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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Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: When Can You Skip It
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts may excuse failure to exhaust administrative remedies, and why premature court actions get dismissed.
Perfecting Labor Appeals: Can a Real Estate Bond Substitute for Cash or Surety?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a real estate bond can perfect an employer's appeal to the NLRC under Article 223 of the Labor Code.
Judicial Ethics: When a Judge's Actions Lead to Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a judge's misconduct can result in losing all retirement benefits, even after retirement.
Ejectment Suits: When Can a Landowner Reclaim Property From Someone Living There
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a landowner can eject occupants by tolerance, and the legal limits of guardians' authority.
Ejectment of Possessors by Tolerance: Guardians, Wills, and Unlawful Detainer
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a guardian may eject possessors by tolerance, and why an unprobated will does not defeat an unlawful detainer suit.
Retroactive Application of Penalties: When Can Criminal Sentences Be Reduced
Philippine Supreme Court explains when reduced criminal penalties apply retroactively, using a drug case as an example.
Shared Guilt Establishing Conspiracy in Robbery With Homicide Under Philippine Law
When does a getaway accomplice become liable for murder? Philippine law on conspiracy in robbery with homicide explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Power of Intimidation and Victim Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape convictions based on credible victim testimony, intimidation by scythe, and rejection of alibi defenses.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Intimidation and the Weight of Positive Identification
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape convictions despite lack of struggle or medical certificate, ruling intimidation and positive identification suffice.
Mixed Union Membership When Supervisors Cant Join Rank AND File Unions IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains why a union mixing rank-and-file and supervisory employees cannot file for certification election.
Execution Pending Appeal: When Philippine Courts Can Enforce Judgments Immediately
Philippine courts can order execution pending appeal only with good reasons stated in a special order. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court administrative case.
Laches and Prescription in Land Cases: What the Supreme Court Said in Españo v. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court explains why laches and prescription are factual defenses that usually require full trial, not summary dismissal.
Obeying Orders: Understanding Criminal Liability for Public Officials in the Philippines
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies the Ombudsman's power to investigate and prosecute public officials, explaining how criminal liability attaches.
Laches and Prescription in Property Disputes: What the Supreme Court Said
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when laches and prescription can dismiss a property case, and why these defenses need full trial.
Mortgage Foreclosure Surplus: Mortgagor Rights to Excess Bid Proceeds in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mortgagor rights to surplus proceeds from extrajudicial foreclosure sales and writ of possession.
Ombudsman's Power to Prosecute: Understanding Its Limits and Scope in the Philippines
The Supreme Court upholds the Ombudsman's power to investigate and prosecute public officials under R.A. 6770, clarifying constitutional limits.
When Can a Company Lay Off Employees? Understanding Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine law on employee layoffs explained: valid dismissal requires just cause and due process. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling.
Justice Delayed: The Right to Speedy Disposition of Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court rules that a six-year delay by the Ombudsman violates the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases, citing Angchangco.
Psychological Incapacity as Ground for Marriage Annulment in the Philippines: Guidelines and Implications
The Supreme Court's Molina ruling sets strict guidelines for proving psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code.
When Witness Inconsistency Undermines a Murder Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when minor witness inconsistencies do not destroy a rape conviction and how credibility is assessed.
Adultery Lies AND Murder Convictions Understanding Circumstantial Evidence IN Philippine LAW
How the Supreme Court upheld a murder conviction based on circumstantial evidence in People v. Sator, explained in plain language.
Criminal Conspiracy and Mastermind Liability: The Role of Circumstantial Evidence
How the Supreme Court upheld a mastermind's conviction through circumstantial evidence, even without direct proof of conspiracy.
Mistake in Contracts: When Can a Sale Be Annulled?
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a mistake in the object of a sale can invalidate consent and allow annulment of the contract.
Breach of Contract: Understanding Delay and Damages in Philippine Law
Learn how the Supreme Court defines delay in contracts, moral damages, and breach of obligation in this Philippine case analysis.