Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Legality of Object
! The object is unlawful when it is contrary to law,
morals, good customs, public order, or public policy
! The effect of unlawful object to the contract is void
ab initio
! A partnership may be organized for any purpose
except that it may not engage in an enterprise for
which the law requires a specific form of business
organization (banking should only be corporation)
Intention to realize and divide profits
! The idea of obtaining pecuniary profit or gain
directly as a result of the business to be carried on is
the very reason for the existence of a business prtship
! Intention to realize and divide profit is the element
that distinguishes the contract of partnership from
voluntary religious or social organization
! Even an unprofitable business can be a partnership
provided its goal is to obtain profits
! Sharing of profits (principal purpose) need not be
the exclusive aim of a partnership
Sharing of profits
! One without any right to participate in the profits,
cannot be deemed a partner
! The sharing of profits is merely presumptive and not
conclusive, even if cogent, evidence of partnership
! There are numerous instances of parties who have a
common interest in the profits and losses of an
enterprise but who are not partners
! If the division of profits is merely used as a guide to
determine the compensation due to one of the parties,
such one is not a partner
Sharing of losses
! The right to share in the profits carries with it the
obligation to share also in the losses
! Where a prtship has been validly created, a
subsequent stipulation which excludes one or more
partners from any share in the profits (or losses) will
not affect its existence. Only the stipulation is void
Partnership, a juridical person
! Death of a partner is not a ground for the dismissal
of a pending suit against the prtship
Distinguished:
Creation
Juridical
Personality
Purpose
Duration
Disposal of
Interest
Power to act
with third
persons
Effect of Death
Partnership
Contract needed
Has
Realization of
profits
No limitation
May not dispose
individual
interest for
assignee (unless
agreed)
Partners bind
the prtship
Dissolution
Co-ownership
No contract
needed
Has none
Common
enjoyment of the
thing or right
More than 10 yrs
is not allowed
May freely do so
Co-owner will
not bind other
co-owners
Not dissolved
Prtship
Either sex
Stipulation of
the partners
Has
Moment of
execution of
contract (unless
stipulated)
Obtain profits
CPOG
Future spouses
Governed by law
Has none
Date of the
celebration of
marriage (any
stipulation is void)
Purpose
Regulate the
property relations
Distribution of
According to
Shares are divided
profits
agreement
equally
Management
Shares equally
Administration
(unless there is
belongs to both,
appointment) husbands decision
shall prevail
Distribution of Interest may be
Cannot be
Shares
disposed
disposed during
without consent
marriage even
of others
with the consent
Partnership distinguished from voluntary associations
Prtship
Juridical
Personality
Purpose
Contributions of
members
Liability of
members
Has
For pecuniary
profits
Capital
Partnership is
liable in the first
place
Voluntary
Association
Has none
Objective is
lacking
Fees collected,
no contribution
of capital
Individually
liable for the
debts
void
! Profits from other sources (not from properties
contributed) will become common property only if
there is stipulation
Universal Partnership of Profits Explained
! Partners retain their ownership over their present and
future property
! What pass to the partnership are the profits and the
usufruct of the property
! Upon dissolution, such property is returned to
partners who own it
! Profits acquired by the partners through chance
(lottery or by lucrative title) without the employment
of any physical or intellectual efforts, are not included
! Fruits of property subsequently acquired by the
partners do not belong to the partnership
! But those fruits of property subsequently acquired
may be included in profits by express stipulation
! Profits acquired by the use of industry or work and
usufruct belong to the partnership as a matter of right
! An express stipulation is necessary to exclude any of
them
Presumption in favor of universal partnership of
profits
! Applies only when universal (not particular)
partnership has been organized
! When the articles of partnership do not specify its
nature, it is presumed to be partnership of profits
Reason: less obligations on the partners
Limitations upon the right to form a universal
partnership
! Persons who are prohibited by law to give donations
cannot enter into a universal partnership for the reason
that each of the partners virtually makes a donation.
