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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Who Bears the Burden of Proof in Philippine Labor Disputes Over Unpaid Wages
A look at Ropali Trading v. NLRC, where the Supreme Court clarified who must prove payment of wages and commissions in labor cases.
Use It or Lose It: Understanding Abandonment of Mining Claims in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court defines abandonment of mining claims, including annual work obligations, tax payments, and the consequences of non-compliance.
Execution Pending Appeal: Understanding When Philippine Courts CAN Order Immediate Payment
Learn when Philippine courts may allow execution pending appeal, the "good reason" requirement, and why financial distress alone is not enough.
Mortgage Preference vs Corporate Rehabilitation: Understanding Creditor Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on creditor rights, mortgage preference, and payment rules under the Civil Code explained in plain language.
Night Shift Differential Pay in the Philippines: Who Bears the Burden of Proof?
In claims for night shift differential pay, the employer bears the burden of proving payment, not the worker. Learn the rule from this Supreme Court case.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Corporate Officers Personally Liable in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be personally liable and the limits of SEC jurisdiction over suspension of payments.
Suspension of Payments in the Philippines: Who Can File and What Are the Limits
The Supreme Court clarifies that only corporations, partnerships, or associations—not individuals—may file for suspension of payments under PD 902-A.
Deposit Insurance Claims When Banks Fail Are Your Deposits Protected
Learn how PDIC deposit insurance works when a bank fails, and why a certificate of time deposit does not guarantee payment.
Docket Fees and Venue: When Payment Must Be Made Anew on Refiling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that refiling a case in the proper venue requires new docket fees; prior payments do not transfer.
Sheriff’s Sales in the Philippines: Notice Rules and What Torres v. Cabling Teaches
Learn the notice and payment rules for sheriff’s sales in the Philippines, explained through the landmark case of Torres v. Cabling.
Election Protest Filing Fees: When Incomplete Payment Won't Get Your Case Dismissed
Learn when an incomplete election protest filing fee won't get your case dismissed, and the rules on paying deficiencies.
Enforcing Final Judgments Proving Payment AND Avoiding Falsification Charges
Quantum Meruit: When a Contractor Can Recover Payment Without a Formal Contract
Philippine Supreme Court explains when contractors can recover payment on a quantum meruit basis even without a written contract.
When Judges Overstep: The Fine Line Between Debt Collection and Criminal Estafa
A Supreme Court ruling on judicial accountability shows why simple non-payment of debt can never be treated as criminal estafa.
Chattel Mortgage Coverage of Future Loans: The Acme Shoe Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a chattel mortgage can cover future loans and why full payment extinguishes the security.
Perfecting Your Appeal: Why Timely Docket Fee Payment Is Crucial in Philippine Courts
Learn why paying appellate docket fees on time is mandatory and jurisdictional in Philippine courts, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Pedrosa v. Hill.
Fire Insurance Premiums: When Partial Payment Is Not Enough in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules on whether partial premium payment makes a fire insurance policy valid and binding.
Chattel Mortgage Insurance: When Lenders Must Notify Borrowers of Premium Payments
Philippine Supreme Court rules on chattel mortgage insurance renewals, lender obligations, and borrower notice requirements in installment payments.
When Mortgagees May Renew Insurance on Chattel Mortgages: Servicewide Specialists v. Trinidad
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a mortgagee may renew insurance on a chattel and apply installment payments to premiums without notice.
The Best Evidence Rule: Proving Payment and Authority in Philippine Law
Philippine National Bank v. Court of Appeals clarifies when the best evidence rule requires producing an original document to prove payment and agency authority.
Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes: Who Must Prove What
Learn who bears the burden of proof in labor cases—especially on payment of wages and employer-employee relationship—from this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.