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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Complex Crimes: When One Act Causes Multiple Fatalities Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains how a single act causing multiple deaths is treated as a complex crime under the Revised Penal Code.
Mining Claim Disputes: Tie Points and Reconstitution Requirements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mining claim validity, tie points under the Philippine Bill of 1902, and reconstitution rules.
Employee Dismissal in the Philippines: Due Process and Just Cause Explained
A Supreme Court ruling shows that a valid dismissal needs both a just cause and due process — and that failing on either one changes the employer's liability.
Protecting Your Innovation Understanding Utility Model Patents IN THE Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified COA's audit powers and the principle of quantum meruit in government construction contracts.
Admissibility of Extrajudicial Confessions: Safeguarding Rights in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the four requirements for admissible extrajudicial confessions and what makes counsel "competent and independent" in custodial investigations.
Understanding Attorney's Fees: When Lawyers Can Claim Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers can claim attorney's fees beyond retainers, explaining general vs. special retainers and quantum meruit.
Incestuous Rape in the Philippines: Legal Implications and Victims' Rights
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies force, intimidation, and victim credibility in Philippine law.
Reconveyance Actions and Estate Administration: Jurisdiction vs. Venue in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seeking appointment as estate administratrix in a reconveyance action affects venue, not jurisdiction, of the RTC.
Regular vs Project Employees: When Philippine Law Says You're Regular
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between regular and project employees, and why labeling workers as "project-based" is not enough.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Company Officers Liable for Corporate Debts in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers and close corporation stockholders can be held personally liable for separation pay.
Navigating Forum Shopping in the Philippines: A Guide to Avoiding Dismissal
Learn how the Supreme Court applies the non-forum shopping certification rule to election protests and why timing matters for your case.
Witness Identification and Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
How the Supreme Court weighed witness credibility, conspiracy, and qualifying circumstances in a murder conviction.
When Is Circumstantial Evidence Enough to Convict in the Philippines?
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction—and why it failed in People v. Villaran.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: Lessons from People v. Mañozca
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa, clarifying key rules on evidence and defenses.
Defense of Strangers: When Can You Legally Protect Someone Else in the Philippines
Philippine law allows defending strangers, but only under strict conditions. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Contempt of Court and Forum Shopping: When Persistence Becomes Obstruction
The Supreme Court explains when filing multiple cases to stop a movie showing crosses the line from persistence to forum shopping and contempt.
Child Testimony in Rape Cases: Credibility and Legal Standards in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies standards for crediting child testimony in rape cases, affirming conviction based on victims' narrations.
Election Protests and Forum Shopping: The Certification Rule in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when non-forum shopping certifications apply to election protests and why timing matters.
Regular vs Project Employee: Understanding Employment Status in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains the difference between regular and project employees, and why employers must prove project-based hiring.
The Perils of Delayed Disclosure: Eyewitness Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Criminal Law
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification, voice recognition, and alibi in criminal cases, explained through a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Trial in Absentia and Due Process: Lessons from Parada vs. Judge Veneracion
When can trial proceed without the accused? The Supreme Court clarifies the constitutional requirements for trial in absentia in the Philippines.
When Court Errors Are Not Misconduct: The Tallado v. Racoma Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's error is a judicial matter, not administrative misconduct, and warns against harassment suits.
Squatting Rights: When Tolerance Does Not Mean Consent in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sharing harvests or tolerating possession does not create ownership rights or consent to squatting.
Partnership Disputes: When a Deed of Sale Is Simulated and Fiduciary Duties Endure
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on simulated deeds of sale in partnership disputes, fiduciary duties, and bad faith withholding of funds.