! Partnership formed in violation of this article is null
and void; no legal personality acquired
! A husband and wife may enter into a particular
partnership or be members there (cannot enter into
universal)
! If there is subsequent marriage between partners, it
is viewed as dissolution
Pertinent Legal Provisions
! Every donation or grant of gratuitous advantage,
direct or indirect, between spouses (or live-in partners
without valid marriage) during marriage shall be void
except moderate gifts for family rejoicing
Donations Void:
1. Made between persons guilty of adultery or
concubinage at the time of the donation
2. Made between persons found guilty of the
same criminal offense
3. Made to a public offer or his wife, descendants,
and ascendants by reason of his office
! In 1, declaration of nullity may be brought by the
spouse of the donor or donee; the guilt may be proved
by preponderance of evidence
Business of Partnership need not be continuing in
nature
! The carrying of business of a continuing nature is
not essential to constitute a prtship
of
Commencement of Partnership
Obligation of capitalist
additional capital
partner
to
contribute
share of
ENUMERATION:
Characteristic elements of partnership
1. Consensual
2. Nominate
3. Bilateral
4. Onerous
5. Commutative
6. Principal
7. Preparatory
Essential features of partnership
1. There must be a valid contract
2. The parties must have legal capacity to enter
into the contract
3. There must be a mutual contribution of money,
property, or industry to a common fund
4. The object must be lawful; and
5. The purpose or primary purpose must be to
obtain profits and to divide the same among the
parties
Not Partnership because of no creation upon
expressed or implied contract:
-Religious societies
-Conjugal or community partnerships
Persons who cannot give their consent:
-Unemancipated minors
-Insane or demented persons
-Deaf-mutes who do not know how to write
-Persons who are suffering from civil interdiction
-Incompetents who are under guardianship
Forms of Contribution
-Money
-Property
-Industry
Distinction between Partnership & Co-ownership
-Creation
-Juridical Personality
-Purpose
-Duration
-Disposal of interests
-Power to act with third persons
-Effect of Death
&
Voluntary
MIDTERM
Section 3 - Obligations of the Partners with Regard to
Third Persons
(1) Every partnership shall operate under a firm
name, which may or may not include the name of
one or more of the partners.
Those who include their names in the firm
name, but not being members of the partnership
shall be subject to the liability of a partner.
! A partnership must have a firm name under which it
will operate
! A firm name is necessary to distinguish the
partnership from the individuals composing it and
other partnership
! Such firm name must be registered with the Bureau
of Commerce (now DTI)
! Firm name:
-individual partner
-surnames of all partner
-surname of one or more of the members with the
addition and Company
-individual names wholly distinct from the names
of any of the members
! Firm name should not be identical with or
deceptively similar to a name which was previously
adopted by any other entity, or interfere with the
rights of others, or is contrary to law
! Partnership cannot continue to use in its firm name
the names of deceased partners
! In the choice of a firm name, no false, misleading or
assumed name shall be used.
! The continued use of the name of a deceased partner
is permissible provided that the firm indicates in all
communications that said partner is deceased
! Persons who include their names in the firm (but not
being partners) do not acquire the rights of a partner,
but under 1815 (estoppel), they shall be subject to the
liability of a partner insofar as third persons without
notice are concerned.
! Art 1815 (estoppel) does not cover:
-third persons who represents himself to be a
partner (1825)
-limited partner who allows his name to be
included in the firm name (1846)
-a person continuing the business of a partnership
after dissolution, uses the name of dissolved
restriction.
! In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, all
partners have equal rights in the management and
conduct of the partnership business; each partner has
the implied authority to do all things necessary to
carry out the ordinary business of the partnership.
! Each partner is regarded as both a principal and an
agent
! Apparent authority is based on the doctrine of
estoppel
! The relation of partners to third persons is thus
founded on the doctrine of mutual agency
! Limitations upon the authority of any one of the
partners are not binding upon innocent third persons
who have the right to assume that every general
partner has power to bind the partnership especially
those partners acting with ostensible authority
! Third persons are not bound to ascertain whether or
not the partner with whom the transaction is made has
the consent of the other partners; his knowledge is
enough that he is contracting with a partner
! Third parties should not assume that a partner has
unlimited authority.
! Generally, a partner has no authority to do the acts:
-assign property in trust for creditors
-dispose goodwill
-other acts which would make it impossible to
carry on the ordinary business
-confess judgment
-enter into compromise
-submit a partnership claim to arbitration
-waive a claim of partnership
! When a third party deals with a partner who has no
express, implied, or apparent authority, the
partnership is not liable for his acts unless the other
partners ratify or are estopped (has knowledge of
transaction) from asserting the partners lack of
authority
2 Requisites in order that the partnership will not be
liable:
1. The partner so acting has, in fact, no authority;
2. The third person knows that the acting partner
has no authority