SYLLABUS FOR THE 2022 BAR EXAMINATIONS

CIVIL LAW (and Practical Exercises)

NOTE: This syllabus is an outline of the key topics that fall under the core subject   “Civil Law
(and Practical Exercises)”. Accordingly, all Bar candidates should be  guided that only laws,
rules, issuances, and jurisprudence pertinent to these topics  as of June 30, 2021 are examinable
materials within the coverage of the 2022  Bar Examinations.  

PART I

I. PRELIMINARY TITLE

A. Effect and application of laws

Article 1 - 18

B. Human Relations
Article 19 - 35

 
  
II. PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS

A. Persons 

1. Civil personality 
General Provisions: Article 37 – 39

2. Use of surnames 
Article 364 – 380

3. Entries in the Civil Registry and Clerical Error Law (R.A.  No. 9048, as amended) 
DR. RUBEN C. BARTOLOME v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES G.R. No. 243288, 28
August 2019
- The inclusion of petitioner's middle name as well as the correction of his misspelled
surname are covered by R.A. 9048, as amended. While substantial corrections of entries
in the civil register are still covered by Rule 108, typographical or clerical corrections
must now be filed under R.A. 9048. Misspelled names or missing entries are clerical
corrections if they are visible to the eyes or obvious to the understanding and if they may
be readily verified by referring to the existing records in the civil register. They must not,
however, involve any change in nationality, age or status. To obviate any further
confusion on the matter, the Court categorically holds that typographical or clerical
errors in a person's surname must likewise be corrected through the administrative
proceeding under R.A. 9048.
4. Absence
 
a. Civil Code provisions 
Provisional measurement in case of absence: Article 381 - 383
Declaration of absence: Article 384 – 386
Administration of the property of the absence: Article 387 – 389
Presumption of death: 390 – 391
Effect of absence upon the contingent rights of the absentee: 393 – 396

b. Presumptive death of absent spouse under the Family Code 

Article 41

B. Marriage 

1. Requisites of marriage 
Article 1 – 26

the Supreme Court through Justice Caguioa ruled that Article 26(2) applies to mixed
marriages where the divorce decree is: (i) obtained by the foreign spouse; (ii) obtained jointly
by the Filipino and foreign spouse; and (iii) obtained solely by the Filipino spouse.

2. Exemption from license requirement 

Article 27 – 34

3. Marriages solemnized abroad and foreign divorce 

Article 26

4. Void and voidable marriages 

Article 35 – 54
LUISITO G. PULIDO v. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES G.R. No. 220149, July 27, 2021, En Banc
- In a criminal prosecution for bigamy, the parties may still raise the defense of a void ab
initio marriage even without obtaining a judicial declaration of absolute nullity if the
first marriage was celebrated before the effectivity of the Family Code. However, for
purposes of contracting a subsequent marriage, upon the effectivity of Family Code, a
judicial declaration of nullity of a prior marriage contracted before the effectivity of the
Family Code is necessary.
- Here, Pulido's marriage with Arcon was celebrated when the Civil Code was in effect
while his subsequent marriage with Baleda was contracted during the effectivity of the
Family Code. Hence, Pulido is required to obtain a judicial decree of absolute nullity of
his prior void ab initio marriage but only for purposes of remarriage. As regards the
bigamy case, however, Pulido may raise the defense that his prior marriage with Arcon
is void ab initio even without obtaining a judicial declaration of absolute nullity.

a. Annulment under Article 36 (as recently articulated in Tan-Andal v. Andal, G.R. No.
196359, May 11, 2021; Totality of Evidence Rule)  
 - Tan-Andal vs. Andal – Psychological incapacity does not refer to a mental illness nor
psychological illness. It is not a medical issue but instead view as legal issue. It is simply
a personal condition or personality structure of a person which is durable and enduring
and becomes dysfunctional that it renders a person totally unable to comply the essential
marital obligation.
- Those grounds for legal separation are also manifestation of the existence of
psychological incapacity.

- It pronounced that psychological incapacity is not a medical but a legal concept, that the
word mental is not synonymous with psychological. Psychological incapacity refers to a
personal condition that prevents a spouse to comply with the fundamental marital
obligations only in relation to a specific partner that may exist at the time of the
marriage but may have revealed through behavior subsequent to the celebration thereof.
Psychological incapacity consists of clear acts of dysfunctionality that show a lack of
understanding and concomitant compliance with one's essential marital obligations due
to psychic causes. It is not a medical illness that has to be medically or clinically
identified; hence, expert opinion is not required.

