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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Conspiracy and Intent: How Philippine Courts Establish Criminal Liability
A Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy and evident premeditation in murder, explaining how joint purpose and intent establish liability.
Dying Declarations and Conspiracy in Murder Cases: People v. Baldago
How Philippine courts weigh dying declarations and infer conspiracy in murder trials, explained through People v. Baldago.
Ombudsman’s Probable Cause Finding in Anti-Graft Cases: When Courts Will Not Interfere
The Supreme Court affirms the Ombudsman’s broad discretion in determining probable cause for anti-graft charges, limiting judicial review.
Hired Guns and Silent Inducements: Criminal Liability in Contract Killings Under Philippine Law
A look at how Philippine courts treat hired killers and those who induce them, based on a landmark 2001 murder case.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding the Testimony of Child Rape Victims in Philippine Courts
How the Supreme Court affirmed a death sentence for raping a four-year-old, reinforcing rules on child testimony and credibility.
Quasi-Delict and Vehicular Accidents: When Overtaking Leads to Liability in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies negligence, proximate cause, and vicarious liability in a vehicular accident quasi-delict case.
Exhaustion Doctrine Prevails Jurisdiction Cannot BE Circumvented BY Direct Resort TO Courts
Direct court resort without exhausting administrative remedies is fatal, as Gonzales v. Court of Appeals shows.
Treachery in Philippine Law: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Sudden Attacks
How Philippine courts define treachery in murder cases, and why conspiracy requires more than mere presence at the crime scene.
Forum Shopping in Philippine Courts: When Filing Multiple Petitions Backfires
Philippine Supreme Court explains forum shopping through a barangay captain's dismissed petition against an Ad Hoc Committee.
Extending Lease Agreements: Judicial Discretion and Tenant Rights Under Article 1687 of the Civil Code
When can courts extend a month-to-month lease under Article 1687? The Supreme Court clarifies judicial discretion and tenant rights.
Appeal Rights After Default Protecting DUE Process IN Philippine Courts
Execution Pending Appeal When Urgency Justifies Immediate Enforcement
Explains when Philippine courts may allow execution pending appeal, using Standard Insurance v. Court of Appeals as a guide.
Credibility in Rape and Murder Cases: The Weight of a Witness's Testimony
In People v. Carpo, the Supreme Court upheld a conviction based on one eyewitness, showing how Philippine courts weigh testimony, alibi, and flight.
The Limits of Injunctive Relief When Enrollment Rights Meet School Policies
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts may issue injunctions in school enrollment disputes, requiring clear legal rights and urgent necessity.
Beyond the Ballot: The Limits of Pre-Proclamation Authority in Philippine Elections
Pre-proclamation controversies have strict limits under Philippine election law. This article explains when COMELEC can act and when courts take over.
Deportation and Habeas Corpus: The Limits of Judicial Intervention in Immigration Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may issue the writ of habeas corpus in deportation cases involving undocumented aliens.
Eyewitness Identification and Child Rape Testimony: Lessons from People v. Padilla
How Philippine courts assess a child rape victim's testimony, qualifying circumstances for death penalty, and evidentiary rules.
Due Process and Audit Reports: Fair Hearings in Financial Disputes
When courts appoint commissioners to audit financial records, due process requires formal hearings—not just interviews. The Supreme Court explains why.
Certiorari's Reach When Appellate Courts Overstep in Injunction Cases
Learn how certiorari limits appellate courts from issuing injunctions in labor cases, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Judicial Overreach: When Regular Courts Overstep Labor Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on when regional trial courts overstep jurisdiction by issuing TROs in labor cases, explained for lay readers.
Upholding Labor Tribunal Authority Regular Courts Barred From Enjoining Nlrc Decisions
Philippine Supreme Court affirms that regular courts cannot issue TROs against NLRC decisions, holding a judge liable for gross ignorance of the law.
UP vs Rosario: The Crucial Role of Land Survey Approval in Property Title Validity
When a land title may be void for lack of approved survey plan, and why courts must fully hear such claims before dismissal.
Lawyer's Courtroom Conduct and Disciplinary Liability Under the CPRA
A Supreme Court ruling on lawyer discipline clarifies duties to courts, consequences of misconduct, and how penalties apply to disbarred attorneys.
Reckless Imprudence vs Intentional Felony: Determining Criminal Liability in Vehicular Accidents
Understand how Philippine courts distinguish reckless imprudence from intentional felonies in vehicular accidents, and why the distinction matters for criminal liability.