Civil Code

General Legal Terms

• Law (Art. 1) – A rule established by the State to regulate conduct.
• Obligation (Art. 1156) – A juridical necessity to give, do, or not do something.
• Contract (Art. 1305) – A meeting of minds between parties to give or do something.

Legal Capacity and Persons

• Juridical Capacity (Art. 37) – The ability to be the subject of legal relations.
• Capacity to Act (Art. 37) – The ability to perform acts with legal effects.
• Natural Person (Art. 42) – A human being, whose legal personality ends at death.
• Juridical Person (Art. 44) – An entity (e.g., corporations, the State) that can act legally.

Property and Ownership

• Property (Art. 414) – Anything that can be owned.
• Movable Property (Art. 414) – Objects that can be moved (e.g., cars, furniture).
• Immovable Property (Art. 414) – Objects fixed to the ground (e.g., land, buildings).
• Ownership (Art. 427) – The right to control and enjoy a thing.
• Accession (Art. 441) – The right to own things produced by or attached to property.

Contracts and Their Elements

• Essential Elements of a Contract (Art. 1318):
• Consent – Agreement between parties.
• Object – The thing or service being exchanged.
• Cause – The reason or benefit for the contract.
• Quasi-Contract (Art. 2142) – A legal obligation created without an agreement, to prevent unjust enrichment.
• Aleatory Contract (Art. 2010) – A contract dependent on an uncertain event (e.g., insurance).
• Unenforceable Contract (Art. 1403) – A contract that cannot be enforced in court unless ratified.
• Void Contract (Art. 1409) – A contract that is invalid from the start.

Obligations and Their Nature

• Sources of Obligations (Art. 1157):
• Law – Created by statutes.
• Contracts – Created by agreements.
• Quasi-Contracts – Created without an agreement but required by fairness.
• Delicts – Arise from crimes or wrongful acts.
• Quasi-Delicts – Arise from negligence causing damage.
• Solidary Obligation (Art. 2194) – When multiple people are equally liable.

Extinguishment of Obligations (Art. 1231) – Ways obligations end (e.g., payment, loss of object, novation)

Liability and Damages

• Quasi-Delict (Art. 2176) – Negligence causing harm, requiring compensation.
• Actual Damages (Art. 2199) – Compensation for real financial loss.
• Moral Damages (Art. 2217) – Compensation for emotional distress.
• Nominal Damages (Art. 2221) – Compensation to recognize a right violation without financial loss.
• Exemplary Damages (Art. 2231) – Punitive damages to set an example.

Law (Art. 1)

A rule established by the State to regulate conduct.

Obligation (Art. 1156)

A juridical necessity to give, do, or not do something.

Contract (Art. 1305)

A meeting of minds between parties to give or do something.

Juridical Capacity (Art. 37)

The ability to be the subject of legal relations.

Capacity to Act (Art. 37)

The ability to perform acts with legal effects.

Natural Person (Art. 42)

A human being, whose legal personality ends at death.

Juridical Person (Art. 44)

An entity (e.g., corporations, the State) that can act legally.

Property (Art. 414)

Anything that can be owned.

Movable Property (Art. 414)

Objects that can be moved (e.g., cars, furniture).

Immovable Property (Art. 414)

Objects fixed to the ground (e.g., land, buildings).

Ownership (Art. 427)

The right to control and enjoy a thing.

Accession (Art. 441)

The right to own things produced by or attached to property.

Essential Elements of a Contract

• Consent – Agreement between parties.
• Object – The thing or service being exchanged.
• Cause – The reason or benefit for the contract.

Consent

Agreement between parties.

Object

The thing or service being exchanged.

Cause

The reason or benefit for the contract.

Quasi-Contract (Art. 2142)

A legal obligation created without an agreement, to prevent unjust enrichment.

Aleatory Contract (Art. 2010)

A contract dependent on an uncertain event (e.g., insurance).

Unenforceable Contract (Art. 1403)

A contract that cannot be enforced in court unless ratified.

Void Contract (Art. 1409)

A contract that is invalid from the start.

Sources of Obligations (Art. 1157)

• Law – Created by statutes.
• Contracts – Created by agreements.
• Quasi-Contracts – Created without an agreement but required by fairness.
• Delicts – Arise from crimes or wrongful acts.
• Quasi-Delicts – Arise from negligence causing damage.

Law

Created by statutes.

Contracts

Created by agreements.

Quasi-Contracts

Created without an agreement but required by fairness.

Delicts

Arise from crimes or wrongful acts.

Quasi-Delicts

Arise from negligence causing damage.

Solidary Obligation (Art. 2194)

When multiple people are equally liable.

Extinguishment of Obligations (Art. 1231)

Ways obligations end (e.g., payment, loss of object, novation).