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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When Public Service and Private Practice Collide: Lessons from a Lawyer's Suspension
A provincial legal officer's three-year suspension shows the hard lines between government duty, private practice, and client loyalty.
Dismissal for Gross Ignorance of Law: Upholding Ethical Standards in the Judiciary
A judge's dismissal from service for gross ignorance of the law in a hazing case, and what it means for judicial accountability.
Union Registration Misrepresentation and Managerial Employees: Key SC Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when misrepresentation can cancel a union's registration and how managerial employee status affects labor union rights.
When a University President Is a Corporate Officer: Jurisdiction Over Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when a dismissed corporate officer's case belongs to regular courts, not labor tribunals, in Wesleyan University-Philippines v. Maglaya.
Burden of Proof in Firearm-Related Murder: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving unlicensed firearm use in murder cases and the prosecution's burden of proof.
Insufficient Evidence Correcting Land Title Areas Requires More Than DENR Certifications
Correcting a land title's area needs competent evidence, not just DENR certifications. The Supreme Court explains the rules.
Double Sale of Land: Good Faith and Prior Registration Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies double sale rules: good faith and registration determine ownership of land sold twice.
Accretion vs. Reclamation: Philippine Supreme Court Rules on Artificial Land Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that artificially filled land is not accretion under Article 457, settling ownership disputes over man-made extensions.
Moral Ascendancy in Rape Cases: When Power Substitutes for Force Under Philippine Law
How the Supreme Court ruled that moral ascendancy can substitute for physical threat or intimidation in rape cases, protecting vulnerable victims.
Valid Notarization and Agency Substitution in Property Disputes: Villaluz v. Land Bank
A look at when a principal is bound by a substitute agent's mortgage, and why notarization matters in property transactions.
Illegal Dismissal: Backwages and Separation Pay Computed Until Final Judgment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that backwages and separation pay for illegally dismissed employees run until the judgment becomes final, regardless of who appealed.
Safeguarding Rights: Strict Adherence to the Chain of Custody in Drug Cases
In People v. Jaafar, the Supreme Court acquitted an accused after police failed to follow the mandatory chain of custody rules under Section 21 of RA 9165.
When Can an Agent Delegate Authority? The Rule on Substitution Under Philippine Law
Philippine law presumes an agent may appoint a substitute unless prohibited. Learn the rules, limits, and risks from a Supreme Court ruling.
Caveat Venditor: Housing Developers Bear Responsibility for Hidden Defects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on developer liability for hidden structural defects under Civil Code warranty and PD 957.
Liberal Interpretation of Procedural Rules in Intellectual Property Appeals
Supreme Court rules that administrative tribunals like the IPO may liberally apply procedural rules, allowing substantial compliance with certification requirements.
Premature Claims and the Company Physician's Assessment in Seafarer Disability Cases
Explaining Maersk Filipinas v. Ramos on why premature disability claims fail and how the company-designated physician's assessment shapes seafarer compensation.
Security of Tenure for OFWs: Why Illegal Dismissal and Void Contracts Matter
A Supreme Court ruling affirms that overseas Filipino workers enjoy security of tenure, and contracts violating this right are void.
Finality of Judgment and Computation of Backwages in Illegal Dismissal Cases
When do backwages stop accruing in illegal dismissal cases? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on finality of judgment.
Upholding Management Prerogative Employee Transfers AND Constructive Dismissal IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee transfers and probationary dismissals violate security of tenure and due process.
Economic Hardship Is Not a Valid Excuse to Breach a Lease Contract: Iloilo JAR Corp. v. Comglasco
A lessee cannot invoke economic crisis or financial difficulty to escape a lease contract. The Supreme Court clarifies Article 1267 limits.
Protecting Seafarers' Permanent Partial Disability and the Right to Compensation
Supreme Court rules seafarers can claim permanent partial disability benefits even if injury is curable or not in POEA schedule.
Corporal Punishment vs Child Abuse: Where Philippine Law Draws the Line
The Supreme Court clarifies when disciplining a child crosses into child abuse under RA 7610, using a whipping case as the benchmark.
Appeal Bonds: Financial Hardship Is Not a Valid Excuse for Non-Compliance
The Supreme Court rules that financial difficulty alone cannot excuse an employer from posting the full appeal bond required under the Labor Code.
Witness Credibility and Treachery: Key Lessons from a Philippine Murder Conviction
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction, explaining how witness credibility and treachery are assessed in Philippine criminal law.