Text of the provision
Art. 961. In default of testamentary heirs, the law vests the inheritance, in accordance with the rules hereinafter set forth, in the legitimate and illegitimate relatives of the deceased, in the surviving spouse, and in the State.
(913a)
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
In default of testamentary heirs, the law vests the inheritance in the legitimate and illegitimate relatives of the deceased, in the surviving spouse, and in the State.
Questions about this provision
Related provisions
- Article 960 — When Intestate Succession Applies.
- Article 962 — The Nearest Relative Excludes the More Distant.
Cases citing this article
- Luz Delos Santos vs. Demy Alma M. Delos Santos, et al, G.R. No. 258887, July 31, 2023 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- The Heirs of Marcelino Doronio, et al. vs. Heirs of Doronio, et al, G.R. No. 169454, December 27, 2007 — 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.