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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Flight From Justice: How Fugitive Status Can Bar Appeal Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how a fugitive's escape from custody can lead to dismissal of their appeal and loss of legal remedies.
Warrantless Arrests Based ON Tips Striking A Balance Between LAW Enforcement AND Individual Rights
When an Employee Jumps Bail: Employer's Subsidiary Liability and the Finality of Judgment
Can an employer appeal a criminal conviction when its employee jumps bail? The Supreme Court explains subsidiary liability and finality of judgment.
Condominium Living Enforcing Brochure Promises and Addressing Building Defects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on condominium buyers' rights, brochure promises as warranties, and remedies for building defects under PD 957.
Witness Credibility Prevails Over Alibi and Treachery in Murder Conviction
Supreme Court clarifies when a lone eyewitness's testimony can overcome alibi and when treachery fails to qualify murder.
Party List Registration: What It Takes to Represent Marginalized Sectors
The Supreme Court clarifies the requirements for party-list registration and representation of marginalized sectors in the Philippines.
Disproving Co-Ownership Claims: The Importance of Title and Evidence in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on land registration: why bare claims of possession without solid evidence fail.
Leave Credits Survive Dismissal: The Paredes v. Padua Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies that dismissed government employees keep earned leave credits, even when retirement benefits are forfeited.
Clerk of Court's Duty to Deposit Consigned Funds vs. Judicial Prerogative
The Supreme Court clarifies when a clerk of court must deposit fiduciary collections immediately, and when a consigned check may stay in the case record instead.
When Self Defense Claims Fall Short Understanding Unlawful Aggression IN Philippine LAW
A street brawl, a fatal stabbing, and a conviction reduced to slight physical injuries—what the Supreme Court said about conspiracy and liability.
When Participation in a Crime Leads to Murder: The Ramos Case and the Limits of Treachery
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is murder or homicide, and how eyewitness identification and treachery are proven.
Forged Documents and Ethical Boundaries: Attorney Accountability in Court Submissions
Supreme Court ruling on bank liability, damages, and the ethical duty of lawyers to verify documents before court submission.
The Improvident Plea Protecting Rights in Heinous Crimes
Learn how the Supreme Court protects the rights of minors accused of heinous crimes, from improper pleas to mitigating circumstances.
Leave Benefits for Dismissed Employees: Balancing Justice and Accountability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies prescriptive periods for money claims and illegal dismissal cases in Texon Manufacturing vs. Millena.
Upholding Electoral Will: Intervention and Abandonment in Election Protests
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on intervention by non-parties and abandonment of election protests, guided by the will of the people.
When a Deed of Absolute Sale Governs: Ejectment, Ownership, and the Kasunduan
The Supreme Court clarifies how courts resolve ejectment cases when a seller claims the deed of sale was incomplete, and what the Kasunduan means.
Diminished Liability When Lack of Treachery Reduces Murder to Homicide
Learn how the Supreme Court reduced a murder conviction to homicide when the prosecution failed to prove treachery, affecting penalties and damages.
Circumstantial Evidence and Homicide: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
A look at how the Supreme Court distinguishes murder from homicide when treachery is not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Quantum Meruit in Government Contracts: COA Overpayment Recovery Upheld
Supreme Court affirms COA's power to recover overpayments from government contractors under quantum meruit, even in void contracts.
Lawyers' Dishonesty and Disobedience: When Administrative Cases Lead to Suspension
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for dishonesty and disobeying IBP orders, clarifying the burden of proof in disbarment cases.
Piercing the Corporate Veil When Sales to Avoid Labor Judgments Are Void
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts may pierce the corporate veil to hold owners liable for obligations, including labor judgments.
Retirement Benefits, Creditable Service, and the Limits of Tacking in Government-Owned Corporations
A look at how the Supreme Court clarified the rules on retirement benefits, creditable service, and the limits of tacking in government-owned corporations.
Retirement Benefits Creditable Service and the Limits of Tacking in Philippine Labor Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when retirement benefits accrue, how service is counted, and the boundaries of optional retirement under Philippine law.
Protecting the Testimony of a Mental Retardate in Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction based on a mentally retarded victim's testimony, clarifying evidentiary rules for vulnerable witnesses.