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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Probationary Employment Due Process and Termination Standards in the Philippine Civil Service
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probationary employee termination rules, due process requirements, and civil service tenure protections.
Labor Disputes vs Torts: When Claims Fall Outside NLRC Jurisdiction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that labor arbiters and NLRC lack jurisdiction over tort claims that do not arise from employer-employee relations.
Rent Obligations Remain Lease Contracts Survive Land Ownership Changes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a change in land ownership cancels a lease contract and excuses unpaid rent.
Forcible Entry: Why Even Property Owners Cannot Eject Occupants by Force
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: owners cannot forcibly eject occupants, even trespassers. Learn the legal remedies for recovering possession.
Property Rights vs Due Process: When Forceful Eviction Is Illegal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: owners cannot forcibly eject occupants, even trespassers, without court order. Know your rights.
Defining Common Carriers When A Limited Clientele Doesnt Equal Private Carriage
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a shipping firm with a limited clientele can still be a common carrier under the Civil Code.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi
Philippine Supreme Court affirms robbery-with-rape conviction, ruling that victims' positive identification outweighs alibi and that unconscious rape still constitutes the crime.
Due Process in Administrative Dismissals: The Impermissibility of Hasty Decisions on Unauthenticated Evidence
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why administrative dismissals cannot rest on unauthenticated evidence and the importance of due process.
Judicial Integrity Under Scrutiny: False Statements and the Limits of Bribery Claims in the Philippines
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on dismissing an unproven bribery complaint against a judge while penalizing false statements under judicial ethics.
The Weight of Fear: Evaluating Delay in Rape Cases Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape convictions, victim credibility, and why delay in reporting does not weaken a case.
Regular Employment vs Fixed-Term Contracts: Security of Tenure in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when fixed-term employees become regular workers entitled to security of tenure and full backwages.
The Perils of Second Pre-Trials: Safeguarding Due Process in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a second pre-trial without proper notice violates due process, and explains the proper appeal route for COSLAP decisions.
Judicial Employee Accountability: Delayed Remittance of Fiduciary Funds Is Misconduct
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on clerks of court: delayed remittance of judiciary funds constitutes dishonesty and grave misconduct.
Upholding Partition Agreements: Notarized Deeds as Valid Public Documents in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on notarized deeds of partition as public documents, their presumption of regularity, and evidentiary weight in property disputes.
Binding Corporations: When Board Resolutions Matter in Contractual Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on corporate personality, board resolutions, and when stockholders can sue—explained in plain language.
Sheriffs Must Execute Writs Promptly or Face Administrative Liability
Philippine Supreme Court holds sheriff liable for dereliction of duty for delayed execution of writ, emphasizing prompt enforcement of judgments.
Judicial Accountability and the Good Faith Defense Against Unjust Judgment Charges
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that judges cannot be held administratively liable for erroneous rulings made in good faith, absent malice or bad faith.
Binding Agreements Upholding Compromise Judgments Despite Claims of Fraud and Duress
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when compromise judgments remain binding despite allegations of fraud, duress, and lawyer misconduct.
Upholding Arbitration Agreements in Construction Disputes: The LM Power Case
Philippine Supreme Court affirms that courts should liberally construe arbitration clauses, requiring parties to honor their agreement to arbitrate construction disputes.
Treachery and Homicide: The Nuances of Criminal Intent in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when treachery qualifies killing as murder, and when it remains simple homicide.
Clarifying Contract Obligations: Rentals vs Purchase Price in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when rental payments form part of the purchase price in property disputes, protecting buyers from altered contract terms.
Breach of Contract: When a Separate Land Title Is a Condition Precedent to Payment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when failure to deliver a separate land title justifies a buyer's refusal to pay the balance under a contract of sale.
When a Lease Expires: Philippine High Court Rules on Unlawful Detainer After Compromise Agreement
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a separate unlawful detainer case may proceed after a compromise agreement and lease expiration.
Court Employee's Immorality Case: When a "Kasunduan" Cannot Justify an Affair
Philippine Supreme Court rules a court employee's illicit relationship violates conduct standards, despite a private "Kasunduan" allowing separation.