SYLLABUS FOR THE 2023 BAR EXAMINATIONS H.

Property Relations Between Spouses

CIVIL LAW (20%) 1. Donation Propter Nuptias
NOTE: All Bar candidates should be guided that only laws, rules, issuances, and 2. Void Donations by the Spouses
Page 1 of 93. Absolute Community of Property Regime
jurisprudence pertinent to the topics in this syllabus as of June 30, 2022 are
examinable materials within the coverage of the 2023 Bar Examinations. 4. Conjugal Partnership of Gains Regime
5. Separation of Property Regime
PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS 6. Property Regime of Unions Without Marriage
I. 7. Judicial Separation of Property
Persons I. The Family
A. When Law Takes Effect Doctrine 1. General Principles
B. Ignorance of the Law J. The Family Home
C. Retroactivity of Laws 1. General Principles
D. Mandatory or Prohibitory Laws K. Paternity and Filiation
E. Waiver of Rights 1. Concepts of Paternity, Filiation, and Legitimacy
F. Presumption and Applicability of Custom 2. Legitimate Children
G. Legal Periods a) Who are Legitimate Children
H. Territoriality Principle b) Proof of Filiation of Legitimate Children
I. Conflict of Laws c) Rights of Legitimate Children
1. Lex Nationalii d) Grounds to Impugn Legitimacy
2. Lex Rei Sitae 3. Illegitimate Children
3. Lex Loci Celebrationis a) Who are Illegitimate Children
4. Doctrine of Renvoi b) Proof of Filiation of Illegitimate Children
J. Human Relations in Relation to Persons c) Rights of Illegitimate Children
K. Capacity to Act d) Grounds to Impugn Filiation
1. Restrictions on Capacity to Act 4. Legitimated Children
2. Birth and Death of Natural Persons a) Who May be Legitimated
3. Presumption of Survivorship b) How Legitimation Takes Place
L. Surnames c) Grounds to Impugn Legitimacy
M. Rules Governing Persons Who are Absent 5. Adopted Children
II. a) Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child
Marriage Care Act (RA 11642)
A. General Principles b) Who May Adopt
1. Essential Requisites c) Who May be Adopted
2. Formal Requisites d) Effects of a Decree of Adoption (See Article Nos. 189-190 of
B. Mixed Marriages and Foreign Divorce the Family Code)
C. Void Marriages (See Tan-Andal v. Andal, G.R. No. 196359, May 11, 2021) L. Support
D. Voidable Marriages 1. What Comprises Support
E. Effect of Defective Marriages 2. Who are Obliged to Give Support
F. Foreign Marriages 3. Source of Support
G. Legal Separation 4. Order of Support
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Hannah Cris A. Echavez 2023 Bar Syllabus for Civil Law
