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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Court Employee Dismissed for Breach of Public Trust in Extorting Litigants
Supreme Court dismisses court employee for blocking ATM card to evade loan payments, ruling it dishonesty and grave misconduct.
Loan vs Donation: Proving Intent in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when payments for another's property are loans, not donations, and the formal requirements for valid donations.
Consignation Without Tender of Payment: A Cautionary Tale on Judicial Deposits
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that judicial deposit requires prior tender of payment unless exceptions apply, in Del Carmen v. Sabordo.
Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes: Employers Must Substantiate Claims of Payment
Employers who claim they paid workers' wages and benefits must prove it with payroll records. Learn the rule from a 2014 Supreme Court case.
Proving Wage Payment: Employer's Burden and the Cost of Missing Records
Employers must prove wage payment with payroll records. Missing records can defeat defenses and lead to liability for money claims.
Breach of Contract: Conditional Sales, Contracts to Sell, and the Right to Rescind
Understand when a buyer's non-payment lets a seller cancel a property deal, and the difference between a conditional sale and a contract to sell.
Partial Payment of Filing Fees in BP 22 Cases: The Supreme Court’s Ruling on Access to Justice
The Supreme Court allows complainants in multiple BP 22 cases to pay filing fees per case, ensuring access to justice.
Possession Is Key: Unpaid Trust Certificates and Bank Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a bank client holding original unpaid trust certificates can enforce payment, even years after maturity.
SEC Suspension Order as Defense in B.P. 22 Cases: Gidwani v. People
Supreme Court rules SEC suspension of payments order excuses check dishonor under B.P. 22, reversing conviction of corporate officer.
When a Company Car Plan Lacks Terms: Refund of Employee Payments Explained
Philippine Supreme Court rules on employee car plan refunds when no forfeiture terms exist, citing unjust enrichment principles.
Contractual Obligations: The Imperative of Complete Performance in Reciprocal Agreements
In reciprocal contracts, a party cannot collect payment without first completing its own obligations—a lesson from a medical pipeline dispute.
Court Personnel Must Not Accept Judicial Fees: A Lesson on Ethical Duty
A stenographer's suspension for accepting TSN payments shows why court personnel must never collect judicial fees directly from litigants.
Court Stenographer Suspended for Collecting TSN Fees Directly From Litigants
SC ruling clarifies court personnel cannot collect TSN payments directly; payments must go to the Clerk of Court under Rule 141.
Equitable Mortgage Ruling Reasserts Mortgagor Rights in Property Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that in equitable mortgages, reconveyance to the mortgagor is the principal remedy—not payment of fair market value.
Equitable Mortgage: Execution and Reconveyance of Property Explained
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how courts must execute judgments involving equitable mortgages, emphasizing reconveyance over payment of fair market value.
Contract to Sell: Full Compliance Required Before Seller Must Convey Property
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that buyers under a contract to sell must fully comply with all obligations—not just payment—before demanding a deed of sale.
Tax Exemption vs Assessment: Understanding Payment Under Protest in Real Property Tax Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that claiming tax exemption does not excuse payment under protest before appealing a real property tax assessment.
Pay Under Protest Before Contesting Real Property Tax Assessments
A claim for tax exemption does not excuse payment under protest before appealing a real property tax assessment under the Local Government Code.
Novation, Verification, and Real Party in Interest: Lessons from S.C. Megaworld v. Parada
Explaining when accepting third-party payments does not release the original debtor, and why procedural objections must be raised early.
Just Compensation and Voluntary Land Sales: Valuing Property Under Agrarian Reform
A landowner who accepts payment and transfers title under agrarian reform cannot later seek higher just compensation. The Supreme Court explains.
Demand Is Key: Determining the Prescription Period for Unlawful Detainer in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that the one-year period for unlawful detainer is counted from the last demand to vacate, not from the date of non-payment.
Interest on Installment Payments: When Does the Clock Stop Ticking
A buyer's mere letter of intent to pay does not stop interest from running. The Supreme Court explains tender of payment and consignation rules.
When Just Compensation Is Measured: The Tria Doctrine on Agrarian Expropriation Valuation
The Supreme Court ruled that just compensation for agrarian reform land should be valued at the time of payment, not at the time of taking.
Just Compensation for Agrarian Reform: Value at Time of Payment, Not Taking
Philippine Supreme Court rules just compensation for agrarian reform land should be valued at time of payment, not time of taking.