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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Rape Conviction Upheld Minors ACT OF Discernment Overrides Youthful Mitigation
Supreme Court affirms gang rape convictions of minors, ruling discernment negates the mitigating effect of minority under juvenile justice law.
Balancing Development and Ecology: The Limits of Environmental Protection Orders in Mining Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a Writ of Kalikasan may issue in mining disputes, requiring proof of environmental damage of magnitude affecting two or more provinces.
Justice Delayed: Holding Judges Accountable for Delayed Case Resolutions in the Philippines
The Supreme Court fined a Cebu judge P75,000 for gross inefficiency after failing to decide 99 cases and resolve 91 incidents within the mandatory 90-day period.
Probable Cause and Bribery When Doubts Justify A Trial
Supreme Court ruling on who may appeal criminal case dismissals and venue rules for online libel.
Judge Reprimanded for Undue Delay in Resolving Motions: A Lesson in Judicial Duty
The Supreme Court reminds judges that the 90-day period to resolve motions is mandatory, not optional, and that delay erodes public faith in the judiciary.
GSIS Survivorship Benefits: Secondary Beneficiaries Win in Laroco v. GSIS
Supreme Court strikes down GSIS rule barring secondary beneficiaries from survivorship benefits when a member dies with less than 15 years of service.
Judicial Accountability When Delay Undermines Justice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court holds judges accountable for undue delay, clarifying the line between judicial discretion and administrative liability.
Standing to Sue: The Solicitor General's Exclusive Authority in Criminal Appeals
Who may appeal a dismissed criminal case? The Supreme Court clarifies the Solicitor General's exclusive authority and the limits on private prosecutors.
Breach of Professional Ethics: Lawyers Cannot Exploit Legal Loopholes for Personal or Client Gain
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when judges face administrative liability for delay, bias, and abuse of judicial discretion.
Lawyer Suspended for Abandoning Client and Failing to Return Attorney's Fees
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for one year and ordered him to return P61,500 in fees after he withdrew from his client's cases without notice.
When Lawyers Can Withdraw From a Case: The Rule on Client Consent and Court Approval
A lawyer cannot simply abandon a client's case. The Supreme Court explains the rules on withdrawal and the penalties for violation.
Mutuality of Contracts: Banks Cannot Unilaterally Raise Interest Rates Without Borrower Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why banks cannot unilaterally increase loan interest rates without borrower consent, citing mutuality of contracts principle.
Due Process in Administrative Actions: Fair Notice in Recruitment Cases
The Supreme Court rules that administrative due process requires furnishing the accused with the evidence against them, not just a hearing.
Eyewitness Inconsistency and Reasonable Doubt: Scrutinizing Witness Testimony in Murder Cases
In People v. Vargas, the Supreme Court acquitted two murder accused after the lone eyewitness gave conflicting accounts of who killed the victim.
Pre-Trial Stipulations and Signature Authentication: Heirs of Salud v. Rural Bank of Salinas
A 2016 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when pre-trial stipulations bind parties and how courts weigh handwriting expert findings against direct testimony.
The Burden of Proof in Seafarer Disability Claims: Clarifying the Third Doctor Rule
A seafarer who disputes a company doctor's fit-to-work finding must follow the POEA-SEC third doctor rule and present solid medical evidence, the Supreme Court reminds.
Breach of Trust Dismissal for Theft of Court Exhibit Undermines Judicial Integrity
Court personnel who steal exhibits betray the judiciary's trust. The Supreme Court's ruling in Castro shows why dismissal is the only fitting penalty.
Supreme Court Upholds ERC's Power to Set Electric Cooperative Capital Contribution Charges
SC dismisses challenge to MCC/RFSC charges by electric cooperatives, affirming ERC's rate-setting authority under EPIRA.
Theft of a Court Exhibit: Why a Utility Worker Was Dismissed for Breach of Trust
A Supreme Court decision shows why court personnel who take evidence entrusted to them face dismissal for dishonesty and grave misconduct, even without leaving the building.
When a DILG Order Meets a COMELEC Ruling: Contempt in Election Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when government officials can be cited for contempt for implementing an Ombudsman decision that conflicts with a COMELEC ruling.
Pension Rights and Regulatory Board Abolition When Retirement Benefits Remain Fixed
When a regulatory board is abolished and replaced, do its retirees get the new body's higher pensions? The Supreme Court says no.
Freedom of the Press and Electoral Integrity: Rappler's Right to Live Stream Debates
The Supreme Court ruled that media entities may live stream COMELEC debates, subject to copyright conditions under the Intellectual Property Code.
Corporate Rehabilitation Appeals: Choosing the Right Remedy Under Philippine Rules
Learn the correct mode of appeal for corporate rehabilitation cases in the Philippines, as clarified by the Supreme Court in Golden Cane v. Steelpro.
Passenger Duty of Diligence in Verifying Flight Details: Manay v. Cebu Air
The Supreme Court ruled that passengers must exercise ordinary diligence in checking flight details on tickets, even as airlines owe extraordinary diligence.