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.
Tax Suspension Bonds: When the CTA Must Hear the Taxpayer First
The Supreme Court clarifies when the Court of Tax Appeals may require a bond to suspend tax collection, and why a preliminary hearing is essential.
Demand Is Key: Prescription in Unlawful Detainer and Mortgage Foreclosure Contexts
When does the one-year period to file unlawful detainer start? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on demand and prescription.
Reckoning the Two-Year Prescriptive Period for DST Refund Claims: PBCom v. CIR
When does the two-year prescriptive period for a documentary stamp tax refund claim begin for metering machine users? The Supreme Court settles the rule.
Res Judicata in Agrarian Disputes: Identity of Parties and Causes of Action
When does a DARAB ruling bar a court case? The Supreme Court clarifies the requisites of res judicata, especially identity of parties and causes of action.
Dereliction of Duty and the Duty of Promptness in Resolving Cases Filed by Indigents
The Supreme Court clarifies when a prosecutor's delay in resolving an indigent's complaint amounts to gross neglect of duty.
Treachery in Criminal Law: How Philippine Courts Qualify a Killing as Murder
In People v. Avila, the Supreme Court explains when treachery qualifies a killing as murder, and why evident premeditation and abuse of superior strength failed.
Navigating Property Disputes: The Crucial Role of Assessed Value in Determining Court Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court clarifies res judicata and jurisdiction rules in property disputes, emphasizing the importance of assessed value in determining which court has authority.
Employer-Employee Relationship and Due Process in DOLE Labor Standards Cases
Supreme Court ruling on DOLE jurisdiction, employer-employee relationship requirements, and due process in labor standards enforcement.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding Conviction in Statutory Rape Cases
Supreme Court affirms statutory rape conviction, explaining why a child victim's credible testimony suffices even without medical evidence of injury.
Indefinite Preventive Suspension Is Constructive Dismissal: Employee Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court rules that an indefinite preventive suspension beyond 30 days amounts to constructive dismissal, entitling the employee to backwages and separation pay.
Child Abuse vs Slight Physical Injuries: The Intent Requirement in Philippine Law
When does a slap on a child become child abuse under RA 7610, and when is it only slight physical injuries? The Supreme Court clarifies the role of intent.
Buy-Bust Operations: Where Entrapment Ends and Constitutional Rights Begin
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between valid entrapment in buy-bust operations and impermissible instigation, affirming a drug conviction under RA 9165.
Upholding Buy-Bust Operations and the Chain of Custody Rule in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, explaining buy-bust operations, chain of custody, and why procedural lapses did not free the accused.
Depositions Abroad: Balancing Convenience and Due Process in Philippine Civil Suits
The Supreme Court clarifies when a foreign plaintiff residing abroad may take deposition outside the Philippines for direct testimony in a Philippine civil case.
Forum Shopping: Simultaneous Appeal and Annulment of Judgment Constitutes Abuse
Philippine Supreme Court rules that pursuing an appeal and a petition for annulment of judgment simultaneously constitutes forum shopping and may warrant contempt.
Negligence on the Road: When Employer Liability Intersects With Employee Conduct
A Supreme Court ruling on bus driver dismissals clarifies negligence as just cause, procedural due process, and the limits of settlement authority.
Equitable Title Prevails: Understanding Ownership Through Deeds of Sale and Possession
Explore how the Supreme Court ruled that equitable title, not just a deed, determines ownership in quieting of title cases.
Treachery in Multiple Shooting: How a Cascade of Violence Proved Guilt
When one sudden attack fells several victims, treachery may qualify each offense—explaining the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Oandasan.
Disbarment for Deceit: Upholding Ethical Standards in the Legal Profession
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for immorality, clarifying that only the Court can discipline lawyers and that compliance must be actual.
Citizenship Revocation and Deportation: Due Process in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court nullified a deportation order based on flimsy evidence, underscoring that citizenship revocation demands substantial proof and due process.
Judicial Impartiality: A Judge's Duty to Disqualify in Cases Involving Relatives
The Supreme Court clarifies when judges must disqualify themselves from cases involving relatives, even at the warrant stage.
Procedural Due Process in Employment Termination: The Right to a Hearing
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers must provide a hearing or conference, not just written notices, before validly dismissing employees.
VAT Refunds for Ecozone Enterprises: The Cross Border Doctrine Explained
Supreme Court clarifies when ecozone enterprises can claim VAT refunds and how the Cross Border Doctrine affects input tax claims.
Heirs Discord Upholding Partition Rights In Estate Disputes
The Supreme Court affirms that no co-heir may be forced to remain in co-ownership, and explains strict rules on appeals.