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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The Weight of Words: Child Witness Testimony in Philippine Parricide Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a parricide conviction based on an 8-year-old eyewitness's testimony, and what this means for child witnesses in Philippine courts.
When Can a Judge Be Disqualified for Bias? Impartiality in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a judge's rulings amount to disqualifying bias, and why adverse decisions alone are not enough.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Elements and Implications
Learn how Philippine courts define treachery and why it qualifies murder, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Marollano.
Dying Declarations: When a Victim's Last Words Become Evidence
Learn how Philippine courts treat dying declarations as exceptions to hearsay, and what makes a victim's last words admissible evidence.
Dying Declarations and Conspiracy: When Can a Deceased's Statement Convict
Explore how Philippine courts treat dying declarations, conspiracy, and eyewitness credibility in murder cases through this Supreme Court ruling.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Understanding Intent and Qualifying Circumstances
Learn how Philippine courts define treachery as a qualifying circumstance in murder, explained through a Supreme Court case.
Rape and Consent: Force, Intimidation, and Victim Testimony in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts assess force, intimidation, and victim testimony in rape cases, explained through a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Overlapping Land Titles in the Philippines: Resolving Ownership Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve ownership disputes involving overlapping land titles, foreclosure, and tenant rights under agrarian reform laws.
Judicial Impropriety: Avoiding the Appearance of Corruption in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts demand not just actual integrity but the appearance of it. This article explains the standard of judicial impropriety.
Admissibility of Confessions and Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony, extrajudicial confessions, and circumstantial evidence in murder convictions.
Self Defense in the Philippines: Understanding Unlawful Aggression and Reasonable Means
Learn how Philippine courts test self defense claims through unlawful aggression, reasonable means, and provocation, as shown in People v. Artiaga.
Extrajudicial Settlements and the Protection of Minor Heirs' Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts protect minor heirs in extrajudicial settlements, and why a minor's share cannot be lost through prescription or laches.
Understanding Acceleration Clauses in Philippine Promissory Notes
Learn how Philippine courts interpret acceleration clauses in promissory notes, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Mendoza v. Court of Appeals.
Incestuous Rape in the Philippines: Understanding the Law and Seeking Justice
Learn how Philippine courts handle incestuous rape cases, the penalties involved, and the legal remedies available to victims.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: What Philippine Law Says
Learn how Philippine courts define and penalize large-scale illegal recruitment, based on a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Lease Extension: When Philippine Courts Can Extend Your Lease Term
Philippine courts can extend a lease even without a fixed term, but only under certain conditions. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Execution Pending Appeal in Philippine Election Protests: When Can a Winner Take Office Early
Learn when Philippine courts allow execution pending appeal in election protests, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Lindo v. COMELEC.
Receivership in the Philippines: When Courts Appoint a Receiver Under Rule 59
Learn when Philippine courts may appoint a receiver under Rule 59, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Commodities Storage & Ice Plant Corp. v. CA.
Conjugal Property vs Exclusive Property: What Philippine Law Says
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish conjugal property from exclusive property, and why inherited assets stay separate even during marriage.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish equitable mortgages from absolute sales to protect property owners from hidden credit arrangements.
Establishing Paternity in the Philippines: Navigating Recognition and Support
Learn how Philippine courts establish paternity for illegitimate children and their right to support, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Witness Testimony and the Standard of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony against denial and alibi in criminal cases, explained through a murder conviction.
How Reliable Eyewitness Testimony Secures Convictions in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts weigh witness credibility carefully when deciding criminal cases. Learn how positive identification and consistent testimony lead to convictions.
Third-Party Liability Insurance: Filing Claims and Solidary Liability in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts treat third-party liability insurance claims, the requirement to file written notice, and why insurers are not solidarily liable with tortfeasors.