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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Sheriffs and Public Trust: When a Court Officer Stands By and Does Nothing
A Supreme Court ruling shows that a sheriff's silence during an irregular demolition was neglect of duty, not innocence, and that court officers must act above suspicion.
Substantial Justice Prevails Dismissal Based ON Technicality Overturned IN Procedural Rules Dispute
The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on dismissals without due process, awarding nominal damages instead of reinstatement.
Reckless Imprudence and Damages in Vehicular Homicide: Key Rules from Nueva España
The Supreme Court clarifies reckless imprudence liability, proof of damages, and employer subsidiary liability in vehicular homicide cases.
Protecting Filipino Workers: Philippine Labor Laws Extend to OFWs Regardless of Contractual Stipulations
Philippine labor laws protect OFWs even when employed abroad. The Supreme Court affirms that contractual stipulations cannot waive these protections.
Agent Liability in Insurance Contracts: The Pandiman Philippines Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when an insurance agent can be held liable for claims, and who bears responsibility for overseas workers' death benefits.
Authority Matters: Why Verbal Assurances From Bank Clerks Can't Seal Property Deals in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why verbal assurances from bank clerks cannot validate property transactions, and the importance of proper authority.
The Counter Bond Conundrum: Ensuring Fair Attachment in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts should compute counter-bonds to discharge preliminary attachment, preventing excessive demands on debtors.
Road Repair Responsibility When Negligence Leads to Liability
When road diggings lack warning devices, local governments may be liable for damages. The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on negligence, moral damages, and gross negligence.
Compromise Agreements in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases: PCGG Authority and Finality
The Supreme Court affirms PCGG's power to settle ill-gotten wealth cases through compromise agreements, which become final once court-approved.
DNA Evidence Establishing Paternity in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms DNA paternity testing as admissible evidence, setting standards for probative value and the right against self-incrimination.
Reconstitution of Lost Title: Supreme Court Clarifies Rules on Proof and Sources
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling on judicial reconstitution of lost titles, clarifying the hierarchy of evidence under RA 26.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Affirms Conviction and Raises Penalty for ICT Use
Supreme Court affirms conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262, raising the penalty because the offense was committed through Facebook.
Safeguarding Due Process: The Right to Present Evidence in Criminal Cases
The Supreme Court reminds trial courts that a demurrer to evidence must be a knowing waiver of the accused's right to present evidence.
The Finality of Judgments: When Court Decisions Cannot Be Altered
Philippine Supreme Court explains the doctrine of immutability of judgments and why final orders cannot be modified.
Dishonesty and Absenteeism in the Judiciary: Upholding Public Trust Through Accountability
Court personnel who collect funds without authority and abandon their posts betray public trust. The Supreme Court rules on the consequences.
Homeowner Rights vs Developer Authority Clarifying Subdivision Regulations in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a homeowner's Torrens title can be subdivided, and a bank's liability for releasing a mortgaged owner's duplicate certificate.
Court Dismisses Clerk of Court for Misusing Judicial Office to Harass Private Individuals
Supreme Court dismisses court clerk who used court letterhead to summon persons with no pending cases, ruling the acts constitute gross misconduct.
Employer Responsibility in Outsourcing: When a Client Is Not the Employer
The Supreme Court explains when a company that hires security guards through an agency is not their employer, and the four tests that determine employer-employee relationships.
Upholding Workers Rights THE Limits OF Quitclaims IN Philippine Labor LAW
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when quitclaims and waivers signed by employees are invalid and cannot bar recovery of labor standard claims.
Conditional Sales of Land: Upholding Contractual Obligations in Real Estate Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on foreclosure, redemption rights, and the consequences of failing to prosecute a case for injunction.
Breach of Trust and Employee Dismissal: When Is It Justified in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee dismissal for breach of trust is justified, and why procedural rules yield to substantial justice in labor cases.
Reconstitution Denied: Insufficient Evidence Fails to Restore Lost Land Title
Philippine Supreme Court denies reconstitution of lost land title due to insufficient evidence, clarifying strict requirements under RA 26.
Mortgage Foreclosure and the Court's Ministerial Duty: Zarate v. Maybank
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on dismissal for failure to prosecute in a mortgage foreclosure redemption case.
Coslaps Limited Jurisdiction Resolving Land Disputes AND Forum Shopping
When can a government agency act on a land dispute without violating due process? The Supreme Court explains in Primetown v. Juntilla.