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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Proximate Cause in Homicide: Liability for Unintended Fatal Consequences
A punch that led to a fatal fall still means homicide. The Supreme Court explains proximate cause and criminal liability under Article 4 of the RPC.
Establishing Illegal Dismissal: The Employee's Burden to Prove Dismissal First
Employees must first prove they were dismissed before employers must justify termination. A Supreme Court ruling explains the evidence required.
The Perils of Crossed Checks: Navigating Holder in Due Course Status
A crossed check warns holders to verify the indorser's title. Learn how the Supreme Court applied this rule in Dino v. Judal-Loot.
Challenging Notarized Documents in Philippine Property Co-Ownership Disputes
When can a notarized affidavit be challenged in a Philippine property dispute? The Supreme Court explains the limits of notarization.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Preserving Evidence Integrity for a Fair Trial
How the Supreme Court in Balarbar v. People clarified that minor gaps in drug evidence handling do not automatically void a conviction.
Workplace Misconduct: Defining the Boundaries of Just Cause for Dismissal in the Philippines
When does a fistfight outside work justify dismissal? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of just cause under Philippine labor law.
Possession Follows Ownership Clearing Improvements After Land Reconveyance
When a court orders reconveyance of land, does possession automatically follow? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on removing improvements.
Fixed-Term Contracts vs Probationary Employment: Protecting Teachers' Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when fixed-term teaching contracts must yield to probationary employment rules under Philippine law.
Probationary Employment vs Fixed-Term Contracts: What Schools Must Prove to Avoid Illegal Dismissal Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how probationary employment rules apply to teachers on fixed-term contracts, and what employers must prove.
Kidnapping for Ransom Conviction Affirmed: The Limits of Alibi and Denial of Conspiracy
Supreme Court affirms kidnapping-for-ransom convictions, explaining why alibi fails against positive identification and how conspiracy is inferred from concerted acts.
Upholding Possession Jurisdiction in Forcible Entry Cases and the Significance of Juridical Acts
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on forcible entry jurisdiction, possession through juridical acts, and the one-year prescriptive period.
Forcible Entry Jurisdiction: When Stealth Extends the One-Year Filing Period
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on forcible entry jurisdiction, stealth dispossession, and the one-year filing period in Nuñez v. SLTEAS Phoenix Solutions.
Appeals From the NWRB: Clarifying Jurisdiction Between the RTC and Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies that appeals from National Water Resources Board decisions go to the Court of Appeals, not the RTC.
Beyond Morality: LGBT Rights and Party-List Accreditation in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that moral disapproval alone cannot bar LGBT groups from party-list accreditation, affirming equal protection and secular governance.
Backwages and Separation Pay: Reconciling Employee Rights in Illegal Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that illegally dismissed employees can receive both backwages and separation pay when reinstatement is no longer feasible.
Upholding Judicial Integrity Responsibilities OF Judges AND Court Personnel IN Bail Bond Approvals
Equality in Representation: Population Requirements for Legislative Districts in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Constitution does not require a 250,000 population minimum for provincial legislative districts.
Foreclosure Redemption Rights Under the Rural Banks Act and Property Law
The Supreme Court clarifies redemption periods for rural bank foreclosures under RA 720, emphasizing borrower disclosure duties and laches.
Upholding Court Integrity: Dismissal for Grave Misconduct in Record Tampering
A clerk of court who overcharged filing fees and issued fake receipts faces dismissal, forfeiture of benefits, and criminal prosecution.
Election Integrity: The Balance Between Ballot Preservation and Voter Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC execution pending appeal, ballot appreciation, and the delicate balance between election integrity and voter rights.
Mistaken Identity or Intent to Kill: The Boundaries of Attempted Murder and Physical Injuries
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a shooting is attempted murder versus less serious physical injuries, and how positive identification defeats alibi.
Legislative Districts Population Disparity and the Right to Equal Representation
The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not require a 250,000 population minimum for provincial legislative districts, upholding RA 9716.
Authority to Sue Corporations Must Prove Representation in Court
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that corporate plaintiffs must prove their representative's authority to sue, or risk dismissal of their case.
Real Party in Interest Rule in Annulling Land Titles in the Philippines
Learn the real party in interest rule for annulling land titles in the Philippines, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Goco v. CA.