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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Estate Sales and Court Authority: When Approved Transactions Stand Despite Later Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when court-approved estate sales remain valid despite later disputes over administrator appointments and injunctions.
Upholding Real Estate Mortgage Validity Forgery Claims AND DUE Diligence IN Banking Transactions
Geographical Trademark AND Unfair Competition Protecting Business Identity IN Real Estate
Lawyer Suspended for Neglect and Unethical Advice: Pitcher v. Gagate
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for three years for improper advice, neglect, and abandonment of a client in estate matters.
Corporate Veil and Inheritance: When Heirs Can Claim Rights to Corporate Assets
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when heirs may pursue claims over corporate assets in estate partition cases.
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.
Forum Shopping and Attorney Sanctions for Relitigating Settled Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court sanctions lawyer for forum shopping in relitigating settled estate property claims, explaining the rules and consequences.
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.
Estate Inventory Disputes: Probate Courts' Provisional Powers on Inclusion of Properties
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on probate courts' authority to provisionally determine ownership for estate inventory inclusion.
Financial Crisis NOT A Valid Defense Upholding Consumer Rights IN Real Estate Development
Judicial Delay and Discretion: Balancing Efficiency and Impartiality in Estate Administration
A Supreme Court ruling on when a judge's delay in resolving motions becomes administrative liability, and why judicial discretion in estate cases deserves protection.
Upholding Client Loyalty Attorney Suspended FOR Conflict OF Interest IN Estate Case
A lawyer's switch from representing heirs to opposing the same heirs in one estate case leads to a three-month suspension for conflict of interest.
Estate Settlement Venue and Void Marriages: Key Lessons from Quiazon
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies estate settlement venue rules and the right to challenge void marriages after death.
The Dead Man's Statute: Protecting Estates From Unfair Claims in Leasehold Disputes
The Supreme Court explains how the Dead Man's Statute bars testimony about a deceased person's alleged admissions, protecting estates from unfair claims.
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.
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.
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.
Claims Against a Deceased's Estate: Quasi-Contracts and Rule 86 Explained
When must a claim against a deceased person's estate be filed in estate settlement proceedings? The Supreme Court clarifies in Metrobank v. Absolute Management.
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.
Estate Administration: Legal Heirs Preferred in Appointment of Administrator
Supreme Court clarifies that legitimate heirs have priority in estate administration, and co-administrators may only be appointed in exceptional circumstances.
Heir Exclusion and Property Sale: Validity and Rights in Estate Settlements
Learn how excluding heirs voids an extrajudicial settlement, the sale's partial validity, and heirs' rights in estate distribution.
Voiding Contracts: The Perils of Selling Future Inheritance and Post-Mortem Deeds in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a non-party can annul a judgment and the risks of selling inherited property before the estate is settled.
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.