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 Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law: A Guide to Employment Status
Learn how the four-fold test determines employee status in the Philippines, with insights from a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Understanding Estafa in Property Transactions: The Importance of Clear Representations
The Supreme Court clarifies when selling an encumbered property amounts to estafa under the Revised Penal Code.
Total and Permanent Disability: Key Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A seafarer won total disability benefits because the company doctor's assessment was never given to him. Learn the rules.
Navigating Tax Litigation: Understanding Suspension and Consolidation of Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when delay in tax-related cases violates the right to speedy disposition, and how consolidation works.
Ownership and Rental Liability: Lessons from the NAPOCOR-BOHECO Transformer Case
A look at a Supreme Court ruling on ownership, possession, and who pays rentals when property is borrowed and never returned.
Environmental Liability in the Philippines: Lessons from the Bataan Thermal Power Plant Case
The Supreme Court clarifies who bears cleanup liability for toxic wastes under Philippine environmental law, using the Bataan Thermal Power Plant case as a guide.
Unlocking Justice: The Right to Speedy Disposition of Cases in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms the right to speedy disposition of cases, prohibiting the Sandiganbayan from further proceeding after 32 years of delay.
Understanding Conspiracy in Rape Cases: Insights from Philippine Supreme Court Rulings
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy works in rape cases, and why a credible victim's testimony can sustain a conviction.
Navigating Tax Assessments: Understanding the Limits of Declaratory Relief in Philippine Tax Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when declaratory relief cannot be used to challenge tax assessments, reinforcing the rule against enjoining tax collection.
Understanding Property Disputes: The Impact of Bad Faith Construction on Land Ownership Rights
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on bad faith claims in property disputes, mortgage validity, and foreclosure rights under Philippine law.
Libel in Media: When News Reporting Crosses Legal Boundaries
The Supreme Court clarifies when news reports become libelous and why denying a motion to quash is not appealable via certiorari.
Double Jeopardy and Warrantless Arrests in Drug Possession Cases: A Supreme Court Insight
The Supreme Court clarifies double jeopardy in drug possession cases and limits warrantless arrests based on informant tips alone.
Navigating Disability Benefits for Seafarers: The Importance of Timely Medical Assessments
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that seafarers must receive a copy of the company doctor's final disability assessment within 120 or 240 days, or they may be deemed totally and permanently disabled.
Child Trafficking and Abuse: Legal Protections and Consequences in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the elements of qualified trafficking and child prostitution, and the penalties for those who exploit minors for profit.
Illegal Discharge of Firearm: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that firing a gun without intent to kill is still a crime, even without bullet holes or injury.
Understanding the Limits of Presumptions in Fencing Cases: A Guide to Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
How Philippine courts weigh presumptions and evidence in criminal cases, explained through a recent Supreme Court ruling on trafficking and child abuse.
Navigating Public Procurement Laws: The Consequences of Violating RA 3019 and RA 9184
A Supreme Court ruling shows how bypassing competitive bidding in government procurement can lead to corruption and falsification convictions.
Dismissals With Prejudice and the Right to Appeal: Lessons from Heirs of Jose Malit, Sr. v. Heirs of Jesus Mal
The Supreme Court clarifies when a dismissal bars refiling and why appeal—not certiorari—is the proper remedy.
Understanding Mortgage Contract Validity: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when mortgage contracts are valid, how undue influence is proven, and the limits of injunctive relief in foreclosure disputes.
The Condonation Doctrine After Carpio Morales: What It Means for Public Officials
The Supreme Court clarifies when the abandoned condonation doctrine still shields re-elected officials from administrative liability.
When Lawyer Silence Becomes Negligence: The Duty to Communicate with Clients
The Supreme Court clarifies that a lawyer-client relationship can exist without a written contract, and silence can amount to professional negligence.
Treachery vs. Superior Strength in Murder Cases: Key Lessons from a 2021 Supreme Court Ruling
Understand when treachery and superior strength qualify a killing as murder under Philippine law, based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Lascivious Conduct Under RA 7610: What the Supreme Court Ruling Means
The Supreme Court upheld a conviction for lascivious conduct under RA 7610, clarifying how minors are protected from sexual abuse.
Double Voter Registration in the Philippines: Legal Consequences Under RA 8189
Learn the legal consequences of double voter registration in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Labay v. People.