Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Real Property Tax Disputes: Location, Titles, and Escrow When LGUs Compete
When two LGUs claim the same property for real estate tax, who gets paid? The Supreme Court's answer in Municipality of Cainta v. Spouses Braña.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Injunction Cases: A Guide for Property Owners and Legal Practitioners
Learn how the Supreme Court resolved a tax dispute between two LGUs, and what it means for property owners facing competing tax claims.
Proof of Encroachment: The Importance of Survey Plans in Property Disputes
Survey plans must clearly show encroachment to prove property disputes. The Supreme Court explains what suffices as evidence.
Understanding Good Faith IN Property Purchases Lessons From A Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Third-Party Claims and the Right to Litigate in Property Attachment Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court protects a third-party claimant's right to litigate in property attachment cases and when damages may be awarded.
Limits of Post-Judgment Examination: Protecting Third-Party Rights in Execution
Third-party claimants can vindicate ownership of levied property through independent actions without being penalized for exercising their right to litigate.
Baptismal Certificates and Inheritance Rights: Proving Filiation in Property Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified when baptismal certificates can prove filiation and inheritance rights in Philippine property disputes.
Contract to Sell Default Extinguishes Buyer's Right to Possess Property
When a buyer defaults in a contract to sell, the buyer loses the right to possess the property. The Supreme Court explains why.
Double Jeopardy, Forum Shopping, and the Immutability of Judgments in Family Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on final judgments, forum shopping, and indirect contempt in a family property dispute under RA 9262.
Malicious Mischief in Property Disputes: What the Supreme Court Said
The Supreme Court clarifies when destroying property in a dispute becomes malicious mischief, and why claims of ownership do not justify taking the law into one's own hands.
How the Agricultural Free Patent Reform Act Changed Land Ownership Rules in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how RA 11231 removed restrictions on agricultural free patents, affecting reversion suits and property rights.
Double Sales and Defective Notarization: Clarifying Property Rights in the Philippines
Explains when double sale rules apply, the effect of defective notarization on deeds, and limits on attacking Torrens titles.
Proving Forgery in Property Disputes: The Burden of Clear Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that forgery must be proven by clear and convincing evidence, not mere allegations, in property disputes.
When Sheriffs Evict Too Fast: The Three-Day Notice Rule in Property Cases
A sheriff who enforced a writ of execution without the required three-day notice was fined P10,000 for grave abuse of authority.
Navigating Tax Exemptions: The Legal Status of Government Instrumentalities in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when government instrumentalities like the LRTA are exempt from real property tax under the Local Government Code.
Forged Signatures and Land Titles: Proving Fraud in Philippine Property Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies what evidence is needed to prove forged signatures in land transactions and reconveyance claims.
Assessed Value vs Market Value: Jurisdictional Thresholds in Property Disputes
Philippine courts determine jurisdiction over property disputes by assessed value, not market value. Learn the rule from Gabrillo v. Heirs of Pastor.
Ante-Nuptial Agreements: Waiving Rights to Property Acquired During Marriage
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how ante-nuptial agreements with complete separation of property can waive claims over properties acquired during marriage.
Ante-Nuptial Agreements and Property Waivers: The Delgado v. GQ Realty Case
The Supreme Court's ruling in Delgado v. GQ Realty clarifies how ante-nuptial agreements can waive property rights, even for assets registered under a spouse's family corporation.
Prior Public Use and the Power of Expropriation: The NGCP Case
When can a private franchise holder expropriate property already devoted to public use? The Supreme Court clarifies in this 2019 ruling.
Eminent Domain and Private Property: Clarifying Expropriation Powers in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when state-owned land is private property subject to expropriation, and the limits of delegated eminent domain.
Conditional Sales and Default: When Unpaid Balances Void Property Claims
A buyer who fails to pay the balance in a contract to sell loses rights to the property, as the Supreme Court affirmed in Mandin-Trotin v. Bongo.
Proving Foreign Law in Philippine Courts: Divorce, Property Rights, and the Keppel Case
Philippine courts don't take judicial notice of foreign laws. Learn the proof requirements from the Supreme Court's Keppel ruling on divorce and property.
Clearing Title Disputes: How Ownership Rights Prevail in Property Conflicts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property disputes, foreign ownership limits, and the proper remedy for dismissed cases.