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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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.
Breach of Contract and Estafa: Developer Liability for Unfulfilled Property Sale
When a developer fails to deliver titles after full payment, both civil and criminal remedies may apply. The Supreme Court clarifies when estafa and P.D. 957 violations arise.
Family Home Exemption Claim Must Be Proven, Not Just Asserted
A bare claim that property is a family home cannot stop execution of a final judgment. The claimant must prove it.
Just Compensation When Government Takes Property Without Formal Expropriation
When the government takes private land without expropriation proceedings, owners can still claim just compensation. The Supreme Court explains how.
Court Employee Suspended for Misconduct and Solicitation: A Lesson in Judicial Ethics
The Supreme Court suspended a clerk of court for soliciting bail money and mishandling property, reaffirming strict ethical standards for court personnel.
When Trespassers Meet Prior Court Rulings Understanding Property Rights IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts handle property disputes involving trespassers and prior rulings, and what it means for landowners.
Private Roads and Public Use: When a Local Ordinance Cannot Convert Private Property
A local ordinance cannot convert a private road into public property without donation, purchase, or expropriation. The Supreme Court explains.
Challenging Notarized Documents: Forgery and the Burden of Proof in Property Disputes
A notarized deed is presumed valid, but clear and convincing evidence of forgery can void it. Learn the rules from a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
Just Compensation and Legal Interest in Expropriation: What Property Owners Should Know
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies interest rates on unpaid just compensation in expropriation cases, protecting property owners' rights.
Caveat Venditor Upholding Good Faith in Real Estate Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how good faith and apparent authority negate criminal intent in property takings, protecting honest actors.
Electrical Utility Liability: Negligence in Infrastructure Management
When an electric utility's haphazardly relocated posts and wires cause a fire, the utility—not the property owner—bears liability for damages.
Grave Abuse of Discretion Clarifying Reconveyance Obligations in Property Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that a spouse's written consent is essential to a valid mortgage of conjugal property, and explains the two-bidder rule.
Spousal Consent and Mortgage Validity: Protecting Conjugal Property Rights in the Philippines
A spouse cannot mortgage conjugal property without the other's written consent. The Supreme Court explains the consequences in Boston Equity v. Del Rosario.
Protecting Property Rights: Good Faith Purchasers Prevail in Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies that a buyer who relies on a clean Torrens title in good faith keeps ownership, even if the seller's title was later found defective.