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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Incestuous Rape Upholding Victim Testimony AND Penalty Adjustments
Negligence in a U-Turn Collision: Quasi-Delict Liability Under Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies negligence and vicarious liability in a U-turn collision, applying Articles 2176 and 2180 of the Civil Code.
Tax Credit Certificates: Good Faith Transferees Protected Against Fraudulent Issuance
Supreme Court rules transferees in good faith and for value of tax credit certificates cannot be made to pay taxes again when the certificates are later canceled for fraud.
Agrarian Reform Coverage of Church Lands: The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Caceres Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that church-held agricultural lands are not exempt from agrarian reform coverage under PD 27 and RA 6657.
Agrarian Reform Church Lands AND THE Limits OF Exemption
The Supreme Court ruled that church lands are not exempt from agrarian reform, and a trustee cannot claim multiple retention rights.
Rehabilitation Plans and Contractual Rights: Dacion en Pago in Corporate Recovery
Supreme Court ruling on whether a rehabilitation plan's dacion en pago proposal violates a secured creditor's contractual rights.
Moral Conduct in the Judiciary: Defining Immorality and Due Process for Court Employees
The Supreme Court clarifies when giving birth out of wedlock is immoral conduct for court employees and protects due process rights.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: How the DAR Formula and Land Valuation Interact
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that the DAR valuation formula guides, but does not strictly bind, courts in fixing just compensation for lands taken under agrarian reform.
HDMF Cannot Restrict Pag-IBIG Waiver Beyond What the Law Allows
Supreme Court rules HDMF cannot limit Pag-IBIG fund coverage waivers to distressed employers, as administrative rules cannot override the law.
Security Codes and Promo Prizes: Why 349 Crown Holders Lost in Court
The Supreme Court denied claims of 349 crown holders in the Pepsi number fever promo, ruling that the correct security code was indispensable to win.
When Appeals Should Not Be Dismissed: Protecting Rights of Appellants With Counsel de Oficio
The Supreme Court clarifies when the Court of Appeals may dismiss an appeal for failure to file a brief, protecting indigent appellants.
Upholding Search Warrants IN Intellectual Property Cases THE Importance OF Probable Cause AND Specificity
Upholding Statutory Mandates Hdmfs Rule Making Limits IN Granting PAG Ibig Fund Waivers
The Supreme Court rules that only the DENR Secretary can cancel mineral agreements, not the Panel of Arbitrators, in Celestial Nickel v. Macroasia.
Absence Due to Unjustified Detention: Employee Protection Against Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's absence due to detention does not constitute abandonment, protecting workers from illegal dismissal.
Academic Freedom vs Student Rights: Balancing Discipline and Due Process in Higher Education
The Supreme Court balances academic freedom and student rights in De La Salle University v. CA, clarifying due process and CHED jurisdiction.
Detention and Absences: When Prolonged AWOL Is Not Abandonment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's prolonged absence due to detention does not constitute abandonment, and the limits of dismissal.
When Treachery Is Not Proven: How a Murder Charge Becomes Homicide
A Supreme Court ruling shows why treachery must be proven beyond reasonable doubt, and how its absence reduced a murder conviction to homicide.
Bank Negligence and Fiduciary Duty in Handling Foreign Currency Deposits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for negligence in handling foreign currency time deposit pretermination and fiduciary duty.
Can a Filipino Lawyer Who Became a Foreign Citizen Still Practice Law? The Dacanay Ruling
The Supreme Court explains when a lawyer who lost Philippine citizenship may resume law practice under RA 9225.
Credibility of Victim Testimony in Rape Cases Convicting Solely on Direct Evidence
In People v. Aguilar, the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based solely on the victim's credible testimony, ruling medical evidence is not indispensable.
Directors Personally Liable for Unremitted SSS Contributions: The Garcia Doctrine
The Supreme Court holds directors personally liable for collected but unremitted SSS contributions, piercing the corporate veil under the Social Security Law.
Supreme Court Clarifies Torrens Title Date: Registration Takes Effect on Transcription, Not Decree Issuance
The Court ruled that a Torrens title takes effect only upon transcription by the Register of Deeds, resolving a decades-old land dispute.
Forged Titles and Faulty Foundations: How Errors in Original Land Registration Undermine Property Rights in th
A Supreme Court ruling explains why the date of transcription, not decree issuance, determines a title's validity and priority.
Trade Secrets vs Discovery: Balancing Business Confidentiality and Legal Rights in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when trade secrets are privileged from compulsory disclosure in civil discovery proceedings.