The four parts of ALAC
1. Answer
Open with a direct answer to the question asked: “Yes, the contract is void,” “No, the action has not prescribed,” “The motion should be denied.” The examiner should know your position from the first sentence.
2. Legal basis
State the rule that supports the answer, citing the specific article, section or rule where you can (for example, “Under Article 39 of the Family Code”). Paraphrase accurately; you do not need verbatim text, but the rule must be correct and complete enough to decide the case.
3. Application (or Analysis)
Connect the rule to the facts. Take each element of the rule and show which fact satisfies or fails it. This is where most of the credit is, and where most weak answers stop short.
4. Conclusion
Close with one sentence that restates the answer as the result of your analysis. It must match your opening answer.
Worked example
QuestionX and Y married in 1990. In 2026, X filed a petition to declare the marriage void on the ground of Y's psychological incapacity. Y moved to dismiss, arguing that the action had prescribed. Rule on the motion.
AThe motion to dismiss should be denied. The action has not prescribed.
LUnder Article 39 of the Family Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 8533, the action or defense for the declaration of absolute nullity of a marriage shall not prescribe. A marriage contracted by a party who was psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations is void under Article 36.
AX's petition seeks a declaration of absolute nullity on the ground of psychological incapacity under Article 36, which, if proven, makes the marriage void from the beginning. Because the action is imprescriptible, the lapse of about 36 years since the 1990 celebration does not bar it.
CTherefore, prescription is not a ground to dismiss, and the court should deny Y's motion.
Read the provisions in the official text: Family Code, Supreme Court E-Library.
Common ALAC mistakes
- Burying the answer. Restating the facts or the issue first wastes time and hides your position.
- A rule with no application. Citing the right article and stopping there leaves out the analysis examiners grade.
- A bare “yes” or “no”. Without the basis and the reasoning, it earns little or no credit.
- Inventing citations. A wrong article number or a made-up case name hurts more than a correct rule stated without a number.
- Bullet points instead of sentences. Write in complete sentences and short paragraphs.
- A conclusion that contradicts the answer. Re-read your first sentence before you move on.
Practising ALAC under time pressure
The 2027 Bar has 20 essay problems per subject in each four-hour session (see the format), which leaves roughly 12 minutes per problem. Practise typing complete answers against a timer. In ocoai's Bar Essay Red-Pen you write against a timer, then get feedback on each ALAC part. Every rule it cites is linked to the official provision so you can verify it yourself. Use the feedback as a study aid, not a predicted Bar grade.
Sources
- Family Code of the Philippines (E.O. No. 209), Arts. 36 and 39 — Supreme Court E-Library
- Republic Act No. 8533 (amending Art. 39, Family Code) — Lawphil
- Bar Bulletin No. 1-2027 — format of the 2027 Bar (PDF)
Last reviewed November 1, 2026. Laws, rules and Bar Bulletins change; if a source above has been amended or superseded, the official text controls.