REPUBLIC v. VILLACORTA G.R. No. 249953, June 23, 2021

- The concealed pregnancy, which vitiates consent, must have existed at the time of the
marriage. Justice Eduardo Caguioa explains that "[t]he essence of the fraud in this case
is the non-disclosure of the present pregnancy of the wife x x x the pregnancy must exist
at the time of the celebration of the marriage, thus, if the wife had previous relations with
other men and as a consequence of which she became pregnant or bore a child
previously, the concealment thereof will not be a ground for annulling the marriage if at
the time the marriage was celebrated the wife was not pregnant.

C. Legal Separation 
Article 55 – 67

D. Rights and obligations between husband and wife 

Article 68 – 73

E. Property relations between husband and wife 

1. General provisions 
Article 74 - 81

2. Donations by reason of marriage 

Article 82 - 87

3. Absolute Community of Property 

General provision:
Article 88 – 90
What constitutes community property:
Article 91 – 93

Charges upon and obligations of the absolute community:

Article 94 – 95

Ownership, administration, enjoyment and disposition of the community property:

Article 96 – 98

Dissolution of absolute community regime:

Article 99 – 101

Liquidation of the absolute community assets and liabilities

Article 102 - 104

4. Conjugal Partnership of Gains 

General provision:
Article 105 – 108
SPS. ANASTACIO SR v. HEIRS OF COLOMA G.R. No. 224572, August 27, 2020
- A rebuttable presumption is established in Article 116 of the Family Code and the party
who invokes that presumption must first establish that the property was acquired during
the marriage because the proof of acquisition during the marriage is a condition sine
qua non for the operation of the presumption in favor of the conjugal partnership. It is
not necessary to prove that the property was acquired with conjugal funds and the
presumption still applies even when the manner in which the property was acquired does
not appear. Once the condition sine qua non is established, then the presumption that all
properties acquired during the marriage, whether the acquisition appears to have been
made, contracted or registered in the name of one spouse or both spouses, are conjugal,
remains until the contrary is proved.

Exclusive Property of each spouse:

Article 109 – 115

Conjugal partnership property:

Article 116 – 120
CORDOVA v. EDWARD TY G.R. No. 246255. February 3, 2021
- The Supreme Court held that based on Article 160, the parcel of land was not the
paraphernal property of Teresita since it was acquired during her marriage with Chi
Tim. Even if Teresita was identified as the sole vendee and registered owner in the Deed
of Absolute Sale and a copy of the title respectively, it did not destroy its conjugal nature
as the registration of the property is not conclusive evidence of the exclusive ownership
of the husband or the wife. Even if the property appears to be registered solely in the
name of either spouse, it has the inherent character of conjugal property if it was
acquired for valuable consideration during the marriage.

Charges Upon and Obligations of the Partnership

Article 121 – 123

Administration of the conjugal Partnership Property

Article 124 – 125

Dissolution of conjugal partnership regime

Article 126 – 128

Liquidation of the conjugal partnership assets and liabilities

Article 129 – 133

5. Separation of property and administration of common property by one spouse during the

marriage 
Article 134 – 142

6. Regime of separation of property 

Article 143 - 146

7. Property regime of unions without marriage 

Article 147 - 148

F. Family home 
The family as an institution
Article 149 – 151

The family homes

Article 152 – 162
CORDOVA v. EDWARD TY G.R. No. 246255. February 3, 2021
- It must be emphasized that the law requires for purposes of determining a family home
that the residence must be actual. It explicitly mandates that the occupancy of the family
home, either by the owner or by any of its beneficiaries, must be actual. This occupancy
must be real, or actually existing, as opposed to something merely possible, or that which
is merely presumptive or constructive.”

G. Paternity and filiation 

1. Legitimate children 

Article 163 - 171

2. Proof of filiation 

Article 172 - 174

3. Illegitimate children 

Article 175 - 176

 
4. Legitimated children 

Article 177 - 182

H. Adoption 

Article 183 - 193

1. Domestic adoption (R.A. No. 8552) 

a. Who may adopt 

b. Who may be adopted 

c. Rights of an adopted child 

d. Instances and effects of rescission 

 
2. Inter-country adoption (RA 8043) 

a. When allowed 

b. Who may adopt 

c. Who may be adopted 

I. Support 

Article 194 - 208

J. Parental authority 

General provisions
Article 209 – 215
Substitute and special parental authority
Article 216 – 219
Effect of parental authority upon the persons of the children
Article 220 – 224
Effect of parental authority upon the property of the children
Article 225 – 227
Suspension or termination of parental authority
Article 228 - 233 

