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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Understanding Good Faith Purchasers and Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court protects innocent purchasers for value in property disputes and what this means for your land ownership rights.
Property Disputes and Surveys: Why Courts Order Relocation Surveys in Writ of Possession Cases
The Supreme Court explains when courts may order a survey to ensure a writ of possession is enforced on the correct property.
Other Deceits Under Article 318: Lessons from Magalona v. People
Learn how the Supreme Court applied Other Deceits under Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code in Magalona v. People, and what it means for property transactions.
Property Title Cancellation and Reconveyance: Insights from a Philippine Landmark Case
Learn when private individuals can sue to cancel a free patent title and what distinguishes reversion from reconveyance in Philippine property law.
When Property Disputes Must First Go to Barangay Conciliation: Ngo v. Gabelo
The Supreme Court clarifies when failure to undergo barangay conciliation makes a property case dismissible, and why courts cannot simply suspend proceedings to cure the defect.
Mortgagee in Good Faith: Protecting Banks and Borrowers in Property Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on mortgagee in good faith doctrine and banks' duty of diligence in property loans.
Property Title Disputes and Notarial Duties: Lessons from a Philippine Administrative Case
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies notarial duties in property transactions, showing why proper identity verification matters in land disputes.
Notarial Negligence and Property Rights: Lessons from De Guzman v. Venzon
A notary's failure to verify identity can cost you your land. Learn the rules and penalties from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Understanding Unlawful Detainer When Tolerance Must Be Proven in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when an owner cannot use unlawful detainer to evict occupants without proving clear tolerance or permission.
Land Registration in the Philippines: Proving Alienable and Disposable Status
Philippine land registration requires proof that property is alienable and disposable public land. A recent Supreme Court ruling explains the strict requirements.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Agrarian Reform Disputes: Insights from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Case
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified jurisdiction over agrarian reform disputes in Land Bank v. Heirs of Divinagracia, a key Philippine property law case.
The Critical Role of Notarization in Property Transactions: Lessons From a Philippine Supreme Court Case
A notary public who notarized a deed of sale involving parties who had long been dead was suspended and perpetually disqualified. Here's why notarization matters.
Property Rights in Cohabitation: Actual Contributions Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in adulterous cohabitation, only actual joint contributions create co-ownership of property.
Foreign Bank Foreclosures in the Philippines: Lessons from Parcon-Song v. Parcon
A 2020 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when foreign banks may foreclose on Philippine property and why the timing of the foreclosure matters.
Due Process and Conjugal Property Rights in Philippine Legal Disputes
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on due process, conjugal property, and annulment of judgment in Spouses Hofer v. Yu.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Unlawful Detainer Cases: Key Lessons from a Landmark Ruling
A court cannot order a person to vacate property not named in the unlawful detainer complaint. Learn the jurisdictional rules.
Navigating Expropriation: The Critical Role of Public Purpose in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that expropriation requires a genuine public purpose, which landowners can challenge when projects are abandoned.
Understanding Lawyer Misconduct and Ethical Duties in Property Transactions
A Supreme Court ruling on a clerk of court's misconduct highlights the ethical boundaries court personnel must observe in property disputes.
Understanding Prescription Periods in Property Disputes: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Case
Learn how prescription periods work in property disputes through the Supreme Court's ruling in Selerio v. Bancasan on interrupted timeframes and written contracts.
Understanding Writ of Possession: Protecting Third-Party Rights in Foreclosure Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that a writ of possession is not absolute when a third party adversely possesses foreclosed property.
Donation Validity and Notarization: What Patenia v. Patenia Means for Property Transfers
The Supreme Court clarifies when defective notarization invalidates a donation of immovable property, and when it does not.
Understanding Bad Faith in Property Encroachment: Rights and Responsibilities
A Supreme Court ruling explains when a builder is in bad faith in property encroachment cases, and what remedies a landowner has under Philippine law.
Navigating Easement Rights: Protecting Property Access in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court protects voluntary easements and property access rights in the Philippines, using the Castro v. Esperanza case as a guide.
Valid Land Titles and Res Judicata: Key Lessons from a Philippine Property Dispute
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why tax declarations don't prove ownership and how res judicata bars relitigating property claims.