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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Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Inconsistencies in Victim's Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining why minor inconsistencies in testimony don't destroy credibility and what constitutes carnal knowledge.
DUE Process IN Dismissal Ensuring Fair Treatment FOR Employees IN Termination Cases
Judicial Employee Misconduct: Court Integrity Hinges on Proper Conduct
A Supreme Court ruling on court employees accepting money outside their duties, and why proper conduct upholds judicial integrity.
Acquisitive Prescription vs Succession: How Heirs Keep Land Ownership in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when prescription and laches cannot defeat inheritance rights over family land.
Upholding Judicial Efficiency: Judges Must Observe Session Hours and Avoid Unnecessary Delays
Supreme Court admonishes judge for absenteeism and delays, reaffirming strict session hours and prompt case disposition as judicial duties.
Rape in Philippine Law: Why Full Penetration Is Not Required
The Supreme Court ruled that the slightest entry of the male organ into the labia consummates rape, and that age in statutory rape must be strictly proven.
Father's Betrayal: Revisiting Rape Conviction, Victim's Testimony, and Age Proof
A father's rape conviction was modified when the prosecution failed to prove the victim's age, highlighting the importance of evidence in statutory rape cases.
Incestuous Rape Parental Authority VS Childs Right TO Protection AND THE Imposition OF THE Death Penalty
Upholding Impartiality: The Supreme Court on Fair Case Raffling and Judicial Integrity
The Supreme Court affirms COA's ban on auditors receiving local government allowances, preserving audit independence and integrity under RA 6758.
Incestuous Rape: Why the Prosecution Must Prove the Victim's Age Beyond Reasonable Doubt
In incestuous rape cases, the prosecution must prove the victim's minority and relationship to the offender beyond reasonable doubt to justify the death penalty.
Resolving Ownership in Forcible Entry: When Courts Can Decide Who Truly Owns the Land
Philippine ejectment cases usually focus on possession, but courts may resolve ownership when it is intertwined with possession. Learn the rules.
Fiduciary Duty and Accountability: The Consequences of Violating Court Circulars on Fund Management
A clerk of court who released a bail bond without a written court order was fined for violating Supreme Court Circular No. 50-95.
Presidential Authority to Reorganize Government Agencies: Balancing Efficiency and Employee Rights
The Supreme Court explains when the President may validly reorganize executive agencies and what protections employees retain during streamlining.
Right to Property vs Contractual Obligations: Preliminary Injunctions Explained
Learn when courts may issue preliminary injunctions to protect property rights, and the limits of quasi-judicial contempt powers.
Rape Credibility of a Minor Victim and the Defense of Impotency
In People v. Manahan, the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction of a 12-year-old girl, ruling on witness credibility, delayed reporting, and the defense of impotency.
Buy-Bust Operations and Proving Illegal Drug Sales Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court explains how prosecution can prove illegal drug sales beyond reasonable doubt in buy-bust operations, and why frame-up defenses often fail.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Victim Credibility, Threats, and Intimidation in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining why a victim's credible testimony and threats of death outweigh claims of normal behavior.
Forged Signatures and Faulty Sales: Protecting Spousal Rights in Property Transfers
A forged deed by a married man without his wife's consent is void; buyers must verify occupancy before purchasing property.
Illegal Dismissal: Full Back Wages Despite Subsequent Employment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: illegally dismissed employees get full back wages, even if they found other work during the dismissal period.
DARAB Contempt Powers: Why Arrest Orders Must Come From Courts
The Supreme Court limits DARAB's contempt power—arrest orders for indirect contempt must come from the Regional Trial Court, not administrative bodies.
Fair Reporting vs Defamation: Weighing Public Interest in Libel Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when news reports on matters of public interest are privileged, and who bears liability for libel under Article 360.
When Court Personnel Fail: Administrative Liability for Delayed Summons Service
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on process servers, clerks of court, and judges liable for delayed summons service in civil cases.
Judicial Accountability: Timely Decisions and Truthful Certificates of Service
A Supreme Court ruling holds a judge liable for a nine-month delay in resolving a routine motion, while dismissing the charge of untruthful service certificates.