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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Upholding Court Authority: The Limits of Defiance in Intra-Corporate Disputes
When can a party defy a court order in an intra-corporate dispute? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of defiance and the consequences of disobedience.
Preventive Suspension by the Ombudsman: The Purisima Case and Due Process
The Supreme Court clarifies the Ombudsman's power to preventively suspend officials and the limits of due process in administrative cases.
When Court Orders Are Ignored: Indirect Contempt in Intra-Corporate Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when defiance of court orders becomes indirect contempt, using a school board dispute as a cautionary example.
Chain of Custody: Safeguarding Drug Evidence Integrity in Philippine Law
In People v. Segundo, the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect because police broke the chain of custody over a sachet of shabu.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Timing and Evidence Standards
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when just compensation is reckoned and why courts cannot rely on arbitrary or stale comparable sales.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Defining Total and Permanent Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer with a partial disability grade is deemed totally and permanently disabled under the POEA-SEC.
Defense of a Stranger: How Courts Assess Reasonableness in Repelling Aggression
The Supreme Court clarifies how to assess reasonable means in defense of a stranger, acquitting an accused who stabbed an aggressor twice.
Upholding Notarial Duties: Consequences for Negligence in Document Notarization
A notary's failure to verify documents and record notarizations leads to commission revocation and disqualification in this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Timing and Evidence Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when just compensation is reckoned and what evidence trial courts must consider in expropriation cases.
Tax Assessment Waivers Must Strictly Comply With BIR Rules or Prescription Applies
Learn how defective tax waivers fail to extend the BIR's three-year assessment period, from the Supreme Court's ruling in CIR v. Systems Technology Institute.
Bail and Res Judicata: Why an Interlocutory Order Does Not Bar a Second Bail Petition
The Supreme Court clarifies that res judicata does not apply to interlocutory orders like bail denials in criminal cases.
Admissibility of Evidence and Witness Credibility in Robbery With Homicide Cases
A look at People v. Opiniano, where the Supreme Court weighed an inadmissible confession against circumstantial evidence and witness credibility.
When a Seafarer Is Deemed Totally and Permanently Disabled Under the POEA-SEC
The Supreme Court explains when a seafarer is deemed totally and permanently disabled and how attorney's fees are computed in disability claims.
SEC Approval Needed to Trade Securities: SC Clarifies Probable Cause in Securities Fraud
Supreme Court clarifies when SEC approval is needed to trade securities and the limits of probable cause review in securities fraud cases.
Unauthorized Absences and Dismissal: The Medical Certificate Requirement in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court upheld a dismissal for unauthorized absences, ruling that a vague medical certificate cannot excuse habitual absenteeism.
Just Compensation Under CARP: Valuing Land at the Time of Taking
The Supreme Court clarifies that just compensation for CARP-acquired land is valued at the time of taking, guided by Section 17 factors and DAR formulas.
Judicial Conduct: Moral Integrity and Public Trust in the Judiciary
A Supreme Court ruling on dismissing a judge for immorality and gross misconduct, reaffirming that judges must uphold moral integrity.
Judicial Conduct: Moral Standards and Accountability in the Philippine Judiciary
The Supreme Court dismisses a judge for immorality and gross misconduct, reaffirming that judges must uphold the highest moral standards.
Inheritance Limits: Heirs' Liability in Property Disputes Clarified
The Supreme Court rules that heirs impleaded in property cases are liable only up to their inherited shares, not beyond.
Ownership Disputes: When a Lawyer Cannot Acquire a Client's Property in Litigation
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for acquiring property in litigation and selling client land without authority—key rules for family property disputes.
Buy-Bust Operations: Entrapment vs Instigation in Illegal Drug Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between entrapment and instigation in buy-bust operations, affirming a drug sale conviction.
Constructive Dismissal Claim Fails Without Proof of Overt Dismissal Act
Supreme Court clarifies that employees alleging constructive dismissal must prove actual dismissal, not just claim it.
Annulment of Free Patents vs. Reversion: Real Party in Interest Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between annulment of free patents and reversion, and who may file each action.
Overseas Dreams, Local Schemes: Upholding Protection Against Large Scale Illegal Recruitment
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for large-scale illegal recruitment in People v. Abellanosa, clarifying penalties and reimbursement of placement fees.