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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Priority of Registered Levy Over Unnoted Claims Protecting Creditors in Real Estate Disputes
Learn how registered levies protect creditors in Philippine real estate disputes and why unnoted claims lose priority under the Torrens system.
Regulating Real Estate Professional Standards AND Property Rights IN THE Philippines
The Supreme Court upheld the Real Estate Service Act's licensing rules for developers, balancing professional standards with property rights.
Financial Crisis NOT A Valid Defense Upholding Consumer Rights IN Real Estate Development
Accommodation Mortgages: Validity Upheld Despite Claims of Fraud
When is a real estate mortgage valid despite claims of fraud? The Supreme Court explains accommodation mortgages and the burden of proof.
Protecting Land Ownership: The Limits of Good Faith in Real Estate Transactions
The Supreme Court clarifies when a property owner's claim of fraud in a real estate mortgage fails for lack of evidence.
Good Faith and Land Titles: Protecting Innocent Purchasers in Real Estate Disputes
When is a bank a mortgagee in good faith? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on forged deeds and land titles.
Perfecting Repurchase Agreements: The Necessity of Unqualified Acceptance in Real Estate Transactions
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a qualified acceptance of a repurchase offer is merely a counter-offer, not a perfected contract.
Brokers Entitlement to Commission: The Efficient Procuring Cause in Real Estate Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a real estate broker earns a commission, the efficient procuring cause rule, and written authority contracts.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.