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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Breach of Trust: Dismissal for Dishonesty and Misconduct in Public Service
Court employees who misappropriate judiciary funds face dismissal for dishonesty, grave misconduct, and gross neglect of duty.
Court Employees' Misappropriation of Funds: Administrative Liability and Penalties
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on court employees found guilty of dishonesty and grave misconduct for misappropriating judiciary funds.
Notarial Duties: False Acknowledgment and Record-Keeping Violations Cost a Lawyer His Commission
A notary who acknowledged a deed without the signer's presence and failed to record it faced suspension and perpetual disqualification.
The Lingering Shadow of Disappearance: Navigating the Amparo Writ and the Limits of Investigation
The Supreme Court explains when an amparo case may be archived and the PNP relieved from investigation duties.
Public Use Prevails Over Private Claims in Road Right-of-Way Dispute
Supreme Court rules that road rights-of-way are public dominion property, and private claimants cannot demand just compensation for land never validly acquired.
Priority OF Title Resolving Land Ownership Disputes Based ON Registration Date
Unlawful Search by Bantay Bayan Operatives Leads to Acquittal in Drug Case
Supreme Court rules Bantay Bayan operatives are state agents for Bill of Rights purposes; warrantless search without lawful arrest invalidates drug evidence.
Seafarer Rights Illegal Dismissal and the Importance of Due Process
A seafarer's dismissal requires just cause and due process. The Supreme Court explains both in this landmark ruling.
Priority of Title in Conflicting Land Claims Under the Torrens System
When two Torrens titles cover the same land, the earlier registered title prevails. This case explains the rule and its limits.
Dismissal Based on Uncorroborated Report Violates Due Process in Seafarer Cases
Supreme Court rules a seafarer's dismissal based on an uncorroborated captain's report violates due process and just cause requirements.
Union Expulsion vs Dismissal: When a Union Security Clause Cannot Justify Termination
Supreme Court rules union officers cannot be expelled and dismissed based on grounds for impeachment under the union constitution.
Upholding Client Trust Attorney Suspended For Neglect And Mismanagement Of Funds
A lawyer’s failure to update a client and mishandling of client funds leads to suspension, affirming strict duties under the Code of Professional Responsibility.
Upholding Court Authority: The Limits of Defiance in Intra-Corporate Disputes
When can a party defy a court order in an intra-corporate dispute? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of defiance and the consequences of disobedience.
When Court Orders Are Ignored: Indirect Contempt in Intra-Corporate Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when defiance of court orders becomes indirect contempt, using a school board dispute as a cautionary example.
Upholding Notarial Duties: Consequences for Negligence in Document Notarization
A notary's failure to verify documents and record notarizations leads to commission revocation and disqualification in this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Preventive Suspension by the Ombudsman: The Purisima Case and Due Process
The Supreme Court clarifies the Ombudsman's power to preventively suspend officials and the limits of due process in administrative cases.
SEC v. Price Richardson: Probable Cause in Securities Fraud Cases
Supreme Court clarifies when courts may review prosecutors' probable cause findings in securities regulation violations.
Marital Fidelity and Fatal Consequences: Establishing Guilt in Parricide Cases
When jealousy turns deadly, Philippine law holds spouses accountable. This case clarifies parricide, penalties, and why infidelity never justifies violence.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Timing and Evidence Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when just compensation is reckoned and what evidence trial courts must consider in expropriation cases.
Tax Assessment Waivers Must Strictly Comply With BIR Rules or Prescription Applies
Learn how defective tax waivers fail to extend the BIR's three-year assessment period, from the Supreme Court's ruling in CIR v. Systems Technology Institute.
Stepfathers Betrayal Upholding THE Conviction FOR Rape Based ON Credible Testimony AND Medical Evidence
Seafarer Disability Claims: Defining Total and Permanent Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer with a partial disability grade is deemed totally and permanently disabled under the POEA-SEC.
Reasonable Linkage Seafarers Illness AND Work Conditions IN Disability Claims
Upholding Agrarian Reform Security of Tenure Prevails Despite Land Reclassification
Supreme Court rules tenants' rights survive land reclassification, affirming DARAB jurisdiction over agrarian disputes despite zoning changes.