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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Neglect of Duty in Handling Court Funds: A Clerk's Responsibility
A clerk of court's failure to safely keep court records and exhibits constitutes simple neglect of duty, warranting suspension.
Pilotage Fees and Government Share: PPA Can Collect Directly from Shipping Lines
Supreme Court ruling on PPA's authority to collect the 10% government share on pilotage fees directly from shipping companies.
Custodian Negligence Court Personnel Held Liable for Missing Case Records
Court personnel who negligently handle case records face administrative liability. Learn the rules on custodianship of court exhibits.
Abandonment in Agricultural Tenancy: When Hiring Help Costs Cultivation Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a tenant's surrender of cultivation to another amounts to abandonment and loss of tenancy rights.
Tenant Rights and Fraud Claims in Agrarian Disputes: Quitoriano v. DARAB
The Supreme Court affirms that emancipation patents stand unless fraud is proven by clear and convincing evidence in agrarian disputes.
Defining Abandonment And Insubordination Employee Rights VS Employer Authority
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee abandonment and insubordination, balancing worker rights against employer authority in termination disputes.
Vasectomy and Mutilation: Defining the Boundaries of Reproductive Rights Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between lawful vasectomy and criminal mutilation, affirming reproductive rights under Philippine law.
Presumption OF Innocence Prevails Absence OF Direct Evidence Leads TO Acquittal IN Theft Case
Clerks of Court Upholding Fiscal Responsibility and Public Trust in Handling Court Funds
A clerk of court fined for collecting transportation allowance without issuing official receipts, violating Rule 141 and Supreme Court Circular No. 26-97.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Corporate Officers Can Be Held Personally Liable
The Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be personally liable for labor claims, and why final judgments cannot be altered to pierce the corporate veil.
Upholding Court Authority: Contempt for Baseless Administrative Complaints
Filing baseless administrative complaints against judges and court personnel can result in indirect contempt. Learn the rules and consequences.
Senior Citizen Discounts: Defining meant only the acquisition cost of medicines, not the full discount amount.
The Issue: Tax Credit vs. Tax Deduction The central legal question was whether the 20% senior citizen discount should be claimed as a tax credit or as a tax de
Upholding Comelec's Authority: Finality of Election Contest Decisions for Municipal Mayors
The Supreme Court affirms the finality of Comelec decisions in election contests for municipal mayors, clarifying jurisdictional boundaries.
Courts Hold Sole Power to Remove Elective Local Officials, High Court Rules
Supreme Court affirms only courts can remove elective local officials like barangay captains, limiting sanggunian disciplinary powers.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: The Binding Force of Agreed Interest Rates in Credit Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on agreed interest rates in credit sales, party autonomy, and limits on unconscionable charges.
Mission Orders and Memorandum Receipts: When They Don't Replace a Firearms License
The Supreme Court clarifies that mission orders and memorandum receipts cannot substitute for a valid firearms license, even for confidential agents.
Easement OF Right OF WAY Ensuring Access Amidst Landlocked Property
Constructive Dismissal VS Loss OF Trust Clarifying Employers Rights IN Terminating A Managerial Employee
Labor-Only Contracting: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
Philippine Airlines v. Ligan explains labor-only contracting rules, when workers become regular employees, and employer liability under Philippine law.
Agrarian Reform vs Local Reclassification: Protecting Tenants Rights in the Philippines
When can a local ordinance reclassify farmland and remove tenant protections? The Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction.
Dividing Assets After Annulment: Mortgage Validity and Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conjugal property division after annulment, mortgage validity, and the effect of compromise agreements on asset distribution.
Filing Fees FOR Ejectment Cases Clarifying THE Application OF Court Amendments
Double Jeopardy in Administrative Penalties: When a Mitigating Circumstance Cannot Be Reused
The Supreme Court clarifies that a mitigating circumstance used to downgrade an offense cannot be reused to further reduce the administrative penalty.
Upholding Corporate Agreements When Courts Defer to Trial Court Discretion in Preliminary Injunctions
Supreme Court affirms appellate deference to trial court discretion in preliminary injunction rulings, upholding corporate agreements' status quo.