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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Representation in Legal Disputes: Clarifying Counsel Rights for Local Government Officials
Learn when local government officials may hire private counsel and how service of notices affects appeals, based on a 2000 Supreme Court ruling.
Conspiracy and Homicide: How Group Violence Establishes Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy in group violence makes every participant liable for murder, even without inflicting the fatal wound.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Vague Information: Protecting Victims and Ensuring Justice
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction despite a vague information, explaining procedural rules and victim credibility in incest cases.
Bouncing Checks and Criminal Liability: Why Account Sufficiency Matters
Philippine Supreme Court explains when issuing a check against a closed account becomes a crime under BP 22, and why account sufficiency at issuance is key.
Guardianship and Estate Rights: Resolving Inheritance Disputes Over Unauthorized Property Sales
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when heirs can redeem property sold on execution and how courts protect estate rights in inheritance disputes.
Contractor's Tax Assessments: Prescription Periods and Gross Receipts Rules
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax assessment prescription periods, contractor's tax on security agency gross receipts, and protest deadlines under the NIRC.
Conspiracy and Treachery in Group Attacks: Key Lessons from People v. Conde
How the Supreme Court applied conspiracy and treachery doctrines to hold a participant liable for murder in a group stabbing.
Forcible Abduction With Rape: Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, ruling that the victim's positive identification outweighs the accused's alibi and denial.
Premature Filing Malicious Prosecution Requires Prior Acquittal
Filing a malicious prosecution case before the criminal action ends in acquittal is premature. Learn the rules from this Philippine Supreme Court case.
The Right to Litigate Must Be Exercised in Good Faith: Lessons from a Baseless Insurance Suit
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when filing a baseless lawsuit can expose a party to damages for bad faith litigation.
Malicious Prosecution Claims Must Wait for Final Acquittal, High Court Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a malicious prosecution suit may be filed, requiring final termination of the criminal case first.
Defining Jurisdiction: Courts vs Energy Regulatory Board in Overcharging Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that regular courts, not the ERB, hear disputes over electric overcharging and recovery of sums.
Bad Faith Litigation: When Filing Suit Leads to Damages
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when filing an unfounded lawsuit constitutes bad faith, exposing litigants to moral and exemplary damages.
Credibility of Rape Victims' Testimony: The Daughter-Father Exception in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on daughter's credible testimony against father, explaining why courts give greater weight to such accusations.
Ballot Interpretation Upholding Voter Intent in Philippine Elections
How the Supreme Court applied the neighborhood, idem sonans, and intent rules to uphold voter intent in a barangay election protest.
When Reinstatement Isnt Required Philippine Supreme Court ON Separation PAY IN Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when separation pay substitutes for reinstatement in illegal dismissal cases, balancing worker protection with employer realities.
When Barangay Conciliation Is Not Required: Court Ruling on Real Property Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies when barangay conciliation is not required before filing real property cases in court.
Lawyers Must Promptly Account for Client Funds: A Lesson from A.C. No. 5019
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for failing to promptly account for client funds, reaffirming the fiduciary duty under Canon 16.
Burden of Proof When Inconsistent Testimony and Physical Evidence Lead to Acquittal in Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court acquits murder accused where witness testimonies conflicted and physical evidence contradicted the prosecution's theory.
Second Marriages and Absent Spouses: Validity Under the Civil Code Explained
When a first spouse disappears, can a second marriage be valid? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules under the Civil Code.
Acquisitive Prescription: When Possession Becomes Ownership Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains when possession ripens into ownership through acquisitive prescription, and why tax declarations alone do not prove title.
Judicial Corruption Upholding Integrity IN THE Philippine Judiciary
The Supreme Court reprimands a judge for impropriety, misdemeanor, and gross ignorance of law in Tapiru v. Biden.
Breach of Trust: A Lawyer's Duty to Account for Client Funds Promptly
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for failing to promptly account for a client's money, affirming that lawyers hold client funds in trust under Canon 16.
Barangay Conciliation and Jurisdiction: When Prior Settlement Is Not Required
Learn when prior barangay conciliation is not required before filing a case in court, based on a Supreme Court ruling on gross ignorance of the law.