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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Docket Fees and Real Actions: Jurisdictional Requirements in Philippine Property Disputes
Learn how unpaid docket fees and mislabeled complaints affect court jurisdiction in Philippine property cases, based on a 2016 Supreme Court ruling.
Tolerance Ends Landowners Right Prevails Over Long Term Use In Property Dispute
Philippine Supreme Court rules that possession by mere tolerance does not ripen into ownership, and laches cannot bar a registered owner's right to recover property.
Untimely Relief: The High Cost of Delay in Labor Disputes
Explore how the Supreme Court ruled on laches, tolerance, and compensation in property disputes involving government agencies.
Tax Sales and Due Process: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax sales, due process, and property rights protection for landowners and buyers.
Mortgage Rights Prevail Protecting Mortgagee Interests Over Subsequent Property Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how registered mortgages prevail over later contracts to sell, protecting mortgagee rights.
Mortgage Validity: Restrictions on Property Rights vs Contractual Obligations
Supreme Court rules on whether NHA restrictions on a titled property invalidate a mortgage, and when borrowers can escape contractual obligations.
Priority of Registered Adverse Claims Over Subsequent Mortgages: Protecting Land Rights in the Philippines
Learn how a registered adverse claim protects land rights against subsequent mortgages, and why prior registration prevails under Philippine property law.
Balancing Public Order and Private Rights: Limits on Summary Abatement of Nuisances
When can barangay officials destroy property as a public nuisance? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of summary abatement.
Co-Ownership and Unauthorized Sales: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court handles co-owned property disputes, redemption rights, and unauthorized sales in this Philippine civil law case analysis.
Open Space vs Private Property: Resolving Subdivision Land Disputes in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling on when subdivision open spaces remain private property, and the limits of homeowners' claims over them.
Limits of a General Power of Attorney Authority to Sell Real Property in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a general power of attorney does not authorize an agent to sell real property without a special power of attorney.
Forcible Entry, Heir Substitution, and Judgment Immutability in Property Disputes
When can heirs substitute a deceased party in a forcible entry case? The Supreme Court explains the limits of judgment immutability.
Injunctions Protecting Rights Upholding Due Process and Ensuring Fair Legal Proceedings
The Supreme Court dismisses a direct challenge to Iloilo City's real property tax ordinance, reaffirming the need to exhaust administrative remedies and observe the hierarchy of courts.
Boundary Disputes and Ejectment: Clarifying the Proper Legal Action in Philippine Property Law
When a property conflict involves boundary lines, ejectment is not the right remedy. Learn what action to file.
Torrens Title vs Mortgage Resolving Property Possession Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on which Torrens title prevails when property claims overlap, tracing validity to the mother title.
Dismissal of Case: Navigating Forum Shopping and Indispensable Parties in Property Disputes
What happens when two property cases are filed separately? The Supreme Court clarifies forum shopping, consolidation, and indispensable parties.
Mortgage in Bad Faith: Banks' Duty of Diligence in Verifying Land Titles
When a bank accepts a mortgage without fully investigating suspicious facts on the property, it acts in bad faith and loses protection as an innocent mortgagee.
How Marital Status Determines Property Ownership in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling explains how marital status affects property ownership, co-ownership rules, and the validity of selling property without spousal consent.
When a Notary Lacks Authority: How Defective Notarization Can Void Property Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on defective notarization, judicial partition, and why notarized documents require a validly commissioned notary public.
Reconveyance vs Annulment of Judgment: Protecting Real Property Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a complaint is for reconveyance rather than annulment of judgment, protecting rightful owners of registered land.
Reconveyance vs Annulment of Judgment: Lessons from Toledo v. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies when a property dispute is a reconveyance action, not an annulment of judgment, and the rights of buyers in possession.
Forged Deeds and Ejectment: Protecting Co-Ownership Rights in Family Property Disputes
When a forged deed transfers family property, can the fraudulent titleholder evict co-owner heirs? The Supreme Court says no.
Dividing Assets in Void Marriages: Co-Ownership vs. Conjugal Partnership
The Supreme Court clarifies that property acquired during a void marriage is divided under co-ownership rules, not conjugal partnership.
Upholding Workers Rights Resolving Labor Disputes Despite Prior Agreements
Supreme Court clarifies when unauthorized use of company property justifies dismissal under Philippine labor law.