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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Presidential Supervision vs Control: Protecting Local Fiscal Autonomy in the Philippines
The Supreme Court limits presidential power over LGUs, striking down IRA withholding while allowing advisory economy measures.
Contempt of Court: Balancing Judicial Authority and Individual Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on indirect contempt, fines versus indefinite incarceration, and the courts' coercive power to enforce orders.
Attorneys Fees and Simulated Sales: Protecting Lawyers' Rights in the Philippines
A lawyer's right to collect contingent fees can extend to challenging simulated sales that defeat payment, as the Supreme Court ruled in Alberto v. Court of Appeals.
Attorney Discipline: Understanding Disbarment and Suspension in the Philippines
Explaining the difference between disbarment and suspension for Philippine lawyers, using the Supreme Court's ruling in Dumadag v. Lumaya.
Breaking the Silence: Understanding Rape Convictions in the Philippines — People v. Santos
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction, explaining the law on statutory rape, delayed reporting, and victim credibility.
When the Supreme Court Sits En Banc: Jurisdiction in Philippine Land Disputes
Learn when the Supreme Court sits en banc in land disputes, and how jurisdiction and land classification shape property rights in the Philippines.
Mandamus and Judicial Duty: Enforcing Court Orders in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on interlocutory orders, summary judgment, and the ministerial duty of courts to execute final judgments.
Judicial Delay When Inaction Undermines Justice IN THE Philippines
Falsifying Court Documents Consequences for Process Servers in the Philippines
Process servers who falsify officer's returns face grave misconduct penalties, including suspension or dismissal, as shown in Catalan v. Umali.
Expropriation in the Philippines: When Can Land Be Sold During Proceedings
Learn when landowners can still sell property during expropriation proceedings and who gets just compensation, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Police Use of Force in the Philippines: When Is Homicide Justified
The Supreme Court clarifies when a police officer's use of deadly force is justified, and when it becomes homicide.
Res Judicata and Land Disputes: What Prior Judgments Mean for Philippine Property Cases
Understanding how prior judgments affect future land disputes in the Philippines, and the critical rules on evidence that determine case outcomes.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Why RTCs Always Have Jurisdiction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that expropriation suits are incapable of pecuniary estimation, so RTCs have exclusive jurisdiction regardless of property value.
Employee Abandonment in the Philippines: What Employers Must Prove Before Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the two elements of employee abandonment and the required notices before termination.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: Burden of Proof and Unlawful Aggression Explained
Understand the burden of proof in self-defense claims under Philippine law, plus key rules on unlawful aggression and rape evidence.
When Does an Agreement Become Legally Binding? The BF Homes Case on Perfected Contracts
Learn when a contract becomes legally binding in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's BF Homes ruling on homeowners' rights and jurisdiction.
Crucial Details Matter: How a Flawed Rape Charge Can Change a Verdict in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court's strict review of qualifying circumstances like treachery can reduce a murder conviction to homicide.
Demotion vs Illegal Dismissal: Know Your Rights as an Employee in the Philippines
Understand when a demotion is legal, when it becomes constructive dismissal, and how abandonment claims work under Philippine labor law.
Unmarried Couples and Property Rights in the Philippines: Co-Ownership in Illicit Relationships
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property co-ownership for unmarried couples in adulterous relationships under Article 148 of the Family Code.
Employee Theft and Misconduct: Legal Consequences and Employer Responsibilities in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee theft, grave misconduct, and employer duties in administrative cases.
Wage Differentials and Employee Waivers: Labor Rights in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on wage differentials, employee waivers, and the strict rules on appeals in Philippine labor cases.
Shipowner's Limited Liability Rule in Philippine Maritime Law Explained
The Supreme Court explains the limited liability rule for shipowners in the Philippines, clarifying how the doctrine applies when vessels sink.
Reconstitution of Land Titles: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judicial reconstitution of lost titles, emphasizing due process and jurisdictional requirements to protect property rights.
Writ of Possession in the Philippines: When Can a Bank Take Your Property
Learn when banks can take property in the Philippines through writs of possession, and how agrarian reform rights affect foreclosure cases.