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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Land Registration Revisited: Why Proof of Alienability Remains Paramount
The Supreme Court denies a second land registration bid, reiterating that a CENRO certification alone cannot prove a property is alienable and disposable.
Navigating Water Rights: Upholding Property Rights Amidst Natural Easements
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of natural water easements and property rights in this dispute over subdivision flooding and liability.
Possession vs Ownership: Resolving Church Property Disputes in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that in unlawful detainer cases, physical possession—not ownership—determines who has the better right to church property.
Oral Sales Agreements Transfer Property and the Limits of Rescission
When does an oral deal to sell land transfer ownership? The Supreme Court clarifies the line between a sale and a contract to sell, and when rescission is allowed.
Overlapping Land Titles: Prior Certificate Prevails in Philippine Law
When two land titles cover the same property, the earlier certificate generally prevails. Learn the rule and its limits.
Judge Dismissed for Illegally Occupying Public Land and Buying Property from Litigant
A judge was dismissed for squatting on government land and buying property from a party in cases he decided, violating judicial conduct rules.
Lawyer Suspended One Year for Negligence and Misuse of Client Funds in Property Titling Case
A lawyer's failure to file an appeal brief and return client funds leads to one-year suspension, affirming fiduciary duties.
Lawyer Suspended for Signing Falsified Deed in Family Property Sale
Supreme Court suspends lawyer for six months for signing a deed of sale containing falsehoods, reaffirming lawyers' duty to uphold truth.
Conjugal Property Rights: When a Forged Donation and Sale Divide Ownership
A forged donation of conjugal property leads to co-ownership between the buyer and the innocent spouse, each holding an undivided half.
Sheriff Duties and Neglect in Attachment Cases: Protecting Your Property Rights
Learn how sheriffs must handle attached properties, their inventory duties, and what happens when they neglect these responsibilities.
Foreclosure Sales and Repurchase Rights: Understanding Bank Discretion in Asset Disposition
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that after the redemption period expires, former owners have no enforceable right to repurchase foreclosed property from the bank.
Heirs Inheritance Rights Partitioning Property Despite Unsettled Estates
Partition suits need the property's assessed value in the complaint; otherwise, courts lack jurisdiction and the case is dismissed.
Jurisdictional Thresholds in Property Partition: Assessed Value as Key Determinant
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that partition actions require alleging the property's assessed value to determine which court has jurisdiction.
Philippine Ports Authority v. City of Davao: Jurisdiction and Forum Shopping in Real Property Tax Cases
Explains why the CTA, not the CA, has exclusive jurisdiction over real property tax appeals and why splitting remedies constitutes forum shopping.
Res Judicata and Litis Pendentia: Ending Endless Property Litigation in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court applied res judicata and litis pendentia to bar a second property case, preventing endless litigation over the same land.
Unlawful Detainer vs Accion Publiciana: When Ejectment Cases Fail
Understand when an ejectment case fails and why accion publiciana is the proper remedy for recovering possession of property.
Void Donations: Formal Requirements and the Right to Reclaim Property in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void donations, formal requirements under Article 749, and the right to recover property.
Perfecting Stock Transfers: Why Recording Matters in Third-Party Claims
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that unrecorded stock transfers are not binding on third parties, including creditors levying on corporate property.
Employer Liability: Ownership of Premises Does Not Make One an Employer
Supreme Court clarifies that owning a building or premises does not automatically create an employer-employee relationship, reversing a labor ruling against a property owner.
Tax Sales vs Due Process: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax sales, due process, and property rights protection for landowners.
Lawyer Suspended for Misconduct in Property Dispute and Illegal Demolition
SC suspends lawyer for six months for violating the Code of Professional Responsibility in a property dispute involving an illegal demolition.
Upholding Client Confidentiality Attorney Sanctioned FOR Representing Conflicting Interests
Philippine Supreme Court affirms that lawyers cannot buy client property or represent conflicting interests, voiding a transfer under Article 1491.
Challenging Forged Documents and Implied Admissions in Philippine Property Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when failure to respond to a request for admission does not result in implied admission, protecting property owners from forged documents.
Corporate Rehabilitation Stay Orders: What They Mean for Property Claims
The Supreme Court explains how a stay order in corporate rehabilitation suspends all claims, including demands for specific performance of property sales.