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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When a Child Is Taken: Proving Parentage in Habeas Corpus Cases
The Supreme Court explains how courts determine a child's identity and parentage in habeas corpus custody disputes.
Circumstantial Evidence Conviction: Murder Reduced to Homicide in Icalla Case
Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why murder was reduced to homicide in People v. Icalla.
Rape Conviction Stands But Death Penalty Reduced: Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Alleged in the Information
A rape conviction stands, but the Supreme Court reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua because minority and relationship were not alleged in the information.
Passion Proof and Penalties: When Jealousy Doesnt Equal Murder
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how accomplices are penalized.
Lease Extension Rights Clarifying Limits FOR Lessees Under Civil Code Article 1687
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may extend a lease under Article 1687 and why lessees who sublease lose equitable protection.
Motion for Reconsideration Exceptions in Certiorari Petitions: The Abraham Case
When is a motion for reconsideration not required before filing certiorari? The Supreme Court clarifies the exceptions in Abraham v. NLRC.
Non-Negotiable Withdrawal Slips: Bank Liability for Delayed Dishonor Notices
When a bank delays notice of dishonor on non-negotiable withdrawal slips, is it liable for damages? The Supreme Court explains.
When Association Isnt Conspiracy Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies The Need For Concrete Proof In Criminal Co
The Supreme Court explains when mere presence becomes criminal conspiracy, requiring proof of a common design to commit a crime.
When Injunctions Meet Supervening Events: Property Rights in Ejectment Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how supervening events affect injunctions in ejectment cases, protecting property rights.
Conspiracy and Treachery in Joint Attacks: What the Supreme Court Says
A look at how the Supreme Court applies conspiracy and treachery to hold all joint attackers liable for murder.
Extrajudicial Settlements and Adopted Children's Inheritance: Lessons from Pedrosa v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when extrajudicial settlements bind adopted heirs and how prescription periods apply to fraudulent partitions.
The People vs the President: Defining the Limits of People Power and Presidential Immunity in the Philippines
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Estrada v. Desierto clarifies resignation, presidential succession, and immunity from suit under the 1987 Constitution.
The Limits of Alibi: Proving Impossibility in Criminal Defense
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why alibi fails against positive identification in murder cases, explaining the legal standard for impossibility.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Sudden Attacks
How Philippine courts apply treachery to qualify killings as murder, explained through a Supreme Court ruling on a sudden stabbing.
Homicide and Causation: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in the Philippines
When a victim has a pre-existing heart condition, can an accused still be convicted of homicide? The Supreme Court explains causation and proof.
Bona Fide Purchasers and the Protection of Innocent Buyers of Registered Land
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a buyer of registered land may rely on the Torrens title and why a complaint must allege bad faith to state a cause of action.
Finality of Comelec Decisions and Grave Abuse of Discretion in Election Cases
When are Comelec rulings on barangay election contests truly final? The Supreme Court explains the narrow exception for grave abuse of discretion.
Incestuous Rape: When Parental Authority Cannot Shield a Father's Crime
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction but rules that unalleged qualifying circumstances bar the death penalty.
Judicial Efficiency VS DUE Process Balancing Timeliness AND Fairness IN Court Decisions
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that judges must decide cases within prescribed periods; pending transcripts or heavy caseloads do not excuse delay.
Accommodation Mortgagor's Right to Redeem at Bid Price: Belo v. PNB
The Supreme Court clarifies that an accommodation mortgagor may redeem foreclosed property by paying only the bid price, not the entire loan.
Accommodation Mortgages and Redemption Rights: Limits of Debtor Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accommodation mortgagors' redemption rights and liability limits under P.D. 694 and Act 3135.
Unlicensed Firearm Possession vs Aggravating Circumstance: The Nuñez Ruling
When does illegal possession of a firearm become a separate crime versus an aggravating circumstance? The Supreme Court clarifies in People v. Nuñez.
Breach of Trust: Upholding Rape Conviction in Cases of Familial Abuse
A father's rape conviction upheld by the Supreme Court, explaining how parental authority substitutes for violence in incest cases.
The Weight of Witness Testimony: Convicting Based on Single Eyewitness Accounts
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a single eyewitness account suffices for conviction and why alibi fails without physical impossibility.