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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Summary Judgment Denied When Contract Reformation Facts Are Disputed
Supreme Court clarifies when summary judgment is improper in contract reformation cases involving disputed facts and mutual mistake allegations.
When Confessions Collide: Admissibility and Guilt in Murder Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on when extrajudicial confessions are admissible and how circumstantial evidence can prove guilt in murder cases.
Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform: Balancing Local Zoning With Farmer Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when local zoning reclassification removes land from CARP coverage, protecting farmer-beneficiary rights.
Holding Company vs Financial Intermediary: Local Business Tax on Dividends
Supreme Court clarifies that holding companies receiving dividends are not non-bank financial intermediaries subject to local business tax under the Local Government Code.
Chain of Custody in Illegal Drug Cases: Ensuring the Integrity of Evidence
A Supreme Court ruling reminds law enforcers that failing to secure the required witnesses during drug inventory can
Seafarer Disability Claims: Accident vs Illness in Philippine Maritime Law
Learn how the Supreme Court distinguishes accident-based from illness-based seafarer disability claims, and why the third-doctor rule matters.
Due Process and Land Title Reconstitution: Protecting Registered Owners' Rights
When a lost owner's duplicate title is reconstituted, the registered owner must be notified—even if another claims ownership. The Supreme Court explains why.
When Can Prosecution Amend an Information? Formal vs Substantial Amendment Explained
Supreme Court clarifies when the prosecution may amend a criminal information after arraignment, distinguishing formal from substantial amendments under Rule 110.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails When Lone Witness Testimony Fails to Convict
Supreme Court acquits accused of illegal firearm possession where prosecution relied solely on a compromised lone witness, underscoring proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Fair Price or Land Grab: Determining Just Compensation in Philippine Expropriation Law
The Supreme Court clarifies how Philippine courts determine just compensation in expropriation cases, rejecting reliance on outdated zonal valuations.
Treachery Defined: Examining the Elements of Murder in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains treachery and the elements of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code in People v. Almosara.
Reinstatement vs Strained Relations: Clarifying Rights in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when strained relations justify dismissal instead of reinstatement in illegal dismissal cases.
Just Compensation Balancing Zonal Value AND Fair Market Value IN Expropriation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that zonal valuation is not the sole basis for just compensation in expropriation cases, affirming fair market value standards.
GSIS Lands Foreclosed by Government Financial Institutions Are Subject to Agrarian Reform
Supreme Court rules GSIS-acquired lands from foreclosures are not exempt from agrarian reform coverage under RA 6657.
Verbal Contracts and Implied Ratification: Upholding Obligations in Broiler Chick Growing Agreements
The Supreme Court rules that verbal contracts bind parties even without a written agreement, and corporations may impliedly ratify unauthorized acts.
Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide Cases: A Guide from a 2019 Supreme Court Ruling
When direct evidence is absent, circumstantial evidence can convict in rape with homicide. Learn the rules from a 2019 Supreme Court ruling.
Arbitration Clauses and Contract Expiry: The Dupasquier Ruling on Separability
When a contract lapses, does its arbitration clause survive? The Supreme Court explains party intent and the limits of the separability doctrine.
Recruiting Minors for Criminal Activities Is Trafficking Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court rules that recruiting minors to commit robberies constitutes qualified trafficking in persons under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
Unauthorized Notarization by Public Officials: The Limits of Authority in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when notarization by a government lawyer constitutes unauthorized private practice under R.A. 6713.
Speedy Disposition of Cases: When Fact-Finding Delay Counts
The Supreme Court clarifies when delay violates the right to speedy disposition, excluding pre-complaint fact-finding from the reckoning period.
Illegal Dismissal of OFWs: Full Contract Pay Upheld by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court reaffirms that illegally dismissed OFWs are entitled to their full salaries for the unexpired portion of their contracts, striking down the three-month cap.
When Snatching Is Theft, Not Robbery: Proving Conspiracy and the Burden of Proof
The Supreme Court clarifies when snatching amounts to theft rather than robbery, and how conspiracy is proven in Philippine criminal law.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Broken Links Lead to Acquittal
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug suspect over broken chain of custody and missing Section 21 witnesses. Learn the rules.
Psychological Incapacity Proving Marital Nullity Beyond Personality Traits
Supreme Court clarifies that personality flaws alone do not prove psychological incapacity under Article 36; evidence must show grave, incurable, rooted disorder.