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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Lawyer Suspended for Gross Misconduct: Donato v. Asuncion and the Duty of Honesty
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for filing a baseless reformation suit to extract more money from clients, showing the bar's duty of honesty and candor.
Citizenship by Blood: Redefining Qualifications for the Philippine Presidency
The Supreme Court's 2004 ruling in Tecson v. COMELEC clarifies how natural-born citizenship is determined for presidential candidates.
Election Returns and Missing Seals: Limits of Pre-Proclamation Controversies
Supreme Court rules missing inner paper seals on election returns are formal defects, not grounds for exclusion in pre-proclamation cases.
Rape Conviction Hinges on Proof of Relationship: The Evidentiary Standard for Aggravating Circumstances
The Supreme Court clarifies that qualifying circumstances like relationship in rape cases require strict documentary proof before the death penalty may be imposed.
Freedom to Contract vs Equity: No Perfected Contract, No Forced Sale of Government Property
Supreme Court rules equity cannot compel the National Housing Authority to sell land without a perfected contract of sale.
Breach of Contract: When an Unperfected Sale Defines Liability in Property Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an unaccepted offer creates no contract, and how equity cannot override positive law.
Freedom to Contract vs Equity: When Government Sales Require Perfected Agreements
Supreme Court rules equity cannot compel a government sale without a perfected contract, applying Civil Code principles.
Agrarian Reform vs Civil Lease: Jurisdiction Over Fishponds Explained
When does a fishpond dispute fall under agrarian reform, not civil courts? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction rules.
Challenging Search Warrant Jurisdiction in Drug Cases: People v. Chiu
In People v. Chiu, the Supreme Court upheld a Pasay court's search warrant over a Quezon City house. Learn when a court may reach outside its territory.
From Murder to Homicide: The Crucial Role of Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains when a killing is murder or homicide, focusing on the essential elements of treachery.
Due Process in Death Penalty Cases: Waiver of Right to Present Evidence
When can a court deem an accused to have waived the right to present evidence? The Supreme Court explains the due process limits.
Ballots as Primary Evidence in Election Protests: Limits on Testimonial Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's discretion to limit witnesses in election protests, holding that ballots are the best evidence of election results.
Illegal Strikes: Balancing Worker Rights and Employer Interests in Termination Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when union officers and members may be dismissed for illegal strikes, and what due process requires.
Circumstantial Evidence Alone Can Convict: Homicide, Not Murder, in People v. Matito
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction, and why the killing was homicide, not murder.
Party Authority vs Electorate Protection: Resolving Leadership Disputes in Political Parties
The Supreme Court rules on who may sign party nominations, protecting parties and voters from factional confusion.
Illegal Strikes and Employee Dismissal: What the Supreme Court Says
Learn when union officers and members can be dismissed for illegal strikes, and the due process rules employers must follow.
Reckless Imprudence vs Murder: Distinguishing Intent From Negligence in Vehicular Homicide
When a jeepney driver hits a pedestrian, is it murder or reckless imprudence? The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial distinction.
Estate Sales Require Court Approval Protecting Heirs Rights In Property Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why estate property sales need court approval to protect heirs' rights.
When a Surety’s Guaranty Does Not Bind the Conjugal Partnership: The Ching Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when a spouse's suretyship binds the conjugal partnership, and the rights of a wife to challenge an attachment.
Judicial Accountability: Upholding the Law and Preventing Delays in Election Protests
The Supreme Court reminds courts of their duty to uphold the law and avoid premature dismissals in election protest cases.
Derivative Citizenship: How a Parent's Naturalization Can Grant Citizenship to Their Children
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a parent's naturalization confers derivative citizenship on minor children born in the Philippines.
Circumstantial Evidence and Reckless Imprudence: When a Vehicular Homicide Is Not Murder
The Supreme Court explains when a fatal jeepney accident is reckless imprudence, not murder, and how circumstantial evidence is weighed.
Probate Court Limitations Property Title Disputes Require Separate Action
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probate courts cannot nullify property titles; such disputes need a separate ordinary civil action.
Wife's Consent and Property Alienation: Voidable, Not Void, Under the Old Civil Code
A husband's alienation of conjugal property without the wife's consent is voidable, not void, under the Old Civil Code. The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction.