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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Lease Renewal Validity and Unlawful Detainer: Lessons from Rodil Enterprises v. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies when lease contracts are valid and how unlawful detainer actions proceed, protecting lessors' rights.
Upholding Contractual Agreements: Trust Receipts and Surety Agreements in Loan Obligations
The Supreme Court reaffirms that contracts are the law between parties, enforcing stipulated interest, penalties, and service charges in trust receipt loan transactions.
Interest on Penalties: The Limits of Compounding in Loan Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when interest may be charged on unpaid penalty charges in loan contracts, and when courts may reduce unconscionable penalties.
Simulated Sales in Philippine Law: Why Fictitious Contracts Are Void
A simulated deed of sale has no legal effect, and the resulting title must be cancelled. The Supreme Court explains why in pari delicto does not apply to fictitious contracts.
Prescription Period Bars Attorney's Fee Collection After Six Years
Supreme Court rules lawyers have six years to collect fees under oral contracts; failure to timely file bars the claim.
Fixed-Term Contracts and Permanent Status for Private School Teachers
A fixed-term contract does not by itself make a private school teacher permanent. The Supreme Court explains when tenure actually attaches under the Manual of Regulations.
Obligations Under Contracts Defining Liens and Encumbrances in Land Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when "free from liens and encumbrances" in land contracts includes clearing squatters and what obligations bind successors.
Unconscionable Penalties in Real Estate Contracts: Balancing Equity and Contractual Obligations
When a 3% monthly penalty on unpaid installments becomes unconscionable, Philippine courts may reduce it under Civil Code Articles 1229 and 2227.
Davao Light v. Tesorero: Venue, Estoppel, and a Corporation's Residence in Philippine Civil Cases
The Supreme Court ruled that a corporation's residence for venue is fixed by its articles of incorporation, not by addresses in contracts or pleadings in other cases.
Prescription in Contract Disputes: The 10-Year Rule Under Philippine Law
Learn how the 10-year prescription period for written contracts works in the Philippines, and why delay can bar a valid claim.
Bouncing Checks and Broken Promises: Understanding Novation and Criminal Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when issuing bouncing checks constitutes estafa despite existing contracts and business history between parties.
Unconscionable Interest Rates Balancing Lenders Rights AND Borrower Protection IN Mortgage Contracts
When Arbitration Clauses in Employment Contracts Become Unfair: The Magellan Case
The Supreme Court explains when arbitration clauses in employment contracts are void for giving one side too many arbitrators.
Prescription IN Annulment OF Contracts When Silence Isnt Golden
City of Quezon v. Lexber: Contract Validity Despite Procedural Lapses
SC rules city contracts valid when entered under statutory authority, even without prior council appropriation.
Unmasking Simulated Sales Protecting Your Property Rights IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts handle simulated sales, void contracts, and derivative suits to protect your property and stockholder rights.
Conditional Sales and Probate Court Approval: Protecting Heirs' Rights in Estate Transactions
Learn how Philippine courts handle conditional sales of estate property, protecting heirs' shares while honoring valid contracts.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Verbal Contracts in the Philippines: Are Oral Agreements Legally Binding?
Oral agreements can be legally binding in the Philippines, but proving them in court requires clear and convincing evidence. Learn the rules.
Simulated Sale or Real Deal: How Philippine Courts Protect Property Owners From False Contracts
Philippine courts distinguish real estate mortgages from pacto de retro sales. Learn how judges protect property owners from fraudulent contracts.
Meeting of Minds: Why Genuine Agreement Is Key to Valid Philippine Contracts
Philippine law requires a genuine meeting of minds for a valid contract. Learn how consent is formed and what happens when it is absent.
Documentary Evidence vs Verbal Agreements: Why Written Contracts Prevail in Philippine Courts
When a verbal claim of discount conflicts with written invoices, Philippine courts rely on documentary evidence. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling.
Extraordinary Inflation and Philippine Contracts: When Can You Adjust Rental Rates
Philippine law allows rent adjustments for extraordinary inflation, but courts rarely grant them. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Extraordinary Inflation and Lease Rentals: What Singson v. Caltex Means for Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when extraordinary inflation justifies adjusting contract rentals under Article 1250 of the Civil Code.