Text of the provision
Art. 2221. Nominal damages are adjudicated in order that a right of the plaintiff, which has been violated or invaded by the defendant, may be vindicated or recognized, and not for the purpose of indemnifying the plaintiff for any loss suffered by him.
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
Nominal damages are adjudicated to vindicate or recognize a right that has been violated — not to indemnify any loss.
Questions about this provision
Related provisions
- Article 2220 — Moral Damages for Breach of Contract in Bad Faith.
- Article 2222 — Nominal Damages for Any Obligation.
Cases citing this article
- Seven Brothers Shipping Corporation vs. DMC-Construction Resources, Inc, G.R. No. 193914, November 26, 2014 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Cathay Pacific Airways, Ltd. vs. Sps. Daniel Vasquez, G.R. No. 150843, March 14, 2003 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Ernesto D. Arriesgado vs. Multinational Maritime, Inc, G.R. No. 275424, April 29, 2026 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Cosac, Inc. vs. Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc, G.R. No. 222537, February 28, 2023 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines vs. Dr. Jose M. Tiongco, G.R. No. 212136, October 4, 2021 — read the decision on LawPhil →
Compiled automatically from Supreme Court decisions published on LawPhil that expressly cite this article, most frequently cited first. A listing means the decision cites the provision — it is not a statement that the case is the leading authority, and it does not show whether a ruling has since been modified or abandoned. Always read the decision itself.