Corporate case law

Manessi, Alberto Vicente c/ General Motors de Argentina S.A. s/ ordinario (National Commercial Court of Appeals, Chamber B, 28/06/2002)

The manufacturer’s liability within the distribution chain for product defects. The case examined the manufacturer’s professional position and the purchaser’s protection beyond the immediate contractual relationship with the seller.

CNCom., Sala B28/06/2002

Case caption

«Manessi, Alberto Vicente c/ General Motors de Argentina S.A. s/ ordinario»

What was at issue

The manufacturer’s liability within the distribution chain for product defects.

What was decided

The case examined the manufacturer’s professional position and the purchaser’s protection beyond the immediate contractual relationship with the seller.

Extractable criterion

The case examined the manufacturer’s professional position and the purchaser’s protection beyond the immediate contractual relationship with the seller.
The holding should be read in light of the legal interest protected in the area of sales and manufacturer liability, not solely by reference to the documentary form of the act.
Evidence of the specific facts and of their impact on corporate or creditor rights is decisive when applying the precedent’s doctrine to another case.

Citation: CNCom., Sala B, «Manessi, Alberto Vicente c/ General Motors de Argentina S.A. s/ ordinario», 28/06/2002 — Jurisprudencia societaria y comercial

Practical application

It is an important antecedent on liability within production and distribution chains.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main takeaway from the case?

The case examined the manufacturer’s professional position and the purchaser’s protection beyond the immediate contractual relationship with the seller.

Does the rule apply automatically today?

No. The current statutory framework and the specific facts must be verified. Historical precedents retain doctrinal value, but later reforms may alter how they apply.

What should be proven in similar litigation?

The relevant corporate or commercial documentation, the parties’ conduct, the specific harm, and the facts connecting that harm to the central issue in the case: The manufacturer’s liability within the distribution chain for product defects.

Informational commentary on a published ruling; it does not constitute advice nor guarantee an outcome. Application to a case depends on its circumstances.

Do you need advice on this matter?

The firm is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and advises clients worldwide.

Contact the firm