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: Standards for Regularization and Dismissal Explained
Learn the rules on probationary employment in the Philippines—what standards employers must set and when dismissal is valid.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Annulment of Land Sales Under CARP Coverage
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over annulment of deeds of sale for agricultural lands covered by CARP, even without notice of coverage.
Labor-Only Contracting and Illegal Dismissal: Solidary Liability of Principal and Contractor
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting, control test, and solidary liability for illegal dismissal under the Labor Code.
Filing the Right Case: Why Agrarian Dispute Jurisdiction Matters
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why cancellation of CLOAs involving non-tenants belongs to the DAR Secretary, not the DARAB.
Who Hears CLOA Cancellation Cases? The DAR Secretary, Not DARAB, Rules
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that DARAB lacks jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation cases without tenurial disputes; the DAR Secretary decides.
Upholding Ethical Standards: An Attorney's Duty to Avoid Delaying Tactics in Legal Proceedings
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for three months for employing dilatory tactics, reaffirming the duty to avoid delaying legal proceedings.
Disbarment for Gross Immorality: When a Lawyer’s Private Conduct Ends the Legal Career
The Supreme Court disbars a Court of Appeals clerk for an adulterous affair, reaffirming that lawyers must uphold high moral standards in private life.
Solidary Liability and Compromise: When Settling With One Debtor Benefits All
When solidary debtors are sued under a common cause of action, a compromise with one may extinguish liability for all. This explains the rule.
Upholding Ethical Standards: University's Right to Transfer Faculty for Breaches of Professional Ethics
When can a university transfer a professor for ethical lapses? The Supreme Court clarifies management prerogative versus constructive dismissal.
Solidary Liability in Suretyship: Partners' Obligations in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on solidary liability of partners and sureties in loan agreements, explained in plain language.
Circumstantial Evidence and Murder Conviction: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices to convict for murder, applying the Rules of Court standard.
Tenancy vs Ownership: Who Hears Agrarian Disputes?
The Supreme Court clarifies when a case is an agrarian dispute for DARAB and when it belongs in regular courts, using a Bulacan land case.
Navigating Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Employment Disputes Within Corporate Structures
The Supreme Court clarifies which courts and tribunals have jurisdiction when employment claims and intra-corporate disputes overlap in one case.
Disbarment FOR Immorality Upholding Moral Standards IN THE Legal Profession
Rape Conviction Affirmed Conspiracy AND THE Standard OF Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Explore how the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect, emphasizing that a valid warrantless arrest must precede any search incident to arrest.
Boundary Disputes and Ejectment: Clarifying the Proper Legal Action in Philippine Property Law
When a property conflict involves boundary lines, ejectment is not the right remedy. Learn what action to file.
Attorney Suspension Case Dismissed: Res Judicata and Burden of Proof in Administrative Cases
Supreme Court dismisses administrative complaint against lawyer, applying res judicata and the clear preponderance of evidence standard in disciplinary proceedings.
Reinstatement to the Bar: Proving Remorse and Reformation After Disbarment
The Supreme Court denies a disbarred lawyer's petition for reinstatement, clarifying the strict standards for proving remorse, reformation, and fitness to rejoin the Bar.
Agrarian Dispute Jurisdiction Over CLOA Cancellation Hinges on Tenancy Relationship
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation requires an agrarian dispute or tenancy relationship between parties.
Tenants Rights VS Theft Resolving Land Disputes AND Criminal Charges
When a DARAB ruling declares someone a tenant, can they still be convicted of theft for harvesting crops? The Supreme Court clarifies.
When Agrarian Reform and Townsite Reservations Collide: Navigating Land Use Conflicts
The Supreme Court clarifies when lands in townsite reservations fall outside CARP coverage and the DARAB's jurisdiction.
Declaring a Spouse Presumptively Dead: The High Bar of a "Well-Founded Belief"
The Supreme Court clarifies the stringent standard for declaring a spouse presumptively dead under Article 41 of the Family Code.
Diligent Search Required for Presumptive Death Declarations Under the Family Code
The Supreme Court clarifies the stringent "well-founded belief" standard for declaring a spouse presumptfully dead under Article 41 of the Family Code.
Loss of Trust and Due Process: Philippine Standards for Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the standards for loss of trust and due process in employee dismissal cases under the Labor Code.