K. Emancipation 
Article 234 - 237

L. Retroactivity of the Family Code 

III. SUCCESSION

A. General provisions 
Article 774 – 782

B. Testamentary succession 
1. Wills 
Wills in general
Article 783 – 839

2. Institution of heirs (including declaration of heirship as decided in Treyes v. Larlar, G.R. No.
232579. September 8, 2020) 
Article 840 – 856

3. Substitution of heirs 
Article 857 – 870

4. Conditional testamentary dispositions and those with a term  

Article 871 – 885

5. Legitime 
Article 886 – 914

6. Disinheritance 
Article 915 – 923

7. Legacies and devises 

Article 924 – 959

C. Legal and intestate succession 

Article 960 – 977
2. Order of intestate succession 
Article 978 – 1014

D. Provisions common to testate and intestate succession 

1. Right of accretion 
Article 1015 – 1023

2. Capacity to succeed by will or by intestacy 

Article 1024 – 1040

 
3. Acceptance and repudiation of inheritance 
Article 1041 – 1057

4. Partition and distribution of the estate 

Article 1078 – 1105

IV. OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS

A. Obligations 
1. General provisions 
Article 1156 – 1162

2. Nature and effect 

Article 1163 – 1178

3. Kinds
Article 1179 – 1230
 

4. Extinguishment 
General provision
Article 1231 - 1304

 
B. Contracts 

1. General provisions 
Article 1305 – 1317

2. Essential requisites 

General provisions
Article 1318
Consent
Article 1319 – 1346
Object of contracts
Article 1347 – 1349
Cause of contracts
Article 1350 – 1355

3. Reformation of instruments 

Article 1359 – 1369

4. Interpretation of contracts 

Article 1370 – 1379

5. Rescissible contracts 

Article 1380 – 1389

 
6. Voidable contracts 

Article 1390 – 1402

7. Unenforceable contracts  

Article 1403 – 1408

8. Void or inexistent contracts 

Article 1409 – 1422

B. Natural obligations 

Article 1423 – 1430

C. Estoppel  

Article 1431 - 1439

D. Trusts 

General provisions
Article 1440 – 1442
Express trust
Article 1443 – 1446
Implied trust
Article 1447 – 1457
 

E. Quasi-Contracts 

V. SALES

A. Nature and form 

Article 1458 - 1488

1. Essential requisites 

Consent or meeting of the minds

Article 1475
Object or subject matter
Article 1347, 1459 – 1462, 1465
Cause or consideration
Article 1458 – 1459

2. Perfection 

Article 1475

3. Contract of sale v. contract to sell 

Article 1458 v. Villamil vs. Erguiza

B. Capacity to buy or sell 

Article 1489 – 1492

 
C. Effects of the contract when the thing sold has been lost

Article 1493 – 1494

D. Obligations of vendor 

General provision
Article 1495 – 1496
Delivery of the thing sold
Article 1497 – 1544
Conditions and warranties
Article 1545 – 1581

E. Obligations of vendee 

Article 1582 – 1593

F. Breach of contract 

Article 1594

1. Remedies 

Article 1595 - 1599

2. Recto Law and Maceda Law 

Act no. 4122, as amended by Articles 1484 – 1486 of the Civil Code
And Republic Act no. 6552
 

G. Extinguishment 

1. In general 

Article 1600, 1231

Conventional redemption
Article 1601
Legal redemption
Article 1619

2. Pacto de retro sale 

Article 1601 in relation to article 1616 of the Civil code

3. Equitable mortgage 

Article 1602 – 1604

H. Assignment of credits 

Article 1624 – 1635

VI. LEASE

A. General provisions 

Article 1642 – 1645

 
B. Rights and obligations of the lessor 

Article 1654 - 1656

C. Rights and obligations of the lessee 

Article 1657 – 1679

VII. PARTNERSHIP

A. General provisions  

Article 1767 – 1783

B. Obligations of the partners 

Obligations of the partners among themselves

Article 1784 – 1809
Property rights of a partner
Article 1810 – 1814
Obligations of the partners with regard to third persons
Article 1815 – 1827

C. Dissolution and winding up 

Article 1828 – 1842

D. Limited partnership 

Article 1843 – 1867

VIII. AGENCY
A. Nature, form and kinds  

Article 1868 – 1883

B. Obligations of the agent  

Article 1884 – 1909

C. Obligations of the principal 

Article 1910 – 1918

D. Modes of extinguishment 

Article 1919 – 1932

IX. CREDIT TRANSACTIONS

A. Loan 

General provision
Article 1933 – 1934
Commodatum
Article 1935 – 1952
Simple loan or mutuum
Article 1953 – 1961

