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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When Injunctions Meet Supervening Events: Property Rights in Ejectment Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how supervening events affect injunctions in ejectment cases, protecting property rights.
The Limits of Alibi: Proving Impossibility in Criminal Defense
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why alibi fails against positive identification in murder cases, explaining the legal standard for impossibility.
Accommodation Mortgages and Redemption Rights: Limits of Debtor Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accommodation mortgagors' redemption rights and liability limits under P.D. 694 and Act 3135.
When Can a Corporate Officer Be Personally Liable for Corporate Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers may be held personally liable for corporate obligations and the limits of the corporate veil.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Substantial Compliance and Employer Duty to Assess Fitness
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarers' disability benefits, substantial compliance with POEA contract, and employer responsibility in fitness assessment.
The Weight of Witness Testimony: Convicting Based on Single Eyewitness Accounts
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a single eyewitness account suffices for conviction and why alibi fails without physical impossibility.
Robbery With Homicide: How Multiple Killings Affect Sentencing in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether multiple killings in robbery with homicide warrant death penalty or reclusion perpetua.
Improper Venue Nullifies Court Decision: Jurisdiction Over Real Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that improper venue in real property cases can void a trial court's ruling and justify certiorari.
Agents Cannot Acquire Principal's Property: Imprescriptible Action to Recover Trust Property
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that an agent's acquisition of the principal's property is void and the action to recover it is imprescriptible.
Land Retention Rights Prevail Landowners Choice Overrides Prior Land Transfer Certificates
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a landowner's retention right under PD 27 can override a previously issued Certificate of Land Transfer.
When Silence Is Not Acquiescence: Fear and Delayed Testimony in Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when fear justifies delayed testimony and how incomplete self-defense works in homicide cases.
The Lone Testimony Upholding Rape Conviction Despite Delayed Reporting
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on the victim's credible lone testimony, despite a six-month delay in reporting the crime.
Preliminary Investigation Protecting Individual Rights Before Trial
Learn how preliminary investigation safeguards individual rights before trial, as explained in a Philippine Supreme Court decision.
Unconstitutional Confessions Protecting Rights IN Criminal Investigations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of confessions and the protection of constitutional rights during criminal investigations.
Confirmed Flight Bookings vs Timely Check-In: Balancing Airline Obligations and Passenger Responsibilities
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a confirmed airline booking does not guarantee boarding if a passenger checks in late.
Sheriff's Misconduct in Property Seizure: The Limits of Execution and Abuse of Authority
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sheriff's excessive levy, irregular auction sale, and abuse of authority in enforcing writs of execution.
Airport Security Searches and Drug Possession: When Warrantless Arrests Fail
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on warrantless arrests, in flagrante delicto, and the exclusionary rule in drug possession cases.
Unlawful Arrest Evidence Obtained From Illegal Search Deemed Inadmissible
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that evidence from a warrantless search is inadmissible when the preceding warrantless arrest was unlawful.
Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority: When Consent Is Invalid in Familial Sexual Abuse Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies that a father's moral ascendancy and threats invalidate any claim of consent from a minor daughter.
Torrens Title Prevails Challenging Land Ownership Based on Prior Possession
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a registered Torrens title defeats claims of ownership based on prior possession, tax declarations, and long occupancy.
Intent Matters Distinguishing Robbery With Rape From Separate Crimes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sexual assault followed by taking property is one complex crime or separate offenses.
Abuse of Rights When a TRO Nullifies Legitimate Actions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how ignoring a TRO turns a lawful act into an abuse of rights, creating liability for damages.
Unlicensed Firearm Use: From Separate Offense to Aggravating Circumstance in Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains how R.A. 8294 changed unlicensed firearm use from a separate crime to an aggravating circumstance in homicide.
Warrantless Arrests: When a Bulging Waist Justifies a Valid Search
A bulging waistline can justify a warrantless arrest and incidental search. Learn the rules from a Philippine Supreme Court case.