Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Service of Summons: How to Ensure Valid Jurisdiction in Philippine Courts
Learn how defective substituted service of summons can invalidate court jurisdiction, using the Toyota Cubao v. Guevarra ruling as a guide.
Malicious Prosecution: Probable Cause and Legal Malice in Unfair Competition Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when filing unfair competition charges constitutes malicious prosecution, requiring proof of absent probable cause and legal malice.
Upholding Judicial Competence: The Cost of Ignoring Basic Procedural Rules
A judge's severe reprimand for gross ignorance of appeal rules underscores the high standard of competence expected of Philippine courts.
Subleasing Restrictions: Understanding Lease Agreements in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law treats subleasing without consent, the risks for landlords and tenants, and practical tips for valid lease agreements.
Right of First Refusal in Lease Agreements: A Philippine Law Analysis
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a right of first refusal in a lease binds the lessor, and why sublessees generally cannot enforce it.
Common Carriers and Fortuitous Events: When Is a Carrier Liable for Passenger Injury
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a tire blowout is not a fortuitous event and why common carriers face a presumption of negligence in passenger injury cases.
Rape Conviction and the Critical Role of Victim Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts weigh victim testimony and credibility in rape cases, and why proof beyond reasonable doubt remains the cornerstone of conviction.
Circumstantial Evidence AND Reasonable Doubt Protecting THE Innocent IN Philippine Criminal LAW
Judicial Immunity and the 90-Day Rule: When Judges Face Liability for Delay
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that judges are immune from suit for erroneous decisions, but delay in deciding cases within 90 days is administrative liability.
Acquisitive Prescription: How to Acquire Land Ownership in the Philippines
Learn how acquisitive prescription works under Philippine law—the requirements, periods, and limits for acquiring land ownership through open, continuous possession.
Reinstatement Orders in Labor Disputes: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations
Learn how Philippine courts determine regular vs. project employment and why procedural due process is crucial in lawful dismissals.
Project vs Regular Employee: What Brahm Industries Teaches About Valid Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies the difference between project and regular employees, and the due process required for lawful dismissal in the Philippines.
Sheriff Misconduct: When Can a Sheriff Be Held Liable
Learn when Philippine sheriffs can be held liable for misconduct in property execution, based on Supreme Court rulings.
Consent Is Key: Understanding Rape and Consensual Sex in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains why lack of consent defines rape, using a robbery-with-rape case to clarify the law.
Security of Tenure vs Presidential Prerogative Reinstatement After Acquittal
Explore the Supreme Court ruling on project employee security of tenure, illegal dismissal, and back wages in SODECO v. NLRC.
Recanted Testimony: How It Impacts Philippine Criminal Cases
Learn how recanted testimony affects Philippine criminal cases, when courts disregard it, and why it rarely leads to acquittal.
Upholding Ethical Standards in Public Service: Lessons from a Clerk's Neglect of Duty
A Supreme Court ruling on a court clerk's neglect of duty underscores the high ethical standards demanded of every public servant in the Philippines.
Employee Dishonesty AND DUE Process What Philippine Employers Need TO Know
Judicial Delay Understanding A Judges Duty TO Decide Cases Promptly IN THE Philippines 2
Gross Negligence of Counsel: When It Nullifies a Judgment in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a lawyer's gross negligence can void a judgment, and why final judgments protect innocent buyers.
Self-Defense vs. Alibi: The Burden of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains why self-defense and alibi failed in People v. Jagolingay, and what it takes to prove these defenses.
Judicial Misconduct Case: Upholding Impartiality and Competence in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling on a court employee's neglect of duty underscores the high standards of ethics and competence required in the Philippine judiciary.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Regular Employment and Due Process in Termination
Learn how the Supreme Court protects employees from illegal dismissal when employers fail to prove just cause and observe due process.