B. Deposit 

Deposit in general and its different kinds

Article 1962 – 1967
Voluntary deposit
Article 1968 – 1995
Necessary deposit
Article 1996 – 2004
Sequestration or judicial deposit
Article 2005 – 2009

C. Guaranty and Suretyship 

Article 2047 – 2084 and Section 177 PD no. 612, as amended by RA no. 10607

D. Quasi-Contracts 

Article 2142 – 2143

Negotiorum gestio
Article 2144 – 2153
Solution indebiti
Article 2154 – 2163
Other quasi-contracts
Article 2164 – 2175

X. TORTS AND DAMAGES

A. Torts 

Article 2176 – 2194

1. Elements 

2. Culpa aquiliana v. culpa contractual v. culpa criminal

 
3. Vicarious liability 

4. Res ipsa loquitur 

5. Last clear chance 

6. Damnum absque injuria 

B. Proximate cause 

C. Negligence 

1. Standard of care 

2. Presumptions 
 

D. Damages 

Article 2195 - 2235

1. General provisions 

2. Kinds of damages 

3. In case of death  

PART II

I. PROPERTY

A. Classification of property 

Preliminary provisions
Article 414
Immovable property
Article 415
Movable property
Article 416 – 418
Property in relation to the person to whom it belongs
Article 419 – 425
Provision common to the three preceding chapters
Article 426

 
B. Ownership 

1. General provisions 

Article 427 – 439

2. Rules on accession  

Article 440 – 475

a. Rights of builder/planter/sower in good faith  

Article 443, 447-449, 451, 453-455

C. Co-ownership 

Article 484 – 501

D. Possession 

1. Kinds of possession 

Article 523 – 530

 
2. Acquisition of possession (including possession based on  tolerance) 

Article 531 – 538

3. Effects of possession  

Article 539 – 561

E. Usufruct 

1. In general  

Article 562 – 565

2. Rights and obligations of the usufructuary

Article 566 – 602

3. Extinguishment 

Article 603 – 612

F. Easements 

Article 613 – 693

 
1. Modes of acquiring easements 

Article 620 – 626

2. Rights and obligations of the owners of the dominant and servient estates 

Article 627 – 630

3. Modes of extinguishment 

Article 631 – 633

4. Legal v. voluntary easements 

Article 634 – 636 v Article 688 - 693

5. Kinds of legal easement 

a. Relating to waters 

Article 637 – 648

b. Right of way 

Article 649 – 657

 
c. Light and view 

Article 667 – 673

G. Nuisance 

Article 694 – 707

H. Modes of acquiring ownership 

Article 712

1. Occupation 

Article 713 - 720

2. Donation 

a. Nature 

Article 725 - 734

b. Persons who may give or receive a donation 

Article 735 – 749

 
c. Effects and limitations of donation 

Article 750 – 759

d. Revocation and reduction 

Article 760 – 773

3. Prescription 

a. General provisions 

Article 1106 – 1116

b. Prescription of ownership and other real rights 

Article 1117 – 1138

c. Prescription of actions 

Article 1139 – 1155

I. Quieting of Title 

Article 476 – 481

 
J. Actions to Recover Property  

1. Accion interdictal 

2. Accion publiciana 

3. Accion reinvindicatoria 

II. CREDIT TRANSACTIONS

A. Personal Property Securities (R.A. No. 11057)

B. Real Estate Mortgage

III. LAND TITLES AND DEEDS

A. Torrens System; general principles 

 

B. Regalian Doctrine 

C. Original Registration 

1. Ordinary registration 

a. Who may apply 

b. Decree of registration 

c. Review of decree of registration; innocent purchaser for value 

D. Certificate of title 
 

E. Subsequent registration 

1. Voluntary dealings; general provisions

2. Involuntary dealings 

a. Adverse claim 

b. Notice of lis pendens 

E. Non-registrable properties 

F. Dealings with unregistered land 

 

G. Assurance Fund 

1. Action of compensation from funds 

2. Limitation of action 

H. Cadastral System of Registration (Act No. 2259, as amended) 

I. Registration through Administrative Proceedings (C.A. 141, as  amended)  

J. Reconstitution of Titles 

IV. PRACTICAL EXERCISES

A. Demand and authorization letters 

 

B. Simple contracts 

C. Complaint 

- NOTHING FOLLOWS -