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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When Courts Overturn Convictions: Lessons on Evidence and Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court acquits a rape convict, explaining when appellate courts may disregard trial court credibility findings and why prosecution evidence must stand on its own.
Conviction for a Different Crime: When Courts Can Convict You of an Uncharged Offense
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a conviction for an offense not charged in the Information is valid under the Rules of Court.
When Illegal Dismissal Claims of Probationary Employees Fall Outside DARAB Jurisdiction: Del Monte Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over agrarian disputes, distinguishing recovery of possession cases from tenurial controversies under RA 6657.
Upholding Drug Convictions: Integrity of Evidence Over Procedural Lapses
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, ruling that minor procedural lapses in Section 21 compliance do not automatically invalidate seized evidence.
Navigating Drug Sale Convictions: Evidence and Inconsistencies in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on drug sale convictions underscores the critical role of chain of custody evidence in Philippine criminal cases.
Agrarian Dispute vs Recovery of Possession: Jurisdiction in Philippine Land Cases
When does a land dispute fall under DARAB jurisdiction? The Supreme Court clarifies the line between agrarian disputes and ordinary recovery of possession cases.
Ejectment Suits and Agrarian Disputes: Possession vs. Ownership in Philippine Courts
When does an ejectment suit become an agrarian dispute? The Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over possession cases.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Proper Evidence Handling Matters
The Supreme Court explains the chain of custody rule in drug cases and when lapses in procedure will not defeat a conviction.
Buy-Bust Operations and Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: What People v. Quiamanlon Teaches
The Supreme Court explains when lapses in drug evidence custody do not defeat a conviction under RA 9165.
Voluntary Arbitration vs. Labor Arbiter: Philippine Labor Dispute Jurisdiction
When does voluntary arbitration prevail over Labor Arbiter jurisdiction? The Supreme Court clarifies in University of the Immaculate Conception v. NLRC.
Missed Filing Deadlines in Philippine Courts: Lessons from Barangay Dasmariñas vs. Creative Play Corner School
Learn how strict Philippine court filing deadlines are, and why a missed extension cost Barangay Dasmariñas its case before the Court of Appeals.
Intra-Corporate vs Illegal Dismissal: Where to File Your Case
Learn when a dismissal case is intra-corporate or a labor dispute, and which forum has jurisdiction, based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling.
Overcoming Jurisdictional Hurdles in Philippine Property Disputes: The Philippine Veterans Bank Case
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified jurisdictional boundaries between courts and DARAB in expropriation cases involving agrarian reform lands.
Circumstantial Evidence IN Philippine Homicide Cases When Indirect Proof Leads TO Conviction
Limits of Executive Judge Authority: Avoiding Gross Ignorance of the Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judges who acted on cases outside their jurisdiction, and the limits of executive judge authority.
Psychological Incapacity Under Article 36: What the Supreme Court Requires for Marriage Nullity
The Supreme Court clarifies the strict standards for proving psychological incapacity as a ground for declaring a marriage void under Philippine law.
Buy-Bust Operations: Ensuring Integrity of Drug Evidence in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on buy-bust operations underscores why the chain of custody of drug evidence is crucial to secure a conviction.
Searching Inquiry and Guilty Pleas: Safeguarding Rights in Philippine Criminal Justice
The Supreme Court explains when a guilty plea requires a searching inquiry and when a conviction may stand despite an improvident plea.
Supplemental Complaint Filing Fees and Damages: Key Jurisdictional Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when unpaid filing fees on supplemental complaints affect jurisdiction and damage awards.
Caught in the Act: Upholding Warrantless Arrests in Philippine Drug Cases
The Supreme Court explains when police may arrest without a warrant under the in flagrante delicto rule in drug cases.
Rape Conviction Upheld Alibi Weak Against Positive Identification
The Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction, ruling that alibi cannot prevail over positive identification by witnesses who had no motive to falsely implicate the accused.
Rape Conviction on Credible Testimony: Proving Qualifying Circumstances in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction based on credible testimony, proving qualifying circumstances, and the effect of R.A. 9346 on the death penalty.
Incestuous Rape Upholding THE Testimony OF Vulnerable Victims AND Addressing Familial Abuse
The Supreme Court affirms conviction for incestuous rape, underscoring the credibility of a minor victim's testimony and the State's duty to protect children from familial abuse.
When Death Ends Criminal and Civil Liability: Datu v. People Explained
What happens to a conviction when the accused dies pending appeal? The Supreme Court's ruling in Datu v. People provides the answer.