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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Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Understanding Intent and Qualifying Circumstances
The Supreme Court explains treachery, evident premeditation, and conspiracy in a brutal multiple murder case from Negros Oriental.
The Clerk’s Duty: Accurate Case Reporting and the Efficient Administration of Justice in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge and clerk fined for issuing a subpoena to a life-term prisoner without authority, underscoring diligence in court duties.
Docket Fees and Jurisdiction: Re-Filing a Case After Dismissal for Improper Venue
When a case is dismissed for improper venue, must new docket fees be paid upon re-filing? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule.
When a Drinking Session Turns Into Murder: Conspiracy and Treachery Under Philippine Law
A look at how the Supreme Court applied conspiracy and treachery to convict five men for clubbing a drinking companion to death.
Conspiracy and the Boundaries of Robbery: When Kidnapping Becomes a Separate Crime
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when kidnapping during a robbery is a separate crime, not absorbed by the robbery.
Default Judgments Understanding Due Process and Timely Responses in Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts treat default judgments and why timely responses matter, based on a Supreme Court ruling on judicial delay.
Retroactive Application of Retirement Laws: Employee Rights Under RA 7641
When do retirement laws apply retroactively? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of RA 7641's retroactive application in Cabcaban v. NLRC.
Seafarers' Rights: When Complaints to the ITF Are Not Abandonment
The Supreme Court ruled that Filipino seafarers who seek ITF help over unpaid wages and poor conditions cannot be dismissed for abandonment without just cause and due process.
Land Ownership Disputes: How Procedural Errors Can Cost the Government a Case
A Supreme Court ruling shows how the government's failure to formally present evidence in land disputes can lead to adverse rulings and costly remands.
Habitual Tardiness and Loafing at Work: Legal Consequences for Philippine Employees
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on habitual tardiness and loafing: employee responsibilities, penalties, and lessons from Orfila v. Quiroz.
Insurable Interest: Can a Landlord Claim Insurance on a Tenant's Property?
Philippine Supreme Court rules a landlord cannot claim fire insurance proceeds on a tenant's merchandise without insurable interest. Learn the key principles.
Illegal Dismissal Jurisdiction: Government Corporations Without Original Charters
Supreme Court clarifies which government-owned corporations fall under Labor Code jurisdiction versus Civil Service rules in illegal dismissal cases.
Wrongful Termination: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the two requirements for valid dismissal: just cause and due process. Learn the rules.
Limits of Judicial Review: When Courts Can Question Tax Laws
Explore the limits of judicial review in tax cases through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on procedural rules and evidence.
Illegal Possession of Firearms in the Philippines: Penalties and Retroactive Laws
Learn how the Supreme Court applied a new, lighter penalty for illegal firearm possession retroactively, and what this means for criminal cases in the Philippines.
Judicial Delay, Negligence, and Falsified Certificates: Lessons from a Philippine Judge's Administrative Case
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for gross negligence and falsified certificates of service—key lessons for judicial accountability and integrity.
Consent and Rape: When Mental Retardation Negates Valid Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape of a mental retardate and why apparent consent does not negate criminal liability.
Illegal Dismissal of Ship Captain: When Refusing an Unsafe Order Is Not Incompetence
The Supreme Court ruled that a ship captain's refusal to tow a barge with worn-out ropes was not incompetence but sound professional judgment, making his dismissal illegal.
Navigating Barangay Governance: The Powers and Limits of Local Leagues
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Liga ng mga Barangay may create additional officer positions beyond those listed in the Local Government Code.
Defining Confidential Employees: Union Membership and Collective Bargaining Rights in the Philippines
Supreme Court clarifies who qualifies as a confidential employee barred from union membership, and how bargaining units are determined.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Intent and Defenseless Victims
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when treachery qualifies a killing as murder, and why suddenness or superior numbers alone are not enough.
Navigating Land Title Reconstitution: Due Diligence and Jurisdictional Requirements in the Philippines
A guide to the strict jurisdictional rules for land title reconstitution in the Philippines, drawn from the Supreme Court's ruling in Ortigas & Co. v. Velasco.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: What the Supreme Court Says About Your Rights
Learn how the Supreme Court defines illegal recruitment in large scale, what victims must prove, and the penalties recruiters face.
Who May Challenge an Execution Sale: The Real Party in Interest Rule
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who may question an execution sale and the real party in interest doctrine in civil procedure.