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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Breach of Trust and Due Process in Philippine Employment Law
A Supreme Court ruling on willful breach of trust as just cause for dismissal, and the price of skipping procedural due process.
Why Drug Cases Stay in Regional Trial Courts Even for Small Amounts
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling explains why RTCs keep jurisdiction over drug offenses regardless of the quantity involved or penalty.
Warrantless Arrests and Searches: When Are They Legal in the Philippines?
Learn when warrantless arrests and searches are legal in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Malacat v. Court of Appeals.
Due Process and Property Rights: Limits on Professional Regulation in the Philippines
Explore how the Supreme Court protected harbor pilots' vested property rights against an administrative order that violated due process.
Election Protests Understanding Demurrer to Evidence and Waiver of Rights in Philippine Law
Learn how filing a demurrer to evidence waives the right to present defense evidence, based on Philippine Supreme Court rulings.
Police Use of Force: When Does Protection Become Illegal Search and Seizure
The Supreme Court clarifies when police stops and frisks cross the line into unconstitutional searches, using a grenade possession case as the example.
Breach of Contract: Financial Obligations and Due Diligence in Land Development Agreements
A Supreme Court ruling on accounting obligations, due diligence, and the consequences of failing to produce financial records in land development disputes.
When Court Errors Are Not Misconduct: Lessons from Tallado v. Racoma
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that errors in a judge's judicial function are not administrative misconduct absent bad faith or malice.
Separation Pay Not Required After Valid Dismissal for Serious Misconduct
When is separation pay not required after a valid dismissal? The Supreme Court clarifies in Philippine Airlines v. NLRC.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Protecting Children Under Twelve
The Supreme Court explains the two elements of statutory rape and why force, hymenal integrity, and spermatozoa are irrelevant.
Rape of a Mentally Retarded Person: Consent and Legal Consequences in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that carnal knowledge of a mentally retarded woman whose mental age is below twelve constitutes rape.
Judicial Misconduct and Unauthorized Travel: When a Judge Abandons the Bench
Philippine Supreme Court dismisses a judge for repeated unauthorized travel abroad, abandoning court duties and litigants.
Rape Conviction: Credible Testimony and Victims' Rights in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining how courts weigh victim testimony, the sweetheart defense, and damages awards.
Certiorari vs Petition for Review: Choosing the Right Appeal Route in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when to use certiorari versus a petition for review, and why choosing the wrong mode of appeal can be fatal to a case.
Fair Competition in the Oil Industry: The Unconstitutionality of R.A. 8180's Anti-Competitive Provisions
The Supreme Court struck down R.A. 8180 for creating barriers to entry and entrenching an oil oligopoly, reaffirming the constitutional mandate for fair competition.
Sequestration and Due Process: Protecting Stockholder Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies how discovery rules and due process protect parties in ill-gotten wealth cases, and when cases become moot.
Due Process for Teachers: Ensuring Fair Administrative Hearings in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that public school teachers facing administrative charges are entitled to a properly constituted investigating committee under RA 4670.
Employee Theft and Due Process: Navigating Termination in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee theft, just cause, and the two-notice rule in termination cases.
Notarial Duty: Ensuring Authenticity and Preventing Misrepresentation in Legal Documents
A notary's certification is not a routinary act. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling on a lawyer suspended for notarizing a deed with deceased vendors.
When Court Personnel Extort Litigants: Administrative Liability Explained
A court interpreter extorted a litigant for a document's release. The Supreme Court explains administrative liability, penalties, and why resignation or transfer does not end a case.
Accountability in Judiciary Funds: A Practical Guide for Court Personnel
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on JDF and Fiduciary Fund mishandling clarifies deposit rules, interest accounting, and court personnel liability.
Right to Counsel in Philippine Administrative Investigations: What You Need to Know
Learn when the right to counsel applies in Philippine administrative investigations, based on Supreme Court rulings and practical guidance.
Robbery With Homicide: When a Conspirator Is Liable for the Acts of Cohorts
The Supreme Court explains conspiracy in robbery with homicide, holding a lookout liable for the killing committed by a co-conspirator.
Navigating Illegal Recruitment: Key Lessons From Philippine Jurisprudence
Learn how the Supreme Court defines illegal recruitment in large scale, its elements, penalties, and evidence rules from a landmark 1997 case.