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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Ownership Disputes Tracing Land Titles AND Protecting Successional Rights IN THE Philippines
Explains how Philippine courts resolve land ownership disputes by tracing titles, and why successional rights vest only at death.
Ownership Disputes and Wrongful Property Levy: Why Registration Prevails Under Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on why unregistered sales lose to registered titles and levies, and what buyers must prove to claim good faith.
Superior Right Prior Land Decree Prevails Over Tax Declarations in Property Ownership Disputes
In property disputes, a prior decree of registration prevails over tax declarations. The Supreme Court explains why in Heirs of Delfin v. Rabadon.
Decree of Registration Prevails Over Tax Declarations in Land Ownership Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on why a decree of registration outweighs tax declarations and receipts in land ownership disputes.
Expropriation and Conflicting Ownership Claims: When the Government May Challenge a Torrens Title
The Supreme Court clarifies that in expropriation cases, the government may present evidence on ownership disputes solely to determine who receives just compensation.
Overlapping Land Titles: Resolving Ownership Disputes Through Title Verification
Learn how the Supreme Court resolves property disputes involving overlapping titles, and why verifying technical descriptions matters in Philippine land ownership cases.
Central Bank Independence vs. Contractual Obligations: Resolving Disputes Over Government Securities
The Supreme Court rules that the Bangko Sentral cannot adjudicate ownership disputes over government securities, and regular courts must resolve them.
Defining Agrarian Disputes When Land Ownership Claims Fall Outside DARAB Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court clarifies that ownership disputes over land, absent tenurial arrangements, are not agrarian disputes and belong to regular courts.
Torrens Title vs Claim of Inheritance: Resolving Land Ownership Disputes
When does a Torrens title prevail over a claim of inheritance? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction rules in land disputes.
Torrens Title Integrity Resolving Ownership Disputes Arising From Erroneous Land Inclusion
The Supreme Court clarifies that Torrens title ownership alone does not determine possession rights in ejectment cases involving corporate factions.
Forged Deeds and Disputed Titles: How Philippine Courts Determine Land Ownership
A Supreme Court ruling explains how courts resolve land ownership disputes when a deed of sale is alleged to be forged.
Land Ownership Disputes: Proving Your Claim in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court distinguishes government instrumentalities from GOCCs in real property tax disputes, and what this means for proving ownership claims.
Acquisitive Prescription: Good Faith and Just Title in Land Ownership Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a compromise agreement and a sale made during litigation cannot establish the good faith and just title needed for ordinary acquisitive prescription.
Laches and Land Ownership: Protecting Established Rights Against Delayed Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accion publiciana, Torrens titles, and laches in land ownership disputes.
Challenging Notarized Documents in Philippine Property Co-Ownership Disputes
When can a notarized affidavit be challenged in a Philippine property dispute? The Supreme Court explains the limits of notarization.
Good Faith vs Torrens Title Resolving Land Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a Torrens title or a deed of sale prevails in land possession disputes.
Good Faith and Land Titles: Resolving Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court balances Torrens titles against good faith in ownership disputes, and why buyers must investigate suspicious circumstances.
Ejectment Actions Ownership Disputes DO NOT Suspend Ejectment Proceedings
Filing an ownership dispute does not suspend an ejectment case. The Supreme Court explains why in Samonte v. Century Savings Bank.
Prior Title Prevails Resolving Land Ownership Disputes Through Registration Date
Unregistered Land Sales: Why Registration Matters in Ownership Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling explains why an unregistered deed of sale cannot bind third parties in property disputes over unregistered land.
Rental Income in Co-Ownership Disputes: Protecting Rights During Partition
When co-owners dispute rental income during a partition case, courts can order deposits to protect rights—but only within proper limits.
Protecting Public Assets: Court Approves Conversion of Coconut Levy-Funded Shares Amidst Ownership Dispute
The Supreme Court allows converting sequestered SMC shares into preferred shares to protect public assets during the coconut levy ownership dispute.
Co-Ownership and Redemption Rights: Key Lessons from Calma v. Santos
Learn how the Supreme Court resolved co-ownership disputes over a fishpond, covering notarized deeds, double sales, and legal redemption.
Accretion Rights and Innocent Purchasers: Resolving Land Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accretion rights, reconveyance actions, and the protection of innocent purchasers for value in land disputes.