M. Parental Authority 3. Modes of Acquiring Easements
1. Concept of Parental Authority 4. Effects of Easement
2. Substitute Parental Authority 5. Extinguishment of Easements
3. Special Parental Authority III.
4. Effects of Parental Authority Different Modes of Acquiring Ownership
PROPERTY, OWNERSHIP, AND ITS MODIFICATIONS A. Occupation
I. B. Tradition
Classification of Property C. Donation
A. Immovables 1. Features
Page 2 of 9B. Movables 2. Classifications
II. 3. Distinctions Between Mortis Causa and Inter Vivos Donations
Bundle of Rights 4. Form
A. Ownership 5. Limitations
B. Rights of Accession 6. Reduction and Revocation
1. General Principles D. Prescription
2. Accession Industrial 1. Distinctions Between Acquisitive and Extinctive Prescription
3. Accession Natural Page 3 of 92. Distinctions Between Extinctive Prescription and Laches
C. Actions to Recover Ownership and Possession of Property IV.
1. Accion Reivindicatoria Land Titles and Deeds
2. Accion Publiciana A. Torrens System
3. Accion Interdictal 1. General Principles
4. Quieting of Title B. Regalian Doctrine
D. Co-Ownership C. Nationality Restrictions on Land Ownership
1. Distinctions Between Right to Property Owned in Common and D. Original Registration (PD 1529)
Full Ownership Over the Ideal Share 1. Who May Apply
2. Contributions for Expenses 2. Decree of Registration
3. Redemption 3. Review of Decree of Registration; Innocent Purchaser for Value
4. Partition (IPV); Rights of IPV
E. Possession E. An Act Improving the Confirmation Process for Imperfect Land Titles
1. Possession in the Concept of a Holder (RA 11573), amending CA 141 and PD 1529 [See Republic v. Pasig Rizal
2. Possession in the Concept of an Owner Co., Inc., G.R. No. 213207, February 15, 2022]
3. Relevance of Good Faith and Bad Faith F. Certificate of Title
4. Rules for Movables G. Subsequent Registration
F. Usufruct 1. Voluntary Dealings
1. Rights and Obligations of Usufructuary 2. Involuntary Dealings
2. Classes of Usufruct a) Adverse Claims
3. Extinguishment of the Usufruct b) Notice of Lis Pendens
G. Easements H. Non-Registrable Properties
1. Characteristics I. Dealings With Unregistered Lands
2. Kinds of Easements J. Assurance Fund
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Hannah Cris A. Echavez 2023 Bar Syllabus for Civil Law
1. Nature of Assurance Fund a) Condition Not to Marry
2. Conditions for Compensation from Assurance Fund b) Disposicion Captatoria
3. Prescriptive Period c) Modal Institution
K. Reconstitution of Title 14. Void Testamentary Dispositions
V. 15. Disinheritance
Wills and Succession a) Grounds for Disinheritance
A. General Provisions b) Requisites for the Various Grounds for Disinheritance
B. Testamentary Succession c) Effects of Reconciliation
1. General Provisions 16. Legacies and Devises
2. Characteristics of a Will a) Requisites for Validity
3. Non-Delegability of a Testamentary Power b) Property Not Owned by the Testator
4. Applicable Law as to Form and Substance of a Will c) Ineffective Legacies/Devises
5. Testamentary Capacity C. Intestate Succession
6. Form of Notarial and Holographic Wills 1. Relationship
7. Witnesses to a Notarial Will (Qualification and Disqualifications) 2. Causes of Intestacy
8. Conflict Rules 3. Order of Intestate Succession
9. Modes of Revocation of Wills and Testamentary Dispositions 4. Rule of Proximity and Rule of Equality
a) Effect on the Recognition of a Non-Marital Child a) Exceptions to the Rule of Proximity and Rule of Equality
b) Theory of Dependent Relative Revocation 5. Determination of Heirs
c) Revocation Based on a False Cause 6. Successional Barrier (the “Iron Curtain Rule”) (See Aquino v.
10. Heirs Aquino, G.R. Nos. 208912 and 209018, December 7, 2021)
a) Compulsory Heirs 7. Successional Rights of Adopted Children
b) Institution of Heirs 8. Successional Rights of Adopting Parents
Page 4 of 9(1) Limitations on the Institution of Heirs 9. Successional Rights of Marital and Non-Marital Children
(2) Collective Institution 10. Successional Rights of the Surviving Spouse
(3) Proscription Against Successive Institution 11. Successional Rights of Collateral Relatives
(4) Institution Based on a False Cause D. Provisions Common to Testate and Intestate Succession
c) Substitution of Heirs 1. Capacity to Succeed
(1) Causes of Substitution a) Incapacity by Reason of Unworthiness and Effects of
