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 Lawyer Exceeds Authority: Suspension for Unauthorized Sale of Client’s Property
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for two years for selling a client's property without authority, violating Canons 5, 15, and 17 of the CPR.
Misconduct vs Termination: Balancing Employee Rights and Employer Authority in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee misconduct justifies termination, and when it does not, in Fabricator Philippines v. Estolas.
Optional Positions and Local Government Authority: Budgetary Allocation Required for Municipal Appointments
The Supreme Court clarifies that appointments to optional LGU positions like the MENRO require both sanggunian concurrence and a valid appropriation ordinance.
Apparent Authority and Estoppel: When a Corporation Is Bound by Its Officer's Acts
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is estopped from denying an officer's apparent authority to bind it to contracts with innocent third parties.
Apparent Authority: When a Corporation Is Bound by Its Agent's Actions
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is estopped from denying its agent's apparent authority, binding it to contracts with innocent third parties.
Supreme Court Upholds Judicial Power Over Plea Bargaining in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court strikes down Section 23 of RA 9165 as unconstitutional, affirming exclusive judicial authority over plea bargaining rules.
Writ of Possession Is Ministerial Duty Even If Mortgage Validity Is Challenged
Supreme Court rules writ of possession is a ministerial duty after foreclosure consolidation, regardless of challenges to mortgage validity or lender authority.
Epira AND Psalm Defining Ownership AND Authority IN Power Sector Assets
DARAB Overreach: Examining the Limits of Administrative Authority in Agrarian Disputes
The Supreme Court rules that DARAB cannot issue writs of certiorari, as administrative agencies lack judicial power.
Illegitimate Children’s Rights: Mother’s Surname and Parental Authority in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that illegitimate children use their mother’s surname and are under her sole parental authority, voiding a father’s unilateral birth registration.
Upholding Court Authority: The Limits of Defiance in Intra-Corporate Disputes
When can a party defy a court order in an intra-corporate dispute? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of defiance and the consequences of disobedience.
Ownership Disputes: When a Lawyer Cannot Acquire a Client's Property in Litigation
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for acquiring property in litigation and selling client land without authority—key rules for family property disputes.
Moratorium on Salary Increases Limits on GOCC Board Authority
Supreme Court clarifies that moratoriums on salary increases constrain GOCC board authority, affirming the legality of compensation freezes.
Grave Misconduct for Teachers Who Leased School Property Without Authority
Supreme Court holds school officials liable for grave misconduct for unauthorized lease of school premises, affirming dismissal from service.
Upholding Local Authority When Business Permits AND Public Welfare Collide
Supreme Court ruling on when local governments may validly withhold permits and shut down businesses for sanitation violations.
Breach of Public Trust: Unauthorized School Lease Leads to Dismissal
Public school officials dismissed for grave misconduct after leasing school property without authority and mishandling funds. Learn the legal rules.
Mortgagee in Bad Faith When Reliance on Forged SPA Nullifies Real Estate Mortgage
A mortgagee who relies on a forged SPA without verifying the owner's authority may be in bad faith, voiding the mortgage.
Local Autonomy vs National Authority: The Limits of Police Power Over Water Resources
Supreme Court strikes down Batangas City ordinance requiring desalination plants, ruling LGUs cannot regulate water resources reserved to the NWRB.
Mortgage Foreclosure Upholding Contractual Notice AND Loan Coverage Requirements
Supreme Court ruling on forged SPA in mortgage foreclosure, requiring lenders to verify authority and giving borrowers protection.
Rape and Parental Authority: Why a Father's Conviction Stood as Simple Rape
A father raped his 16-year-old daughter twice. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction but kept it as simple rape because the information omitted his relationship. Here's why.
Protecting Children Parental Authority AND THE Crime OF Qualified Rape IN THE Philippines
When a Prosecutor Files an Information Without the City Prosecutor’s Approval
Learn when a criminal information filed without the city prosecutor’s prior written authority is defective and subject to quashal.
HMO VAT Assessments Void Without Letter of Authority: Medicard Case
Supreme Court voids HMO VAT assessment without Letter of Authority; only service fees, not earmarked medical funds, are taxable gross receipts.
BIR Assessments Without a Letter of Authority Are Void for Lack of Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court voids BIR deficiency assessments issued without a Letter of Authority, and clarifies HMO gross receipts for VAT.