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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Unregistered Land Sales: Why Registration Matters in Ownership Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling explains why an unregistered deed of sale cannot bind third parties in property disputes over unregistered land.
Jurisdiction in Swindling Cases: How Penalties Determine the Proper Court
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how penalties and fines determine which court hears swindling cases under the Revised Penal Code.
Silence Is Not Acquiescence: Delayed Reporting in Philippine Rape Cases
Why a rape victim's delayed report and vague words like "ginalaw" do not weaken a conviction, explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Tax Sales and Due Process: Why Registered Owners Must Be Notified in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax sales, due process, and the registered owner's responsibility in property taxation.
Burden of Proof in Cargo Shortage Claims: Proving Loss and Valid Insurance Coverage
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on cargo shortage claims: insurer must prove actual loss and valid policy coverage to recover from carriers.
Good Faith Prevails When Public Officials ACT Without Malice IN Granting Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on good faith as a defense in graft cases under RA 3019, Section 3(e), for public officials relying on agency issuances.
Supreme Court Ruling on Health Care Agreements and Documentary Stamp Tax: What It Means
The Supreme Court ruled that HMO health care agreements are not insurance contracts subject to documentary stamp tax under the National Internal Revenue Code.
Resolving Church Disputes: Jurisdiction and the Right to Possess Religious Property
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that ejectment cases involving church property are not intra-corporate disputes, and explains the limits of ownership claims.
Compromise Agreements and Illegitimate Filiation: When Settlements Violate Public Policy
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: compromise agreements on filiation and civil status are void. Learn the public policy limits on settlements.
Ballot Integrity Prevails: Rules for Correctly Counting Barangay Election Votes
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies appeal fee rules and ballot appreciation standards in barangay election protests, ensuring voter intent prevails.
Collective Bargaining in Education: Balancing Tuition Hikes and Employee Benefits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how RA 6728 tuition fee increments fund employee benefits in collective bargaining disputes.
Family Home vs Creditors: When Annulment Doesn't Shield Property From Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a family home can be sold to settle debts after marriage annulment, and the finality of court orders.
Entrapment vs Predisposition: How Philippine Courts View Drug Buy-Bust Operations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a buy-bust operation is valid entrapment rather than instigation, and how courts weigh police procedures in drug cases.
Implied Consent and Jurisdiction: When Unpleaded Issues Become Part of a Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how unpleaded issues tried with implied consent become part of a case under Rule 10.
Sleeping on the Job: When Serious Misconduct Justifies Termination in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when sleeping during work hours constitutes serious misconduct justifying termination under the Labor Code.
Defining Public Officer When Private Sector Representatives Face Graft Charges
Supreme Court ruling on when private sector board members are public officers under the Anti-Graft Law and Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.
Retrenchment Must Follow Fair Criteria: Seniority Matters in Employee Layoffs
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on retrenchment: employers must prove losses and use fair criteria like seniority when selecting employees to lay off.
Reckless Driving and Vicarious Liability: When Insurers Can Recover Damages
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on quasi-delict, negligence, and owner liability for vehicle accidents in the Philippines.
Combating Fraudulent Land Titles: Supreme Court Upholds Property Rights Against Forgery
A 2009 Supreme Court ruling clarifies how courts handle forged land titles, apparent authority, and lis pendens in property disputes.
Finality of Judgment: The Immutability Principle and Its Exceptions in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a final judgment cannot be altered, even if erroneous, and what this means for litigants.
Proximate Cause Prevails: When a Plaintiff's Own Negligence Bars Recovery in Vehicle Accidents
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a plaintiff's own negligence as proximate cause bars recovery, even with defendant's contributory negligence.
Untangling Title Disputes: Prescription, Laches, and Diligence in Land Ownership Claims
A Supreme Court ruling on how prescription and laches bar late claims to registered land, even when fraud is alleged.
Victim Testimony in Rape Cases: Credibility and Burden of Proof
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction, victim credibility, intact hymen, and burden of proof explained.
Judicial Ethics: When Judges Squabble, Both Face Administrative Liability
A Supreme Court ruling on two RTC judges fined for a public altercation shows why decorum is a non-negotiable judicial duty.