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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Heir Exclusion and Property Sale: Validity and Rights in Estate Settlements
Learn how excluding heirs voids an extrajudicial settlement, the sale's partial validity, and heirs' rights in estate distribution.
Voiding Contracts: The Perils of Selling Future Inheritance and Post-Mortem Deeds in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a non-party can annul a judgment and the risks of selling inherited property before the estate is settled.
Mortgagor Ownership and Estoppel: When a Real Estate Mortgage Stays Valid
Supreme Court clarifies when a mortgagor's ownership and estoppel uphold the validity of a real estate mortgage in PNB v. Reblando.
Voluntary Submission Overrides Defective Summons Protecting Real Estate Buyers Under THE Maceda LAW
Estate Administration: The Administrator's Right to Examine Documents for Estate Properties
A Supreme Court ruling on an estate administrator's power to compel production of documents believed to reveal properties belonging to the decedent's estate.
Stare Decisis in Real Estate Disputes: When a Prior Ruling Binds Later Bank Cases
The Supreme Court applies stare decisis to dismiss a bank's reconveyance case, ruling that a prior finding of a void warehousing agreement binds all similar cases.
Understanding Dragnet Clauses in Philippine Real Estate Mortgages
Learn how dragnet clauses in Philippine real estate mortgages work, their legal limits, and how courts interpret these all-important security provisions.
Loan Contract Perfection and Mortgage Validity: Insights from Palada v. Solidbank
When is a loan contract perfected, and what makes a real estate mortgage valid? The Supreme Court clarifies in Palada v. Solidbank.
Why Correct Docket Fees Are Crucial for Jurisdiction in Philippine Property Disputes
Learn how docket fees affect court jurisdiction in property cases, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on estate disputes.
Mortgage in Bad Faith: Protecting Co-Owner Rights in Real Estate Transactions
When a co-owner mortgages shared property without authority, the mortgage binds only that co-owner's share if the lender fails due diligence.
Contract to Sell vs Contract of Sale: When Ownership Transfers in Philippine Real Estate
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between a contract to sell and contract of sale, and when ownership actually transfers.
Can a Bank Foreclose the Entire Loan on a Partial Mortgage? Philippine Supreme Court Rules
Philippine Supreme Court rules on whether a bank may foreclose a real estate mortgage for the full loan amount when only part of it was secured by the property.
Mortgage Obligations and Appeal Rights in Real Estate Disputes
The Supreme Court rules on mortgage obligations, appeal periods, and writs of execution in a dispute between borrowers and PNB.
Mortgage Priority Good Faith Trumps Subsequent Attachment In Property Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on mortgage priority, good faith, and why unregistered attachments don't defeat prior real estate mortgages.
Attorney's Fees for Administrators Who Also Serve as Counsel in Estate Disputes
A lawyer-administrator may recover attorney's fees for representing the sole heir in a will contest, separate from his compensation as administrator of the estate.
Continuing Security: How Future Debts Can Affect Real Estate Mortgages in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how a real estate mortgage can secure future loans, not just the original debt, through continuing guaranty clauses.
Option Contract vs. Right of First Refusal: Key Differences Under Philippine Law
Learn the difference between an option contract and a right of first refusal in Philippine real estate, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Tuazon v. Del Rosario-Suarez.
Buyer Beware: Due Diligence in Philippine Real Estate Transactions
The Supreme Court reminds buyers of registered land that a title is not enough—due diligence requires inquiry beyond its four corners.
Unraveling Real Estate Mortgages When Does A Debt Secure Future Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when real estate mortgages secure future obligations and the strict standards for preliminary mandatory injunctions.
Attorney's Fees and Estate Liens: Protecting a Lawyer's Right to Be Paid
The Supreme Court ruled that a lawyer may claim attorney's fees in the very case where he served and annotate a lien on the properties of the estate.
Prescription in Estate Settlement: Heirs' Rights and Time Limits Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on prescription periods for heirs contesting extrajudicial estate settlements, fraud discovery, and time limits.
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.
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.
Standing to Sue: Why Associations Can't Always Fight for Members' Rights in Court
The Supreme Court explains when an association lacks legal standing to challenge a government rule, using a real estate group's failed suit against energy regulations.