Mariano Guerrero v. Antonio Miguel

Summary

This 1908 Supreme Court case involved a property ownership dispute between Mariano Guerrero and Antonio Miguel over land in Caniogan. Guerrero claimed ownership based on a mortgage document, but witness testimony revealed that Miguel had actually funded the purchase of the land. The evidence established an oral agreement whereby Miguel gave Guerrero the Caniogan land in exchange for other property. Although Guerrero argued the oral exchange was invalid under Civil Code Article 1280 requiring written contracts, the Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision, citing precedent that unwritten contracts are not necessarily void. The Court ruled in favor of Miguel, confirming his ownership rights and awarding costs against the appellant.