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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Trust Receipt vs. Loan: When a Security Agreement Becomes a Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a trust receipt arrangement is actually a loan, affecting liability and criminal exposure.
Shore Leave and Seafarer Death Benefits: When Work-Relatedness Fails
Supreme Court rules a seafarer's death during shore leave is not automatically work-related; explains the causal connection required for death benefits.
Judicial Delay in Ejectment Cases: When Slow Justice Becomes a Sanctionable Offense
The Supreme Court fined a judge P10,000 for delaying an ejectment ruling beyond the mandatory 30-day period under the Rules on Summary Procedure.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Credibility of Minor Victim and Exemplary Damages
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on minor victim's credible testimony and reinstates exemplary damages awards for each count.
Buy-Bust Operations and the Chain of Custody: Ensuring Integrity in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court explains why the chain of custody matters in buy-bust drug cases and when its breach can defeat a conviction.
When Judges Owe Debts: Accountability for Willful Failure to Pay Just Debts
The Supreme Court holds judges accountable for unpaid personal debts, ruling that willful failure to pay a just debt is serious misconduct.
Due Process in Termination: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on due process in employee termination, balancing employer rights with constitutional protection of workers.
Retirement Benefits: Reconciling Prior Obligations With Employee Entitlements
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how retirement pay is computed when employees were retrenched, rehired, and had prior debts to the employer.
When Bank Officers Face Dismissal for Breach of Trust: The Cruz v. BPI Case
A bank assistant manager's dismissal for approving fraudulent dollar transactions is upheld by the Supreme Court as valid breach of trust.
Co-Ownership, Partition, and Prescription in Disputed Land Titles: Key Lessons from Figuracion
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies co-owners' rights to partition property, the limits of prescription, and why Torrens titles are not absolute.
Balancing Press Freedom and Confidentiality in Disbarment Cases: Fortun v. Quinsayas
The Supreme Court clarifies when media may report disbarment complaints and when confidentiality rules prevail, penalizing a lawyer for leaking.
VAT Refund Deadlines: San Roque Doctrine on the 120-Day Rule and Judicial Claims
The Supreme Court's San Roque ruling clarifies the mandatory 120-day period for VAT refund claims and its exceptions.
Judge Dinopol Case: Due Process and Judicial Immunity in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court found Judge Oscar Dinopol guilty of gross ignorance of the law for issuing arrest orders without notice and hearing, but shielded him from civil damages.
Creditable Government Service: When Consultancy Work Counts for Justice Retirement Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on crediting consultancy work as government service for retirement benefits of justices under RA 9946.
Shareholder Rights Demanding Corporate Transparency Through Inspection Rights
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on stockholder inspection rights under Section 74 of the Corporation Code and the limits of judicial review of prosecutorial findings.
Balancing Employee Discipline AND Compassion THE Illegality OF Disproportionate Dismissals
When is dismissal too harsh? The Supreme Court rules on proportionate penalties in labor discipline cases.
Breach of Bank Obligations: Understanding Trust Agreements in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court's ruling on PLDT v. ETPI clarifies when courts can enforce judicially approved compromise agreements and the limits of arbitration clauses.
Airport Security vs Personal Rights: Striking the Balance in Drug Possession Cases
How the Supreme Court reconciled airport security searches with constitutional rights in a drug possession case, and what it means for travelers.
Challenging Drug Busts: The Chain of Custody Rule in Illegal Drug Possession Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when airport searches are valid and how the chain of custody of seized drugs is established in Philippine drug cases.
Buy-Bust Operations and Warrantless Arrests: What the Supreme Court Requires in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies what makes a buy-bust arrest valid and how chain of custody of seized drugs must be preserved.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Preserving Evidence Integrity for Conviction
Learn how Philippine courts apply the chain of custody rule in drug cases, using a 2013 Supreme Court ruling on airport searches.
When Courts Can No Longer Enforce Agreements: The Difference Between Entrapment and Instigation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when police buy-bust operations are legal entrapment versus illegal instigation, and why the distinction matters in drug cases.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When a Public Facebook Post Becomes a Crime
The Supreme Court affirms that public Facebook posts can constitute psychological abuse under RA 9262, with higher penalties for ICT use.
Mortgage Without HLURB Approval: Buyer Protection in Condominium Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a mortgage lacking HLURB approval is void only against the unit buyer, not the developer and bank.