Legal glossary
Plain-language definitions of terms you may meet in your matter.
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- 13(a) visa
- A non-quota immigrant visa granted on the basis of marriage to a Filipino citizen.
- 13(g) visa
- A non-quota immigrant visa for former natural-born Filipino citizens returning to the Philippines.
- 47(a)(2) visa
- A visa for employees of PEZA-registered companies.
- 9(a) visa
- The temporary visitor's visa, commonly used for tourism.
- 9(d) visa
- The treaty trader's visa, for commercial purposes.
- 9(g) visa
- A work visa for foreign nationals with pre-arranged employment in the Philippines.
A
- ACR I-Card
- The Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card issued to registered foreign nationals.
- Adverse claim
- A notice recorded on a property title by someone who claims an interest in that property.
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Ways of settling a dispute outside the regular court process, such as arbitration or mediation.
- Annulment
- A court case asking that a marriage be declared void or voidable on grounds recognized by law. The grounds, process and effects depend on your facts.
- Appeal
- A request for a higher court to review the decision of a lower court or tribunal. Appeals are subject to strict deadlines.
- Arbitration
- A process in which an impartial arbitrator, not a court, decides a dispute after hearing the parties.
B
- B.P. Blg. 22
- The Bouncing Checks Law, which penalizes issuing a check that is dishonored because of insufficient funds or a closed account.
- Bureau of Immigration
- The Philippine government agency that regulates the entry and stay of foreign nationals. It is often shortened to BI or BID.
C
- Certiorari
- A special civil action asking a higher court to correct a decision of a lower court or tribunal that acted without or beyond its jurisdiction, or with grave abuse of discretion.
- Copyright
- Legal protection for original works such as writings, art, music and software.
- Corporate secretary
- An officer of a corporation who keeps corporate records and handles certain legal and filing requirements.
- Court of Appeals
- The Philippine court that generally reviews decisions of the Regional Trial Courts and certain tribunals.
- Cybercrime
- An offense committed through computers or the internet.
D
- Damages
- Money a court may award to compensate a person for loss or injury.
- Declaration of nullity
- A court case asking the court to declare that a marriage was void from the start under the law.
- Declaratory relief
- A special civil action asking a court to decide the rights or duties of parties under a document, contract or law, usually before a breach happens.
- Demand letter
- A written notice asking someone to pay or to comply with an obligation. It is often sent before a case is filed.
E
- Ejectment
- A court case to recover physical possession of property. The two usual kinds are forcible entry and unlawful detainer.
- Estafa
- A criminal offense involving fraud or deceit that causes damage to another person.
F
- First-level courts
- The Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC), Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC), which hear smaller or specific kinds of cases.
- Forcible entry
- An ejectment case where someone took possession of property by force, intimidation, threat, strategy or stealth.
G
- Guardianship
- A court-approved arrangement in which a person looks after a minor or an incapacitated person, or that person's property.
L
- Legal separation
- A court order that lets spouses live apart and separates their property while the marriage remains in force, so neither spouse can remarry.
M
- Mandamus
- A special civil action asking a court to order a government body or officer to perform a duty required by law.
- Motion for reconsideration
- A request asking the same court or tribunal to review and change its own decision.
P
- Partition
- A case to divide property that is owned by two or more co-owners.
- Patent
- Legal protection for a new invention for a limited time.
- PEZA
- The Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the government agency that manages special economic zones.
- Prohibition
- A special civil action asking a court to stop a lower court or tribunal from proceeding when it acts without or beyond its jurisdiction.
Q
- Quasi-judicial tribunal
- A government body that decides disputes in its own field in a way similar to a court, such as certain labor or administrative bodies.
R
- Recognition of foreign divorce
- A Philippine court case in which a divorce obtained abroad is recognized so that its effect can be reflected in Philippine records.
- Regional Trial Court
- A trial court that hears many civil and criminal cases and, in some cases, reviews decisions of first-level courts. It is often called the RTC.
- Replevin
- A court action to recover personal property that is wrongfully held, sometimes with an order to return it while the case is pending.
- Resident agent
- A person or entity in the Philippines designated to receive legal notices on behalf of a foreign corporation.
- Retainer
- An arrangement in which a client engages a lawyer on an ongoing basis for advice and services.
- ROHQ visa
- A special non-immigrant visa under Executive Order 226 for personnel of regional or area headquarters.
S
- Settlement of estate
- The legal process of identifying a deceased person's heirs, settling obligations and distributing the property.
- SIRV
- The Special Investor's Resident Visa, a special resident visa for investors.
- Special proceedings
- Court proceedings to establish a status, right or fact, such as adoption, guardianship, change of name or settlement of an estate.
- Specific performance
- A case asking the court to compel a party to carry out what they agreed to do in a contract.
- SRRV
- The Special Resident Retiree's Visa, a special resident visa for retirees.
- Sum of money
- A civil case to collect an amount that is owed.
- Supreme Court
- The highest court in the Philippines.
- SVEG
- The Special Visa for Employment Generation.
T
- Trademark
- A word, logo or sign that identifies the source of goods or services.
U
- Unlawful detainer
- An ejectment case where someone's possession was lawful at first but became unlawful after their right to stay ended, for example after a lease expired.
General information only, not legal advice. Definitions are simplified, and the law may differ in your situation.
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