(2) Fideicommissary Substitution (Compared With Condonation
Testamentary Trusts) b) Incapacity by Reason of Morality
11. Legitime Page 5 of 9c) Incapacity by Reason of Possible Undue Influence
a) Collation in Connection With the Computation of Legitime 2. Right of Representation in Testacy and Intestacy
b) Table of Legitime a) Requisites and Limitations
c) Impairment of the Legitime 3. Right of Accretion in Testamentary Succession and in Intestacy
d) Presumptive Legitime a) Requisites and Limitations
12. Preterition 4. Acceptance and Repudiation of Inheritance
a) Requisites a) Form of Repudiation
b) Governing Law b) Effects of Repudiation Compared to Predecease and
13. Conditional Dispositions and Dispositions Incapacity
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Hannah Cris A. Echavez 2023 Bar Syllabus for Civil Law
OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS b) Natural Elements
I. B. Basic Principles of Contracts
Obligations 1. Obligatory Force of a Contract
A. General Provisions 2. Freedom to Stipulate (Autonomy of the Will) and its Limitations
1. Definition 3. Binding Effect of a Contract
2. Essential Elements 4. Privity of Contract
3. Sources of Obligation a) Concept
B. Nature and Effects of Obligations b) Exceptions to the Rule on Privity of Contracts
1. Breaches of Obligations 5. Consensuality of Contracts
2. Remedies for Breach of Obligation a) Concept and Coverage
C. Different Kinds of Obligations b) Exceptions
D. Extinguishment of Obligations c) Reformation of Instruments
1. Payment C. Essential Requisites of a Contract
a) Concept of Payment 1. Consent
b) Payment by Cession vs. Dation in Payment 2. Object
c) Tender of Payment and Consignation 3. Cause or Consideration
2. Loss of the Thing Due D. Defective Contracts
a) Concept of Loss 1. Rescissible Contracts
b) Requisites 2. Voidable Contracts
c) Force Majeure 3. Unenforceable Contracts
3. Condonation 4. Void Contracts
4. Confusion III.
5. Compensation Natural Obligations
a) Requisites SPECIAL CONTRACTS
b) Compensation of Rescissible and Voidable Debts I.
c) Non-Compensable Debts Sales
6. Novation A. Definition and Essential Requisites
a) Concept of Novation B. Contract of Sale
b) Expressed and Implied Novation 1. Contract to Sell
(1) Requisites 2. Option Contract
c) Expromision and Delegacion Distinguished 3. Right of First Refusal
(1) Consent Required C. Earnest Money
(2) Effect of Insolvency of New Debtor D. Double Sales
d) Legal and Conventional Subrogation E. Risk of Loss
Page 6 of 9II. F. Breach of Contract of Sale
Contracts 1. Recto Law
A. General Provisions 2. Maceda Law
1. Definition of a Contract G. Extinguishment of the Sale
2. Elements of a Contract 1. Conventional Redemption
a) Essential elements 2. Legal Redemption
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Hannah Cris A. Echavez 2023 Bar Syllabus for Civil Law
H. Equitable Mortgage 1. Joint
Page 7 of 9I. Pacto de Retro Sales 2. Direct
II. D. Quasi-Delict vs. Culpa Contractual vs. Culpa Criminal
Lease 1. Nature of Liability
A. Kinds of Lease E. Proximate Cause
B. Rights and Obligations of Lessor 1. Concept
C. Rights and Obligations of Lessee 2. Doctrine of Last Clear Chance
III. Page 8 of 9F. Vicarious Liability
Agency G. Res Ipsa Loquitur
IV. H. Damnum Absque Injuria
Credit Transactions I. Defenses
A. Loans J. Negligence
1. Kinds 1. Standard of Care
2. Interest 2. Presumptions of Negligence
B. Deposit K. Damages
C. Guaranty and Suretyship 1. Kinds of Damages
D. Mortgage a) Actual and Compensatory Damages
1. Chattel Mortgage b) Moral Damages
2. Real Estate Mortgage c) Nominal Damages
E. Pledge d) Temperate or Moderate Damages
F. Antichresis e) Liquidated Damages
V. f) Exemplary or Corrective Damages
Compromise 2. When Damages May be Recovered
VI. L. Damages in Case of Death
Quasi-Contacts M. Duty of Injured Party
A. Negotiorum Gestio —--------------------------------------NOTHING FOLLOWS—--------------------------------------
B. Solutio Indebiti
VII.
Torts and Damages
A. Principles
1. Abuse of Rights
2. Unjust Enrichment
3. Liability Without Fault
4. Acts Contrary to Law
5. Acts Contrary to Morals
B. Classification of Torts
1. Intentional
2. Negligent
3. Strict Liability
C. The Tortfeasor
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Hannah Cris A. Echavez 2023 Bar Syllabus for Civil Law