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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Accomplice Liability: Distinguishing Principals From Accessories in Criminal Conspiracy
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy, accomplice liability, and how co-conspirators are treated as principals in murder cases.
Quasi-Delict and Vehicular Accidents: When Overtaking Leads to Liability in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies negligence, proximate cause, and vicarious liability in a vehicular accident quasi-delict case.
Judicial Efficiency: The Imperative of Timely Case Resolution and Accountability for Delays
A Supreme Court ruling reminds judges that missing the three-month deadline to decide cases is gross inefficiency, even if transcripts are delayed or parties ask for more time.
Timely Filing vs Substantial Compliance: Upholding Candidacy Despite Minor Delays
A 2001 Supreme Court ruling on substantial compliance and due process in election candidacy filings, protecting a candidate's right to run.
Res Ipsa Loquitur in Philippine Law: Negligence and Presumption Explained
Learn how res ipsa loquitur shifts the burden of proof in negligence cases, using a landmark Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Encroachment and Good Faith: What Builders Must Know Under Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on encroachment, good faith, and accion reinvindicatoria in Evadel Realty v. Soriano.
Witness Credibility and the Perils of Delayed Justice: Analyzing Testimonial Inconsistencies in Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on witness credibility, police blotter discrepancies, and why aggravating circumstances must be alleged in the information to justify the death penalty.
Rape Conviction and Venue: When Aggravating Circumstances Must Be Alleged
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why aggravating circumstances like dwelling and nighttime must be alleged in the information to justify the death penalty.
Option Contract vs Contract to Sell: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between an option contract and a contract to sell in real estate transactions.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi In Robbery With Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on People v. Legaspi: how positive identification defeats alibi and why aggravating circumstances must be alleged in the information.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale and Estafa: Lessons from People v. Gonzales-Flores
A Supreme Court ruling on illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa, explaining what counts as recruitment and why convictions stand.
Search Warrant Validity and Plain View Doctrine in Drug Possession Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on search warrant requirements, plain view doctrine, and inadmissible evidence in drug possession cases.
Floating Interest Rates and Trust Receipts: Solidbank Ruling on Bank Obligations and Corporate Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on invalid floating interest rates, trust receipt transactions, and corporate officer liability in banking.
Temporary Appointments vs. Security of Tenure: What Philippine Government Employees Must Know
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that accepting a temporary government appointment may mean losing permanent status and its security of tenure.
Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Attempted Rape: Credibility of Witnesses Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on attempted rape, witness credibility, and proof beyond reasonable doubt in criminal cases.
Overseas Placement Agencies: Fair Treatment of Workers and the Rule on Illegal Exactions
A look at the Supreme Court ruling on overseas placement agencies, illegal exactions, contract substitution, and the need for published rules.
Payment Deadlines: Insurers Can't Deny Coverage After Granting Credit
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when insurers cannot deny coverage if they granted credit terms for premium payments.
When Counsel's Negligence Binds the Client: Due Process Limits in Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a lawyer's failure to file an appellant's brief justifies dismissal of an appeal and binds the client.
Due Process and Notice: When Failure to Notify Voids Court Proceedings in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how defective pretrial notice violates due process and voids default judgments.
Dishonesty in the Workplace: Falsification of Time Records as Grounds for Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee dismissal for falsifying daily time records, and the legal basis under the Labor Code.
Judicial Overreach: When Regular Courts Overstep Labor Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on when regional trial courts overstep jurisdiction by issuing TROs in labor cases, explained for lay readers.
Can One Spouse Sign for Both? Certifying Compliance in Philippine Legal Proceedings
A Supreme Court ruling shows why the certificate of non-forum shopping must be signed by the parties themselves, and what happens when a spouse signs for both.
Banking Negligence Claims: Depositors Must Prove Unauthorized Transactions
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that depositors claiming unauthorized withdrawals must prove forgery or fraud, not just allege bank negligence.
Certiorari's Reach When Appellate Courts Overstep in Injunction Cases
Learn how certiorari limits appellate courts from issuing injunctions in labor cases, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.