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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Conjugal Property Sales When A Void Contract Still Speaks Volumes
When a deed of absolute sale is void for lack of spousal consent, can it still be used to prove a valid dacion en pago? The Supreme Court weighs in.
Unpaid Purchase Price: When a Deed of Absolute Sale Is Void for Lack of Consideration
A deed of sale without actual payment is void from the start. Learn the Supreme Court's ruling and key lessons.
Equitable Mortgage: When an Absolute Sale Is Really a Loan Security
The Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage, and what parties must do to recover property.
Conditional Sale Buyers' Rights and Sellers' Obligations After Partial Payment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies buyer and seller rights in contracts to sell, including when a buyer can demand a deed of absolute sale.
Simulated Sales: When Continued Possession Trumps a Deed of Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on simulated sales: continued possession and tax payments can nullify a deed of absolute sale.
Sale vs Equitable Mortgage: When a Deed of Sale Is Considered a Loan
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale may be treated as an equitable mortgage or loan, and when courts will uphold the sale.
Novation in Property Sales: When a Deed of Absolute Sale Supersedes a Conditional Sale
Explaining when a later deed of absolute sale novates or supersedes an earlier conditional sale, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Your Property Rights in the Philippines
When is a deed of absolute sale actually an equitable mortgage? Philippine law protects borrowers who sign sale documents to secure loans.
Equitable Mortgage: When a Deed of Sale Disguises a Loan Security
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale is really an equitable mortgage securing a debt.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: When a Deed of Sale Is Really a Loan Security
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage protecting borrowers from predatory lending.
When a Land Sale Contract Is Voidable: Illiteracy, Fraud, and Equitable Mortgage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage, protecting illiterate landowners from fraud.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Vulnerable Grantors in Property Transactions
When a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage, courts look at intent and circumstances, not just the document's title.
When a Deed of Absolute Sale Governs: Ejectment, Ownership, and the Kasunduan
The Supreme Court clarifies how courts resolve ejectment cases when a seller claims the deed of sale was incomplete, and what the Kasunduan means.
When Is a Deed of Sale Actually a Mortgage: Lessons from Molina v. Flores
The Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale may be presumed an equitable mortgage under Article 1602 of the Civil Code.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Borrowers in Financial Distress
When is a deed of absolute sale really a mortgage? The Supreme Court explains how courts protect borrowers who sign sale documents under financial pressure.
When a "Sale" Is Really an Equitable Mortgage: Lessons from Aguirre v. Tupas
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of absolute sale is presumed an equitable mortgage under the Civil Code.
Unmasking Equitable Mortgages in the Philippines: When a Deed of Sale Isn’t Really a Sale
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage, protecting borrowers from unfair land deals.
Perfecting a Sale With an Assumed Mortgage: Key Considerations in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of absolute sale with assumption of mortgage is perfected, and the consequences of failing to comply with mortgagee conditions.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: When Philippine Courts Look Beyond the Deed's Title
Philippine courts can reclassify a deed of absolute sale as an equitable mortgage based on the parties' true intent and surrounding circumstances.