit against HPE on June 22, 2026, claiming breach of contract and damages. The company alleged that it purchased equipment from HPE to modernize the information network for Puerto Rico's Judicial Branch. However, the equipment reportedly had serious failures that jeopardized the project's viability and caused significant financial harm to Data@ccess.

The case began in the San Juan court, where Data@ccess argued that the contract and business relationship with HPE were established within San Juan's jurisdiction. However, on June 26, 2026, the San Juan court ordered the case to be moved to Aguadilla, where HPE's main office is located. The court based its decision on Rule 3.5 of the Civil Procedure, which pertains to jurisdiction and venue.

Data@ccess disagreed with this transfer and filed a motion for reconsideration, stating that multiple forums could be competent for corporate actions, particularly those arising from contractual relationships. They claimed that the obligations leading to the dispute were negotiated and executed in San Juan, making it a suitable venue for the case.

On July 20, 2026, the San Juan court denied the motion for reconsideration. Following this, Data@ccess appealed the transfer order, which the Appeals Court decided to treat as a certiorari, a type of extraordinary review of lower court decisions.

The court ruled that the lower court erred in transferring the case to Aguadilla, stating, "the petitioner had the faculty to present the action in San Juan, as that was the town where the parties were obligated." The ruling emphasized that the lower court should have awaited the defendant's response before deciding on the transfer.

Judges on the panel included President Judge Brignoni Mártir, Judge Ronda Del Toro, and Judge Monge Gómez. Judge Del Toro authored the opinion, which stressed that the decision to transfer the case was premature and not in line with the applicable rules.

The ruling clarified that in cases involving corporations, plaintiffs have the option to file in various jurisdictions where the corporation operates or where the contract was executed. This interpretation aligns with the precedent set in the case of Rodríguez v. Cingular Wireless, which recognized the flexibility offered to plaintiffs in choosing their venue.

The court's decision to reverse the transfer means that the case will return to the San Juan court for further proceedings. This ruling is significant as it reinforces the rights of plaintiffs in choosing where to file their lawsuits, particularly against large corporations with multiple operational jurisdictions.

Going forward, this ruling could impact how businesses in Puerto Rico approach litigation, particularly in contract disputes. It sets a precedent that allows plaintiffs more flexibility in selecting a venue based on where obligations were fulfilled, rather than solely on where the defendant's main office is located.

As for next steps, it is unclear if HPE will seek to appeal this decision to a higher court. The case will now proceed in the San Juan court, where further legal arguments and evidence will be presented. There are no related cases pending that were mentioned in the court's opinion.