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 Valid Dismissal Means No Separation Pay: Serious Misconduct Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when validly dismissed employees lose separation pay due to serious misconduct under Article 282 of the Labor Code.
When Court Employees Err: Administrative Liability for Simple Neglect of Duty
A Supreme Court ruling on when a court employee's error amounts to simple neglect of duty, not dishonesty or gross ignorance.
Contract Termination and Forum Shopping: Lease Rights and Obligations Explained
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on lease contract termination, subleasing without consent, and forum shopping in Riesenbeck v. Maceren.
Intervention in Philippine Courts: Why Legal Interest Is Non-Negotiable
The Supreme Court explains why a woman who married a man whose foreign divorce was void in the Philippines cannot intervene in his annulment case.
Construction Arbitration in the Philippines: Securing CIAC Jurisdiction Despite Contractual Clauses
How the Supreme Court affirmed CIAC's exclusive jurisdiction over construction disputes even when contracts name another forum or process.
Upholding Court Orders: Administrative Liability for Judicial Delay in the Philippines
A look at how the Supreme Court penalizes judges for failing to decide cases within the 90-day constitutional period.
Unraveling Presumptions: How Philippine Courts Determine Marital Status and Inheritance Rights
Philippine courts rely on presumptions to decide marital status and inheritance. Learn how from a Supreme Court case on disputed marriages and heirs.
Second Chances in the Judiciary: Understanding Judicial Clemency for Court Personnel
The Supreme Court explains when it may grant judicial clemency to dismissed court personnel, citing the case of a sheriff who erred on new procedural rules.
Protecting Seafarer Rights When Letters of Indemnity Don't Hold Water in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court rules that seafarers' letters of indemnity are void when coerced, upholding illegal dismissal claims and wage protections.
Moral Turpitude and Lawyer Disbarment: The Case of Frustrated Homicide in the Philippines
When does a frustrated homicide conviction lead to disbarment? The Supreme Court explains moral turpitude and a lawyer's duty of good character.
Sheriff Accountability: Why Mishandling Court Funds Can Lead to Disciplinary Action
Learn how sheriffs mishandling court funds face administrative liability, and what the Supreme Court's ruling means for public accountability.
Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Buyer Rights Subdivision Developer Must Fulfill Obligations Despite Payment S
Buyers may suspend installment payments when a subdivision developer fails to deliver promised improvements, the Supreme Court ruled in Tamayo v. Huang.
Common vs Private Carrier: Liability for Lost Cargo in Philippine Shipping
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a shipping company remains a common carrier despite a voyage charter, and its liability for lost cargo.
Dismissed Appeal: Why Timely Docket Fee Payment Is Non-Negotiable in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court affirms that paying appellate docket fees on time is mandatory and jurisdictional—late payment can kill an appeal.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Expert Opinion in Philippine Murder Trials
The Supreme Court explains why eyewitness accounts can outweigh ballistics expert testimony in murder cases, and when courts may disregard expert opinions.
Pledged Shares and Lost Chances: No Right of Redemption in Philippine Pledge Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that pledged personal property, including shares of stock, has no right of redemption after extrajudicial foreclosure.
Land Title Registration: Why Government Declassification Is Essential in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why land must be declassified as alienable before it can be privately owned and registered.
Safeguarding Due Process: Proper Preliminary Investigation and Bail Procedures
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge's administrative liability clarifies the mandatory rules on preliminary investigation and bail hearings in the Philippines.
Conflict of Interest in Philippine Law: Client Loyalty and the Cabucana Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lawyer's representation of opposing parties violates Rule 15.03 of the Code of Professional Responsibility.
Attorney Accountability in the Philippines: Upholding Client Trust and the Duty to Deliver Legal Services
A lawyer who accepts a client's money must render competent legal service or return the fees—the Supreme Court explains why.
Office Misconduct and Civil Service Suspension: Understanding Employee Accountability in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court disciplines lawyers for misconduct, negligence, and client abandonment, and what this means for workplace accountability.
Graft and Corruption in Philippine Law: Lessons from a Falsified Daily Time Record Case
A Supreme Court administrative case shows how falsifying daily time records constitutes dishonesty and graft in Philippine government service.
Comelec Jurisdiction Over Plebiscites Ensuring Electoral Integrity Beyond Elections
The Supreme Court affirms Comelec’s exclusive jurisdiction over plebiscite disputes, upholding its authority to revise ballots and declare results.
Judicial Delay in the Philippines: The Limits of a Judge's Power in Bail and Preliminary Investigation
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies a judge's limits in bail hearings and preliminary investigations, and the duty to avoid judicial delay.