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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The Fresh Period Rule: Reconciling Procedure and Justice in Appeals
The Supreme Court extends the Neypes fresh period rule to criminal appeals, ensuring uniform 15-day appeal periods and protecting the accused's right to appeal.
Dismissed Appeal: The Perils of Non-Compliance with Rules of Court
A dismissed appeal shows why strict compliance with Rule 44 on appellant's briefs is mandatory, not optional.
Immediate Execution of Ombudsman Decisions: A Guide for Philippine Public Officials
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that Ombudsman suspension orders are immediately executory even pending appeal before the Court of Appeals.
Missed Filing Deadlines in Philippine Courts: Lessons from Barangay Dasmariñas vs. Creative Play Corner School
Learn how strict Philippine court filing deadlines are, and why a missed extension cost Barangay Dasmariñas its case before the Court of Appeals.
When Death Ends Criminal and Civil Liability: Datu v. People Explained
What happens to a conviction when the accused dies pending appeal? The Supreme Court's ruling in Datu v. People provides the answer.
Conditional Settlement Agreements: Are They Binding in Philippine Labor Disputes?
The Supreme Court ruled on whether a "conditional" settlement of a labor judgment award is valid and binding, and its effect on pending appeals.
Substitution of Counsel and Your Right to Appeal: A Philippine Guide
Learn how the Supreme Court handles appeals filed by lawyers who failed to properly substitute the counsel on record.
Untimely Appeal: How Attorney Negligence Can Doom Your Case
Learn how attorney negligence in filing an appeal can doom your case, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Illegal Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court rules on when procedural lapses in appeals may be relaxed, and what due process truly requires in employee dismissal.
Perjury Complaints and the DOJ Secretary's Discretion in Preliminary Investigations
Explains when the DOJ may dismiss a perjury complaint appeal and why constitutional due process rules for courts do not bind prosecutors.
Navigating Appeals When Questions of Fact and Law Intertwine in Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts handle appeals involving mixed questions of fact and law, based on a 2010 Supreme Court ruling.
Untangling Agrarian Appeals When Is a Petition for Review Required
The Supreme Court clarifies when a petition for review—not an ordinary appeal—is required in agrarian cases, and why procedural lapses may be excused.
Forum Shopping and Timeliness: Navigating Legal Remedies in Intra-Corporate Disputes
A party cannot file both an appeal and a certiorari petition against the same ruling—this is forum shopping. Learn the rules.
Illegal Strike Consequences and Employee Rights: Lessons from Alcantara v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when strikes become illegal, who faces termination, and what reinstatement rights employees retain.
Judicial Seniority in the Court of Appeals: Date of Appointment Controls
The Supreme Court settles how CA justices' seniority is determined—by appointment date, not transmittal or barcode.
Finality Prevails: The Consequences of Untimely Appeals in Philippine Civil Procedure
Learn how the Supreme Court treats late appeals in civil cases, why finality matters, and the strict rules on appeal periods.
Counsel's Negligence and Missed Appeal Deadlines: When Excuses Fail in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lawyer's negligence excuses a missed appeal deadline, and when clients remain bound by counsel's mistakes.
Upholding Workers Rights Timely Appeals AND Constructive Dismissal IN Labor Disputes
Understand the Supreme Court's ruling on prescriptive periods for illegal dismissal and money claims in PLDT v. Pingol.
When Does the 10-Day Appeal Period Start in Illegal Dismissal Cases?
Learn when the 10-day appeal period starts in labor cases and why a security guard's receipt of a decision may not bind the employer.
Untimely Appeal, Solidary Liability in Joint Ventures, and the Cost of Procedural Lapses
A Supreme Court ruling on the perils of an untimely appeal, solidary liability in joint ventures, and the high cost of procedural lapses in the Philippines.
Jurisdictional Error: Appealing to the Wrong Court in Anti-Graft Cases
Learn how filing a COA appeal to the wrong court can be fatal, using a recent Supreme Court ruling on quantum meruit.
Dismissal for Failure to Prosecute: Understanding the Remedy and Its Implications in Philippine Law
Learn what dismissal for failure to prosecute means under Rule 17, Section 3, and why appeal—not certiorari—is the proper remedy.
Death of Accused Pending Appeal Extinguishes Criminal and Civil Liability
When an accused dies while appeal is pending, criminal liability and civil liability ex delicto are extinguished under Article 89 of the Revised Penal Code.
Death of the Accused Pending Appeal: What Happens to Criminal and Civil Liability
When an accused dies pending appeal, criminal liability and civil liability ex delicto are extinguished. Learn the rules from People v. Ayochok.