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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Verbal Leases and Ejectment: When Can a Tenant Be Evicted in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling explains how a verbal month-to-month lease can be terminated, and why ejectment courts may rule on lease and ownership issues.
Appeal Bond in Labor Cases: Strict Rules on Perfecting Appeals
Learn why missing the appeal bond deadline in labor cases is fatal, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
The Boundaries of Buy-Bust Operations: Safeguarding Rights in Drug Sale Convictions
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on buy-bust operations, evidence, and penalties in illegal drug sale cases under Philippine law.
Dying Declaration and Positive Identification Sustain Murder Conviction in Iloilo Shooting
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction based on victim's dying declaration and eyewitness testimony, explaining the rules on treachery and damages.
Dying Declarations and Witness Testimony Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Murder Cases
How a victim's dying declaration and an eyewitness's testimony secured a murder conviction, and what this means for Philippine criminal evidence.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When a Public Facebook Post Becomes a Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies how public social media posts can constitute psychological abuse under RA 9262, and when using ICT raises the penalty.
Mandatory Retirement Age for Water District Employees: The Bayona Case
The Supreme Court affirms that water district employees must retire at 65, not 60, and that forced early retirement entitles them to back salaries.
Ejectment Cases: When Tenancy Claims Do Not Strip Courts of Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court clarifies that raising a tenancy defense in ejectment cases does not automatically divest courts of jurisdiction over possession disputes.
Upholding Possessory Rights Ejectment Suit Jurisdiction Prior Possession
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on ejectment jurisdiction, prior possession, and why a defendant's claim of ownership cannot defeat an unlawful detainer suit.
Probate Jurisdiction and Due Process in Will Allowance: Nittscher v. Nogales
The Supreme Court clarifies probate jurisdiction, forum-shopping rules, and due process in allowing holographic wills and issuing letters testamentary.
Positive Identification Over Alibi Upholds Conviction in Double Murder Case
Supreme Court affirms double murder conviction, ruling that positive identification by eyewitnesses prevails over alibi and denial.
Unraveling Reasonable Doubt: The Role of DNA Evidence in Rape Cases
Explore how Philippine courts weigh DNA evidence and credible testimony in rape convictions, as shown in People v. Tuazon.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Crime of Rape and the Importance of Victim Testimony
A 2007 Supreme Court ruling on rape underscores how victim testimony is weighed and why DNA evidence can prove decisive in appeals.
Judicial Overreach Strict Compliance Required IN Civil Registry Corrections
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on strict compliance with Rule 108 procedures for civil registry corrections and judicial overreach.
Forcible Entry or Tenancy? How Philippine Courts Decide Jurisdiction in Land Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a land dispute is a tenancy matter for the DAR and when it is a forcible entry case for the regular courts.
When Courts and the DARAB Both Have a Say: Fishponds, Tenancy, and Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court clarifies how R.A. 7881's exclusion of fishponds from CARP affects tenancy rights and DARAB jurisdiction.
Judicial Misconduct and Immorality: When a Judge's Private Acts Breach Public Trust
When a judge's private behavior crosses the line into immorality, the Supreme Court can dismiss him from the bench—even without a criminal conviction.
Venue as a Cornerstone of Jurisdiction in Incriminating Innocent Persons Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies venue rules and the scope of Article 363, Revised Penal Code, in incriminating innocent persons complaints.
Restrictive Custody in the PNP: Balancing Discipline and Liberty
The Supreme Court explains when restrictive custody of police officers under investigation is lawful and not a ground for habeas corpus.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Why Courts—Not Agencies—Fix Fair Value
Supreme Court clarifies that RTCs, not DAR adjudicators, have original jurisdiction over just compensation in agrarian expropriation cases.
Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt Affirming Conviction Despite Co-Conspirators' Acquittal
Conviction of one conspirator can stand despite acquittal of co-accused, as the Supreme Court affirms in People v. Dulay.
Jurisdiction Over Foreign Corporations and Proper Summons in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when foreign corporations are "doing business" and how summons must be served on them.
When Landlocked Property Demands Passage: Establishing a Legal Right of Way in the Philippines
Philippine law allows landlocked owners to demand a right of way, but only after meeting four strict requirements. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Forum Shopping Certification and Verification Defects: Strict Compliance in Philippine Courts
A defective certification against forum shopping and verification can get a petition dismissed. Learn the strict rules from Gabriel v. Court of Appeals.