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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Judicial Conduct and Mental Fitness: Ensuring Impartiality on the Bench
Philippine Supreme Court affirms removal of judge with mental unfitness and belief in "dwendes," citing judicial detachment.
Reconstitution of Title: An Unsigned Duplicate Owner's Copy Is Not Enough
Philippine Supreme Court rules that an unsigned, unauthenticated owner's duplicate of a title cannot support judicial reconstitution under RA 26.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Fair Market Value and the Role of Commissioners' Reports
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts must determine just compensation in expropriation cases, and the proper weight of commissioners' reports.
Employee Dismissal for Refusal to Work Requires Concrete Proof and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court rules that dismissing employees for alleged refusal to work needs solid evidence and proper notice, not just accusations.
Mortgage Foreclosure: Why Stipulated Notice Requirements Matter in Real Estate Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on extrajudicial foreclosure: stipulated notice requirements in mortgage contracts are mandatory and enforceable.
Conditional Contracts to Sell: When Buyers' Payment Hinges on Sellers' Prior Mortgage Release
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in a contract to sell, buyers need not pay until sellers secure mortgage release, and rescission under Article 1191 does not apply.
Intestate Succession and Laches: Protecting Heirs' Rights to Family Property
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on heirs' rights to inherited property, extrajudicial settlement validity, and when laches cannot bar succession claims.
Torrens Title vs. Laches: When Delay Bars a Quieting of Title Claim
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether laches can bar a quieting of title action over registered land, and the limits of Torrens title protection.
Eminent Domain by LGUs: Why an Ordinance Is Required, Not Just a Resolution
Philippine Supreme Court rules a mere resolution cannot authorize a local government's expropriation; an ordinance is required under the Local Government Code.
Judicial Accountability: Good Faith Exception for Erroneous Judgments
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that judges cannot be disciplined for erroneous rulings made in good faith, absent fraud or malice.
Family Home Exemption: Claiming Protection Before the Execution Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when and how judgment debtors must claim the family home exemption from execution sale.
Good Faith Builder Rights Under Article 448: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
Understand the rights of a builder in good faith under Philippine law, including the landowner's options under Article 448 of the Civil Code.
When Can a Sale Be Annulled? Lessons from Ishida v. De Mesa-Magno
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a sale can be annulled, and why courts cannot grant reliefs not prayed for in a complaint.
VAT on Sale of Assets: When Is It "In the Course of Trade or Business"?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale of company assets is subject to VAT, requiring that the sale occur in the course of trade or business.
Documentary Stamp Tax on Foreign Exchange Sales: Who Pays
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on documentary stamp tax liability for foreign exchange sales to the Central Bank.
Upholding Ethical Standards: Disbarment Case Dismissed for Lack of Clear Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court affirms dismissal of disbarment case against Atty. Teodorico Diesmos, emphasizing the need for clear and convincing evidence in disciplinary proceedings.
Preliminary Injunctions and Grave Abuse of Discretion: What Philippine Courts Require
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's error becomes grave abuse of discretion, using a preliminary investigation case as guide.
Electoral Quorum Rules and Grounds for Challenging Election Results
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC quorum requirements, ballot appreciation rules, and grounds for challenging election results explained.
Right to Access Court Records: Balancing Public Interest and Privacy
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when court records are public, who may access them, and how courts balance transparency with privacy.
Donations to Unregistered Organizations in the Philippines: When Are They Valid?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on donations to unregistered organizations: why juridical personality matters and what donors and groups must know.
Implied Tenancy in the Philippines: When Land Use Creates Tenant Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when implied tenancy arises in agrarian disputes, and why an overseer's acts alone cannot create tenant rights.
Lessor Liability for Lease Violations: Trespass in Fact vs Trespass in Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a lessor is liable for third-party disturbances of a lessee's possession, distinguishing trespass in fact from trespass in law.
Bouncing Checks Liability Without the Original Check: Key Lessons from Arceo v. People
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a person can be held liable under BP 22 even if the original check is lost or missing.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: When Can You Skip the Bureaucracy and Go to Court
Philippine Supreme Court explains the doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies and its exceptions, using a GSIS dismissal case as an example.