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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Commercial Litigation in the Philippines: Timeline and Realistic Expectations for Foreign Companies
Understand the commercial litigation timeline in the Philippines for foreign companies, from filing to appeal, and what realistically affects how long a case takes.
Legal Hold and Document Preservation in the Philippines: A Compliance Guide
Learn how legal hold and document preservation work in the Philippines under the Data Privacy Act, including retention limits and litigation duties.
Litigation Budgets and Reserves for Philippine Companies: A Practical Guide
Learn how Philippine companies set litigation budgets and reserves, plus how arbitration under RA 9285 can cut dispute costs and uncertainty.
Terminating Employees in the Philippines: The Legal Process Employers Must Follow
Learn the legal process for terminating employees in the Philippines, including just and authorized causes, due process, and how to avoid litigation.
Preliminary Attachment and Injunctions in Philippine Litigation: How They Work
Preliminary attachment and injunctions in the Philippines are provisional remedies that protect a party during litigation. Learn how each one works and when to ask for it.
Managing a Litigation Portfolio in the Philippines: A Practical Guide for Companies
Learn how Philippine companies manage a litigation portfolio, from early case assessment to arbitration, mediation, and settlement under RA 9285.
Res Judicata Bars Repeated Litigation of Attorney Misconduct in the Philippines
Explore how the Supreme Court applied res judicata to bar a second disbarment case against a lawyer for the same misconduct, and the fine imposed for procedural defiance.
Legal Standing and Public Interest Litigation: When Can You Sue the Government in the Philippines?
The Supreme Court explains legal standing, hierarchy of courts, and when citizens may sue the government in this 2023 mandamus ruling.
Litis Pendentia and Final Judgment: Preventing Relitigation of Property Ownership
A final ruling on property ownership in one case bars a later suit on the same issue, even if the form of action differs.
Timely Filing of Appeals and the Limits of Procedural Technicalities in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court reminds courts that litigation is not a game of technicalities, reversing the CA's dismissal of an appeal filed on time.
Lis Pendens and Due Process: Registered Owners Must Be Impleaded in Property Litigation
The Supreme Court rules that registered owners must be impleaded before a notice of lis pendens may be annotated on their title.
Standby Letters of Credit vs Counter-Bonds: Safeguarding Preliminary Attachments in Philippine Litigation
A standby letter of credit cannot substitute a counter-bond to discharge a preliminary attachment under Rule 57, per the Supreme Court.
Res Judicata Bars Relitigation of Contract Validity in Loan Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a dismissal order bars a second lawsuit on the same loan contract under res judicata.
Navigating Mootness in Labor Disputes: The Impact of Union Dissolution on Legal Proceedings
When a labor union dissolves mid-litigation, the case may become moot. The Supreme Court explains the doctrine in New World v. New World Renaissance Hotel Labor Union.
Res Judicata in the Philippines: When a Dismissed Case Cannot Be Refiled
Learn when a dismissed case can be refiled in the Philippines and how res judicata bars re-litigation, based on a Supreme Court ruling on failure to prosecute.
Procedural Missteps in Philippine Civil Litigation: Lessons from Liao Senho v. Philippine Savings Bank
A Supreme Court ruling shows how missing deadlines and filing the wrong pleadings can cost a litigant the case entirely.
Navigating Tax Litigation: Understanding Suspension and Consolidation of Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when delay in tax-related cases violates the right to speedy disposition, and how consolidation works.
Supreme Court: Direct Petitions to SC Violate Hierarchy of Courts Rule
SC dismisses Palafox petition for bypassing Court of Appeals, reaffirming strict rule on hierarchy of courts in Philippine litigation.
Res Judicata in the Philippines: How Final Judgments Bar Endless Litigation
The Supreme Court explains res judicata and why a final judgment on a compromise agreement cannot be relitigated through new petitions.
When Courts Allow New Evidence Not Pre-Marked During Pre-Trial in Philippine Litigation
Philippine courts may admit evidence not pre-marked during pre-trial if good cause is shown. Learn the rule and its exceptions.
Navigating Property Disputes Understanding Jurisdictional Limits IN Real Estate Litigation
Learn how Philippine courts determine jurisdiction in property disputes, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Spouses Liu v. Cruz.
Understanding Forcible Entry and Property Rights: Lessons from Ricardo v. Go
A lawyer bought property after litigation ended—was it ethical? The Supreme Court explains when lawyers may acquire property and what this means for property owners.
Understanding Res Judicata: How Final Judgments Impact Property Disputes in the Philippines
Learn how the doctrine of res judicata bars relitigation of property disputes, as explained through a recent Supreme Court ruling on quieting of title.
Transferee Pendente Lite in Trademark Assignments: The Sunfire Trading Case
Learn how the Sunfire Trading ruling clarifies that buying a trademark during litigation binds the buyer to the case's outcome.