Basic Succession Law
(Simplified Course Syllabus)
Atty. Catherine S. Amen
I. General Provisions
a.1. Definition and Concept (Art. 774, 712, 1311)
a.2. Law governing form (Art. 795, 17, 810, 815-819)
Cases: In re: Will and Testament of the deceased Reverend Sancho Abadia,
G.R. No. L-7188
Dela Cerna v. Potot, G.R. No. L-20234
Probate of the late William R. Giberson, G.R. No. L-4113
In the matter of Estate of Edward Randolph Hix, G.R. No. L-32636
a.3. Law governing content (Art. 2263, 16)
Cases: In the matter of the testate estate of Edward E. Christensen,
G.R. No. L-16749
Cayetano v. Leonidas, G.R. L-54919
Testate Estate of Amos G. Bellis, G.R. No. L-23678
a.4. Subjects of Succession (Art. 775, 782, 887, 963-969, 1003, 1034, 1039,
16 (2))
Case: Cayetano v. Leonidas, G.R. L-54919
a.5. Who may succeed? (Art. 1024-26, 1029-30, 1027-28, 1031-33, 1036,
1035, 1037, 1014, 1038, 1040)
Case: Testate Estate of the Late Rev. Father Pascual Rigor, G.R. No.
L-22036
a.6. Objects of Succession (Art. 776, 781, 1311, 1429, 1178, 1347, Art. 108 of
RPC)
Case: Reyes v. CA, L-5620
a.7. Opening of Succession (Art. 777, 2263, 2253, 533, 1347, 1461, 130, 132,
390, 391)
Cases: Uson v. Del Rosario, G.R. No. L-4963
Testate Estate of Josefa Tangco, G.R. No. L-28040
Bonilla, et al. v. Barcena, G.R. No. L-41715
II. Testamentary Succession
a.1. General Provisions on Wills
a.1. i. Definition (Art. 783)
a.1. ii. Characteristics of Wills (Art. 783, 839 (3) & (4), 828, 796-798,
777, 818, 784-787)
a.1. iii. Interpretation of Wills (Art. 788, 789, 790-794, 930)
a.1. iv. Testamentary Capacity and Intent (Art. 796-803, 801)
Basic Succession Law Course Syllabus 2025-2026 by Atty. Catherine Amen
Case: Solla v. Ascuenta, 49 Phil. 333
a.2. Solemnities of Wills
a.2. i. Kinds of Wills (Art. 804, 810)
a.2. ii. General & Specific Requirements for Wills (Art. 804, 805, 806,
820, 821, 824, 822, 823, 807-808, 809, 804, 810, 812, 813)
Cases:
Suroza v. Honrado, A.M. No. 2026-CFI
Garcia v. Lacuesta, G.R. No. L-4067
Balonan v. Abellana, G.R. No. L-15153
Cruz v. Villasor, G.R. No. L-32213
Nera v. Rimando, G.R. No. L-5971
Icasiano v. Icasiano, G.R. No. L-18979
Gonzales v. CA, G.R. No. L-37453
In the matter of the intestate estate of Andres G. De Jesus, G.R. No. L-38338
Kalaw v. Relova, G.R. No. L-40207
a.3. Incorporation of Document by Reference & Codicils (Art. 827, 825, 826)
a.4. Revocation of Wills and Testamentary Dispositions (Art. 828, 829, 830,
831-834)
Cases:
Gago v. Mamuyac, 49 Phil. 902
Casiano v. CA, 158 SCRA 451
Molo v. Molo, 90 Phil. 37
a.5. Republication and Revival of Wills (Art. 835-837)
a.6. Allowance & Disallowance of Wills (Art. 838, 811, 839, 1335, 1337, 1338)
Cases:
De Borja v. De Borja, 46 SCRA 577
Gan v. Yap, 104 Phil. 509
Rodelas v. Aranza, 119 SCRA 16
Azaola v. Singson, 109 Phil. 102
Codoy v. Calugay, 312 SCRA 333
Dela Cerna v. Leonida, 129 SCRA 33
Nepomuceno v. CA, 139 SCRA 206
Pascual v. de la Cruz, 28 SCRA 421
III. Legitime & Collation
a.1. Concept of Legitime (Art. 886)
a.2. Who are entitled to legitime (Art. 887, 902, 888-890, 892-901, 903)
a.3. Restrictions regarding legitime (Art. 904, 872, 905-907, 1347)
a.4. Determination and computation of legitime; Collation (Art. 908-913,
1061-1077, 914)
Cases:
