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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Enforcing Foreign Judgments in the Philippines: Jurisdiction and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a foreign court's default judgment is enforceable locally, focusing on service of summons and due process.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: When Multiple Filings Cross the Line
Learn the Philippine rule against forum shopping, why the certification must be signed by the party, and when courts may relax it.
Certification Against Forum Shopping: Why the Principal Party Must Sign and When Courts Relax the Rule
Philippine courts require the principal party to sign the certification against forum shopping. Learn the rule, its exceptions, and practical lessons from Abaigar v. Abaigar.
Judicial Accountability: Consequences of Negligence and Delay in Court Proceedings
Supreme Court penalizes a judge and court personnel for case delays, lost records, and false certificates of service, underscoring judicial accountability.
Business Closure in the Philippines: Navigating Layoffs and Employee Rights During Financial Distress
Learn the rules on business closure in the Philippines, including separation pay, notice requirements, and employee rights when a company shuts down due to losses.
Judicial Impartiality: When a Judge's Personal Interest Conflicts With Court Proceedings
A Supreme Court ruling on how courts should handle consolidated cases, and why judges must avoid even the appearance of impropriety in proceedings.
Can Established Companies Be Forced to Rehire Former Employees? What Philippine Law Says
Philippine law does not force companies to rehire former employees. This article explains reinstatement rules, illegal dismissal remedies, and practical guidance.
When Judges Must Step Aside: The Duty of Inhibition and Judicial Conduct in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on when judges must inhibit from cases, avoid impropriety, and the limits of judicial conduct.
Contempt OF Court Balancing Judicial Independence AND Responsible Litigation
Legislative Inquiry vs Executive Privilege: The PCGG Testimony Case
The Supreme Court ruled PCGG officials must testify before Senate inquiries, striking down Section 4(b) of E.O. No. 1 as unconstitutional.
Consolidation of Cases: Efficiency and Prevention of Conflicting Judgments
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may consolidate related cases to avoid conflicting judgments, save time, and promote swift justice.
Invalid Service Nullifies Strike BAN Upholding Workers Rights TO Organize
Certiorari Establishing Grave Abuse OF Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Bank Set-Off Rights: Limits and Liabilities in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when banks may validly offset deposits against loans, and the limits of contractual set-off rights.
Protecting Subdivision Buyers: Contracts to Sell Must Be Registered
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that subdivision developers must register contracts to sell with the Register of Deeds under P.D. 957.
Tax Credit Certificates: Government's Right to Collect Taxes Remains Despite Alleged Fraud
Supreme Court ruling on tax credit certificates, government's right to collect taxes, and contractor payment disputes in Philippine construction contracts.
Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform: When Agricultural Land Stops Being Covered by CARL
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how land reclassified as commercial before CARL's effectivity falls outside agrarian reform coverage.
Protecting the Vulnerable: A Child's Testimony as Proof in Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms that a credible child victim's testimony alone can convict in rape cases, even without a broken hymen.
Agricultural Land Reclassification: Continued Use Does Not Override Prior Conversion
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how prior land reclassification to commercial use affects agrarian reform coverage and tenant rights.
Upholding Employee Rights: Just Cause and Union Security in Dismissal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on closed-shop dismissals: substantive due process still applies even when a CBA mandates termination.
When Is Employee Termination Illegal? Key Rules from a Supreme Court Ruling
Learn when termination becomes illegal under Philippine labor law, based on a Supreme Court ruling on unjustified dismissal and procedural lapses.
Public Bidding Does Not Exempt Takay Projects From the Election Spending Ban
The Supreme Court upheld the Comelec's finding that takay or paquiao public works cannot escape the election ban on fund releases through a public bidding.
Forcible Entry: Actual Possession Trumps Claimed Ownership in Property Disputes
In forcible entry cases, prior physical possession—not ownership—decides who stays. The Supreme Court explains why a deed alone is not enough.
PAL Tax Refund Case: Interpreting "In Lieu of All Other Taxes" in Franchises
Supreme Court ruling on PAL's franchise tax exemption and refund of final withholding tax on passive income.