Text of the provision
Art. 1311. Contracts take effect only between the parties, their assigns and heirs, except in case where the rights and obligations arising from the contract are not transmissible by their nature, or by stipulation or by provision of law. The heir is not liable beyond the value of the property he received from the decedent. If a contract should contain some stipulation in favor of a third person, he may demand its fulfillment provided he communicated his acceptance to the obligor before its revocation. A mere incidental benefit or interest of a person is not sufficient. The contracting parties must have clearly and deliberately conferred a favor upon a third person.
(1257a)
Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 386, approved June 18, 1949, effective August 30, 1950. Reproduced in full; verified verbatim against the LawPhil and ChanRobles official-text renderings.
What this article means
Contracts take effect only between the parties, their assigns and heirs (relativity), and an heir is not liable beyond the value inherited. Exception: a stipulation in favor of a third person (stipulation pour autrui) may be demanded by that third person if he communicated acceptance before revocation and the favor was clearly and deliberately conferred (not a mere incidental benefit).
Related provisions
- Article 1310 — Inequitable Determination.
- Article 1312 — Real Rights Bind Third Persons.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.