Rosales v. Rosales, 148 SCRA 69
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Basic Succession Law Course Syllabus 2025-2026 by Atty. Catherine Amen
Dizon-Rivera v. Dizon, 33 SCRA 554
De Roma v. CA, 152 SCRA 205
Locsin v. CA, 206 SCRA 383
IV. Principles Affecting Legitime
a.1. Preterition (Art. 854, 906, 855, 918)
Cases:
Aznar v. Duncan, 17 SCRA 590
Nuguid v. Nuguid, 17 SCRA 449
Reyes v. Barreto-Datu, 19 SCRA 85
Escuin v. Escuin, 11 Phil. 332
Balanay v. Martinez, 64 SCRA 452
Solano v. CA, 126 SCRA 122
Acain v. CA, 155 SCRA 100
a.2. Reserva Troncal (Art. 891)
Cases:
Edroso v. Sablan, 25 Phil. 295
Siennes v. Esparcia, 1 SCRA 750
Florentino v. Florentino, 40 Phil. 480
Padura v. Baldovino, 104 Phil. 1065
Gonzales v. CFI, 104 SCRA 161
De Papa v. Camacho, 144 SCRA 281
a.3. Disinheritance (Art. 915-923)
V. Principles Affecting the Freely Disposable Portion
a.1. Institution of Heirs
a.1. i. Definition (Art. 840)
a.1. ii. Requisites for valid institution of heirs (Art. 785, 787)
a.1. iii. Effect if will institutes no heir (Art. 841)
a.1. iv. Freedom of disposition (Art. 842)
a.1. v. Manner of designating an heir (Art. 843-844, 789)
a.1. vi. Disposition in favor of an unknown person (Art. 845)
a.1. vii. Disposition in favor of a definite class (Art. 845, 786)
a.1. viii. Equality of heirs (Art. 846, 848)
a.1. ix. Individuality of institution (Art. 847)
a.1. x. Simultaneity of institution (Art. 849)
a.1. xi. Institution based on false cause (Art. 850)
a.1. xii. Shares in the institution (Art. 851-853)
a.1. xiii. Predecease of heirs (Art. 856)
a.1. xix. Kinds of institution (Art. 777, 871, 872-874, 1183, 875, 876, 877
2nd par., 1034 3rd par., 880, 881, 884, 885 1st par., 878, 885
2nd par., 880, 882-883)
Cases:
Austria v. Reyes, 31 SCRA 754
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Basic Succession Law Course Syllabus 2025-2026 by Atty. Catherine Amen
Vda. De Kilayko v. Tengco, 207 SCRA 600
a.2. Substitution of Heirs
a.2. i. Concept of substitution (Art. 857)
a.2. ii. Kinds of substitution (Art. 858, 859, 860, 861, 863-869)
a.2. iii. Time limitation on inalienability (Art. 870)
Cases:
Palacios v. Ramirez, 111 SCRA 704
Crisologo v. Singzon, 49 SCRA 491
a.3. Legacies and Devises (Art. 924-959)
Cases:
Reyes v. Dimagiba, 21 SCRA 428
VI. Legal & Intestate Succession
a.1. When does it take place (Art. 960)
a.2. Who are the intestate heirs (Art. 961)
a.3. Order of and share in the intestate succession (Art. 962, 983, 988-992,
903, 987-994, 990, 992, 995-1002, 985-987, 993, 1003-1210, 1011-1014)
a.4. Right of representation (Art. 970-977, 982, 902, 992, 1005-1008)
Cases:
Aquino v. Aquino, GR No. 208912 (2021)
Rosales v. Rosales, 148 SCRA 69
De los Santos v. De la Cruz, 37 SCRA 555
Corpuz v. Corpuz, 85 SCRA 567
Santillon v. Miranda, 14 SCRA 563
Bicomong v. Almanza, 80 SCRA 421
Bacayo v. Borromeo, 14 SCRA 986
VII. Provisions Common to Testate and Intestate Succession
a.1. Right of Accretion (Art. 1015-17, 1019-20, 1018, 1021, 1022-1023)
a.2. Partition and Distribution of the Estate (Art. 1078-1090, 1091-1096,
1097-1105)
Cases:
Alsua Betts v. CA, 92 SCRA 332
Doromal v. CA, G.R. No. L-36083, 1975
Guilas v. Judge, GR No. L-026695, 1972
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