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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Upholding Corporate Governance: The Limits of SEC Intervention in Church Disputes
When can courts reorganize a management committee created by the SEC? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of regulatory intervention in corporate disputes.
When Is the Accused the Culprit? Assessing Witness Credibility in Homicide Cases
How Philippine courts weigh witness credibility in homicide cases, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Bricenio v. People.
Due Process Prevails in Property Disputes: When a Writ of Possession Cannot Be Enjoined
The Supreme Court clarifies when a writ of possession in extrajudicial foreclosures is ministerial and when due process protects third-party possessors.
Employer Liability When an Employee's Crime Becomes the Company's Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer subsidiary liability for crimes committed by employees, and when companies must answer for employee misconduct.
Reformation of Contract: When Does the Prescription Period Begin?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the 10-year prescriptive period for reformation of contract starts—not from execution, but from discovery of the mistake.
Sellers Beware: Ethical Duties When Assigning Property Rights You Don't Fully Own
A lawyer-seller assigned a townhouse he hadn't fully paid for. The Supreme Court suspended him for three years, reminding sellers of their ethical duties.
COSLAP Jurisdiction: When Can the Commission Settle Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies the limited jurisdiction of COSLAP over land disputes, distinguishing it from DARAB's agrarian cases.
Untangling Tax Assessment Appeals: Deadlines and Excusable Neglect
A bank missed the 30-day window to appeal its tax assessment to the CTA. The Supreme Court explains why deadlines are jurisdictional and when relief is unavailable.
Insufficient Information and Waiver of Rights in Philippine Rape and Lasciviousness Cases
Can a rape conviction stand if the information omits force and intimidation? People v. Candaza explains waiver under the omnibus motion rule.
Seafarers Are Contractual Employees: What This Means for Benefits Claims
Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers are contractual, not regular, employees—affecting 13th month pay and disability benefits claims.
Double Jeopardy in the Philippines: Understanding the Limits of Appealing Acquittals
The Supreme Court clarifies when double jeopardy attaches in Philippine criminal cases, using a Sandiganbayan conditional arraignment case as the focal point.
Ombudsman's Power to Impose Administrative Penalties: Not Just a Recommendation
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Ombudsman can directly impose administrative penalties, not merely recommend them, under the Constitution and RA 6770.
Limits of Administrative Rulemaking: Can Implementing Rules Expand a Law's Scope?
The Supreme Court clarifies that implementing rules cannot expand a law's scope, upholding DepEd Order No. 1, Series of 2003.
Execution Pending Appeal in Election Cases: When "Good Reasons" Are Not Enough
The Supreme Court clarifies when execution pending appeal in election cases is allowed and why "good reasons" must be clearly established.
NPC Franchise Tax Case: Local Governments Can Tax Government Corporations
The Supreme Court ruled that provinces may impose franchise tax on government-owned corporations like NPC under the Local Government Code.
Double Jeopardy and Amendment of Information: Rights of the Accused in Philippine Law
Explaining when amending a criminal information after a plea is allowed, and why double jeopardy did not bar re-arraignment in Cabo v. Sandiganbayan.
When a Plea Does Not Bar Re-Arraignment: Double Jeopardy and Defective Informations
The Supreme Court explains when a conditional arraignment and an amended information do not trigger double jeopardy protections in Philippine criminal procedure.
Ombudsman's Power to Impose Administrative Penalties: A Defining Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies the Ombudsman's disciplinary authority—whether it can directly impose penalties or only recommend them.
Maintaining Judicial Integrity: Understanding Misconduct of Court Personnel in the Philippines
A judge's P20,000 fine for issuing a search warrant without written searching questions shows why judicial competence matters.
Unsigned Stipulations in Mortgages: Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Consent as Key
Philippine Supreme Court rules a mortgage stipulation inserted after signing without the mortgagor's consent is void ab initio.
Challenging NLRC Decisions: Judicial Review in Illegal Dismissal Cases in the Philippines
Learn how courts review NLRC rulings in illegal dismissal cases, and when factual findings may be overturned.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: What Philippine Courts Look For
When is a deed of sale really a mortgage? The Supreme Court explains the rules on equitable mortgage in Cirelos v. Hernandez.
Attorney Conflicts of Interest: Lessons from Philippine Jurisprudence
Learn how Philippine courts handle attorney conflicts of interest, consent requirements, and ethical duties through key Supreme Court rulings.
Search Warrant Requirements in the Philippines: A Judge's Duty to Examine Witnesses in Writing
The Supreme Court reminds judges that issuing search warrants requires a written, searching examination of witnesses—not just oral interviews.