Practice question
A final judgment categorically finds that the accused did not commit the imputed act and that the act supporting the asserted ex delicto liability did not exist. May the claimant still insist on that same ex delicto liability merely because civil proof is lower?
- Yes, lower proof erases every final finding.
- Yes, whenever a complaint was once filed.
- No; the final nonexistence finding defeats that civil claim based on delict.
- Yes, if the demanded amount is modest.
- No; the judgment also necessarily erases every unrelated contractual debt.
Legal references
- https://lawphil.net/courts/rules/rc_110-127_crim.html — Rule 111 section 2 and Rule 120 section 2: civil liability, nonexistence finding and acquittal judgment contents.
- https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1949/ra_386_1949.html — Civil Code articles 29 and 31: reasonable-doubt acquittal and other sources.
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2024/jan2024/gr_246489_2024.html — Spouses Nuez v. Daz, G.R. 246489, January 29, 2024, main opinion: distinct acquittal grounds and civil consequences.
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2024/feb2024/gr_255308_2024.html — Paguirigan v. People, G.R. 255308, February 12, 2024, main opinion: reasonable-doubt acquittal with civil reimbursement.
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