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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Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies in CLOA Cancellation Cases: A Property Law Primer
Learn why a landowner's direct appeal to the Court of Appeals failed in a CLOA cancellation case, and the importance of exhausting administrative remedies.
Residency vs. Domicile in Philippine Elections: The Pundaodaya Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies that voter registration and property ownership do not prove election residency, which legally means domicile.
Publication Imperative Safeguarding Property Rights in Foreclosure Sales
Supreme Court rules strict publication of foreclosure sale notice is mandatory; failure invalidates sale and subsequent transfers.
Acquisitive Prescription: Proving Open, Continuous Possession for Land Registration
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what evidence proves open, continuous possession for land registration under the Property Registration Decree.
Family Home vs Creditors: When Annulment Doesn't Shield Property From Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a family home can be sold to settle debts after marriage annulment, and the finality of court orders.
Combating Fraudulent Land Titles: Supreme Court Upholds Property Rights Against Forgery
A 2009 Supreme Court ruling clarifies how courts handle forged land titles, apparent authority, and lis pendens in property disputes.
Eminent Domain: Fair Initial Compensation Based on Property Classification
Supreme Court ruling on RA 8974: initial compensation in expropriation must match property classification, not actual use.
Land Registration: Proving Open Continuous Possession Since 1945
How the Supreme Court applied Section 14(1) of the Property Registration Decree to confirm title through open, continuous possession since June 12, 1945.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: When the Government Takes Property Without Filing a Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on just compensation, consequential damages, and attorney's fees when government takes private property without expropriation proceedings.
Protecting Property Rights: The Validity of Sales by Thumbprint in Philippine Law
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that a thumbmark on a deed of sale is valid consent, and the duty of buyers to verify ownership.
Voluntary Appearance and Summons: Protecting Property Rights in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a defendant's court filings waive defective summons, protecting property rights in quieting title cases.
Spousal Consent in Real Estate Sales: When a Sale Without It Is Void
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why selling conjugal property without the wife's consent makes the sale void, explained in plain language.
The Perils of Duplication: Forum Shopping and the Dismissal of Redundant Lawsuits in Property Disputes
When a party files multiple suits over the same property and issue, Philippine courts may dismiss all of them as forum shopping. Learn the rules.
Easement Rights in Property Use Disputes: The Legaspi Towers 300 Case
Supreme Court clarifies when easements arise in property disputes, explaining voluntary easements, apparent signs, and unjust enrichment under Philippine law.
Forum Shopping in Ejectment Cases: Lessons from Dy v. Mandy Commodities
Filing two ejectment suits over the same property amounts to forum shopping, a practice the Supreme Court penalizes with twin dismissal.
Navigating Property Disputes When CAN Metropolitan Trial Courts Decide Ownership
Who Pays Real Property Tax When a Government Corporation Assumes a Private Firm's Tax Liability?
The Supreme Court rules on whether NPC can claim tax exemptions for a power plant it does not own or use under a BOT agreement.
Agency Liability When Authorizing a Third Party Leads to Responsibility
A principal can be held liable for its agent's actions even if the agent loses the property. Learn the rules on agency and authorization.
Correcting Typographical Errors Valid Execution Despite Misstated Property Address
A typographical error in a judgment's dispositive portion does not render it defective or unenforceable. The Supreme Court explains how courts may correct such errors.
Standing to Sue: Who Can Challenge a Property Sale in the Philippines
Learn who has legal standing to challenge a property sale in the Philippines, based on a Supreme Court ruling on agrarian reform land.
Property Rights in Void Marriages: Due Process in Asset Partitioning
The Supreme Court clarifies that partition of property in void marriages requires full hearing and due process, not hasty execution.
Loss of Redemption Rights: Inheriting Property After Mortgage Foreclosure in the Philippines
When a mortgaged property is foreclosed and not redeemed, heirs lose inheritance rights. The Supreme Court explains why.
Chattel VS Real Property Foreclosure Sale Validity Hinges ON Agreed Classification
Ending Perpetual Trusts Balancing Testamentary Freedom AND Property Rights IN THE Philippines
Philippine law limits how long trusts can last. This article explains the rule against perpetuities and how courts balance a testator's wishes against property rights.