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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Sheriff’s Authority and Corporate Personality: Limits in Executing Judgments
A sheriff cannot levy a corporation’s property to satisfy a judgment against its stockholders. Learn the limits of execution.
Ejectment Actions and the Primacy of Registered Titles in Philippine Property Law
Philippine courts uphold registered titles over unregistered claims in ejectment cases. Learn the rules and practical implications.
Foreshore Land vs Private Property: Clarifying Ownership Rights in Coastal Areas
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on possession, prescription, and jurisdiction in disputes over untitled coastal and ancestral lands.
Zonal Valuation vs. Actual Use: What Governs CGT and DST on Property Sales
The Supreme Court rules that existing zonal valuations, not actual property use, govern capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax computations.
Prior Title Prevails in Property Possession Cases: Lessons from a Double Sale
When two buyers claim the same land, prior title and possession in good faith prevail. Learn the rules on double sales and buyer diligence.
Protecting Possessory Rights When A Writ Of Possession Cannot Override Third Party Claims
When a third party actually possesses foreclosed property under an adverse claim, a writ of possession is not ministerial. Learn the rule.
Tolerance Ends Unlawful Detainer Actions and Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when tolerated possession becomes unlawful detainer, and how property owners can recover possession.
Good Faith and Property Rights: Reimbursement for Builders on Another’s Land
A builder in good faith on another's land may claim reimbursement and retention rights. Learn the rules from Benedicto v. Villaflores.
Grave Coercion in Property Takeovers: The Navarra Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court ruled that forceful property repossession, even with a debt claim, constitutes grave coercion under Philippine law.
Res Judicata Explained: When a Prior Judgment Does Not Bar a Later Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of res judicata, distinguishing bar by prior judgment from conclusiveness of judgment in property disputes.
When Presidential Power Meets University Autonomy: The CMU Land Case
The Supreme Court struck down a presidential proclamation taking state university land for IP distribution, affirming academic autonomy and vested property rights.
Mortgaged Property Sales Upholding Ownership Rights Despite Unapproved Transfers
Final Judgment Rule: When Court Decisions in Property Disputes Become Immutable
The final judgment rule makes court decisions in property disputes final and executory. Learn the exceptions and practical implications.
Survival of Actions: Property Rights Prevail After Death in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawsuits survive a party's death, focusing on property rights versus personal actions under Rule 3.
Conjugal Property Sale Without Spousal Consent Is Void, Not Just Voidable
A sale of conjugal property without the other spouse's written consent is void under the Family Code. Buyers must verify the seller's authority to sell.
Friar Lands and Faulty Signatures: When Government Neglect Jeopardizes Land Ownership
The Supreme Court's Manotok ruling shows how documentary gaps in friar land sales can undermine even long-standing property claims.
Forfeiture of Downpayment: When a Buyer's Stop Payment Is Justified
Supreme Court ruling on when sellers cannot forfeit a buyer's downpayment due to adverse claims on property title.
Buyers Can Suspend Payments When Title Is Clouded: Daleon v. Tan
When a property's title is clouded by an adverse claim, buyers may stop paying installments without risking forfeiture of their downpayment.
Contract to Sell Default: When Sellers Can Cancel and Keep the Property Off the Market
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a buyer's failure to pay installments in a contract to sell justifies cancellation by the seller.
Good Faith Construction: Defining Landowner and Builder Rights in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rights of good faith builders and landowners under Civil Code Articles 448, 546, and 548.
Void Sale of City-Owned Market Stall: Refund of Price Under Article 1412
When a sale is void because the seller lacked authority to sell city property, the buyer may still recover the price paid under Article 1412.
Forged Signatures and Defective Acknowledgments: Protecting Property Rights in Real Estate Mortgages
Learn how defective notarization and forged signatures can invalidate a real estate mortgage, protecting property owners' rights.
When Late Appeal Briefs Get Dismissed: Lessons from a Property Dispute
The Supreme Court explains when late filing of an appeal brief justifies dismissal, using a property dispute as a cautionary example.
Badges of Fraud in Property Sales: When Courts Void Real Estate Deals
Philippine Supreme Court explains how "badges of fraud" can invalidate property sales, even absolute deeds, when fraud taints the transaction.