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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Seafarers' Rights: Employer Liability for Illness Manifesting During Employment Despite Post-Contract Death
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer death benefits when illness manifests during employment but death occurs after contract term.
School Negligence: Defining the Scope of Responsibility for Student Safety in Science Experiments
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that schools and teachers owe students a high degree of care during dangerous activities like science experiments.
Common Carrier Defined: Resort Ferry Service Under Passenger Safety Rules
Supreme Court ruling that resort ferry services are common carriers, bound by extraordinary diligence for passenger safety.
Dying Declarations and Witness Credibility Determining Guilt in Murder Cases
Supreme Court ruling on witness credibility, alibi, conspiracy, and treachery in multiple murder convictions.
Local Tax Injunctions: Balancing Government Revenue and Taxpayer Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts may enjoin local tax collection, balancing government revenue needs with taxpayer rights.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Timely Medical Assessment and Permanent Disability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability claims, the role of company-designated physicians, and the importance of timely medical assessment.
Neglect of Duty in Public Service: When Personal Concerns Must Yield to Public Welfare
A Supreme Court ruling on a Davao City health officer who skipped a bombing emergency shows how gross neglect of duty can cost a public servant their job.
Conspiracy and Drug Sales: Establishing Intent and Upholding the Presumption of Regularity
A Supreme Court ruling on how concerted acts prove conspiracy in illegal drug sales and when police regularity is presumed.
Oral Partition of Land: Proving Agreements and Challenging Ownership Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving oral partition of inherited land, parol evidence rule, and where to litigate ownership claims in expropriation.
Writ of Possession: Validity of Mortgage Cannot Be Challenged in Possession Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: courts must issue writs of possession ministerially after foreclosure; mortgage validity challenges belong in separate actions.
Procedural Lapses and Contempt: Navigating Court Rules in Contract Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on procedural rules in contract disputes: motion for reconsideration, hierarchy of courts, and indirect contempt.
Tortious Interference Protecting Distributorship Rights in Philippine Commerce
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tortious interference with exclusive distributorship contracts and the liability of third parties who induce breach.
Presumption of Regularity vs. Misconduct Claims: Integrity in Court Execution
Learn how the presumption of regularity in official duty interacts with misconduct allegations in administrative cases, from a 2010 Supreme Court ruling.
Conspiracy and Kidnapping for Ransom: Defining the Boundaries of Criminal Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy in kidnapping for ransom cases, explaining when co-accused share criminal liability and how courts prove agreement.
Sale of Conjugal Property Without Spousal Consent: Void Contracts and Heirs' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void sales of conjugal property without spousal consent, heirs' rights, and prescription periods explained.
Breach of Contract: The Necessity of Specificity in Contractual Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a party terminating a contract must specify which provisions were violated, or face liability for breach.
Trademark Rights in the Philippines: Prior Use vs. Registration Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether trademark rights come from prior use or registration, and why distributors cannot own the marks they sell.
Establishing Illegal Dismissal: The Employee's Burden to Prove Dismissal First
Employees must first prove they were dismissed before employers must justify termination. A Supreme Court ruling explains the evidence required.
Proving Illegal Dismissal: The Employee's Burden to Establish Termination
Employees must first prove they were dismissed before employers must justify termination. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Agency and Authority: Why a Written Mandate Is Paramount in Real Estate Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why an agent's authority to sell land must be in writing, or the sale is void.
When Pawnshops Were Exempt From VAT: TFS, Inc. v. CIR
A 2010 Supreme Court ruling cancelled a pawnshop's deficiency VAT assessment and relaxed procedural rules to prevent unjust enrichment.
Election Integrity: The Balance Between Ballot Preservation and Voter Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC execution pending appeal, ballot appreciation, and the delicate balance between election integrity and voter rights.
Safeguarding Employee Rights: The Imperative of Due Process in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Genesis Transport clarifies preventive suspension limits, valid dismissal, and illegal wage deductions under the Labor Code.
Good Faith Prevails: Protecting Innocent Purchasers in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on innocent purchasers for value, good faith, and extinguishment of claims in property disputes.