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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Foreshore Land vs Private Property: Clarifying Ownership Rights in Coastal Areas
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on possession, prescription, and jurisdiction in disputes over untitled coastal and ancestral lands.
Prescription in Estate Settlement: Heirs' Rights and Time Limits Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on prescription periods for heirs contesting extrajudicial estate settlements, fraud discovery, and time limits.
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.
COGSA One-Year Prescription and Amended Complaints: Lessons from Wallem v. S.R. Farms
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that COGSA's one-year prescriptive period bars claims against newly impleaded defendants in amended complaints.
Accretion vs Public Domain: Private Land Rights Along Waterways in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when accreted land along creeks belongs to private owners and when prescription applies.
Prescription of Seafarer Claims: Labor Code Prevails Over Standard Employment Contract
Supreme Court rules 3-year Labor Code prescription governs seafarer money claims, but death benefits require death during contract effectivity.
Sale of Conjugal Property Without Spousal Consent: Void Contracts and Heirs' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void sales of conjugal property without spousal consent, heirs' rights, and prescription periods explained.
Prescription and Marital Consent: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on how prescription and laches can bar claims over conjugal property sold without the wife's consent.
Prescription in Annulment Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
Philippine law on prescription periods for annulment of marriage explained, including when the prescriptive period begins and key rules.
Untangling Rescission: Prescription Periods in Philippine Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the four-year prescriptive period for rescission of a sale starts, using the Quirong v. DBP case.
Prescription IN Mortgage Actions Understanding Foreclosure AND Property Rights
Prescription in Reconveyance: Clarifying the Four-Year Rule for Actions Based on Threat and Intimidation
The Supreme Court clarifies when the four-year prescriptive period runs in reconveyance actions based on threat and intimidation, not fraud.
Laches and Prescription in Construction Contract Disputes: IBEX v. GSIS
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on prescription, laches, and finality of CIAC factual findings in construction disputes.
Right of Way Cannot Be Acquired by Continuous Use Alone; Title or Written Agreement Required
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: easement of right of way is discontinuous, cannot be acquired by prescription or mere continuous use.
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.
Untangling Title Disputes: Prescription, Laches, and Diligence in Land Ownership Claims
A Supreme Court ruling on how prescription and laches bar late claims to registered land, even when fraud is alleged.
Prescription and Land Ownership: Protecting the Rights of Long-Term Land Possessors
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how the right to repurchase land works, when acceptance of a contract benefit is valid, and why builders on their own land need no protection.
Service Awards FOR Overseas Workers Understanding Entitlement AND Prescription Under Philippine LAW
Delivery in Sales Contracts: Ownership vs Possession and Prescription Periods
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mere possession transfer isn't?
Double Sale and Good Faith Registration: Pagaduan v. Ocuma on Property Rights
Explore how the Supreme Court ruled on double sale, good faith registration, and prescription in Pagaduan v. Ocuma.
Retirement Benefits: Employer's Duty Beyond Initial Retirement
Retired employee continues working; Supreme Court clarifies prescription, retirement pay computation, and employer obligations under Philippine law.
Land Ownership Disputes: Grounds for Dismissal in Property Recovery Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when dismissal is improper in property recovery cases, emphasizing that prescription, laches, and res judicata require proof.
Res Judicata and Good-Faith Purchasers: Protecting Land Titles in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts balance Torrens title protection with reconveyance actions, prescription periods, and good-faith purchaser defenses.
Voluntary Surrender of Tenancy Rights: Landicho v. Sia Explained
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on voluntary surrender of tenancy rights, farm helper claims, and prescription in Landicho v. Sia.