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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Mandamus Unveiled: Enforcing Rights vs Contractual Obligations in Property Disputes
Learn when courts versus DARAB resolve property disputes involving CLOAs and agrarian reform lands, based on a 2005 Supreme Court ruling.
Express Trusts Upholding Beneficiaries Rights Despite Fictitious Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on express trusts, beneficiaries' rights, and fictitious sales of property.
Future Inheritance vs Present Rights: Resolving Property Disputes Among Heirs
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on partition inter vivos, future inheritance, and validity of property transfers among heirs.
Intestate Succession and Property Rights: Clarifying Inheritance Shares Under the Old Civil Code
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when heirs truly own inherited property, and why a parent's lifetime transfer can defeat a compromise agreement's promised shares.
Strikes at Sea: Balancing Seafarer Rights and Disciplinary Procedures in Maritime Employment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer dismissal for joining a strike, emphasizing due process in maritime disciplinary procedures.
Upholding Property Rights: Valid Ownership in Ejectment Cases
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that valid ownership is essential in ejectment cases, and only a true landowner can establish tenancy.
Taxing Electoral Contributions: Clarifying Gift Tax Law in Philippine Elections
Supreme Court ruling that political contributions are taxable gifts under the NIRC, absent an express exemption.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: A Prerequisite Before Court Action
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why exhaustion of administrative remedies and motion for reconsideration are mandatory before judicial recourse.
Void Marriages and Property Rights: Ownership in Cohabitation After Bigamous Marriage
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property ownership when a marriage is void due to bigamy. Learn the rules on co-ownership and creditor claims.
Breach of Trust: Dishonesty in Personal Data Sheets Justifies Dismissal of Court Employees
Supreme Court ruling on Biteng v. DILG: false statements in Personal Data Sheets constitute dishonesty warranting dismissal from government service.
Sheriffs Duty Execution Of Writs And Limits Of Discretion In Philippine Law
Explaining the limits of a sheriff's discretion when executing writs, based on Philippine Supreme Court rulings on ministerial duties.
Upholding Legal Ethics: A Lawyer's Duty of Candor and Fidelity in Property Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lawyers' duty of candor, fidelity, and accountability in property transactions and legal representation.
When Actions Speak Louder: Trust, Dishonesty, and Due Process in Employment Termination
A Supreme Court ruling on simple misconduct in the judiciary, explaining why good faith actions can still violate trust and lead to suspension.
When a Lawyer Drops the Ball: Lessons from Edquibal v. Ferrer on Diligence and Client Trust
A Supreme Court ruling on lawyer negligence in appeals, explaining counsel's duty of diligence and what clients should expect.
Reckless Imprudence in Philippine Traffic Accidents: What Veneracion v. People Teaches Drivers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies reckless imprudence liability in traffic accidents, emphasizing driver precautions and evidentiary standards.
Letters of Credit and Construction Contracts: Defining Liability in Tripartite Agreements
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a bank is liable under a tripartite letter of credit agreement in construction financing.
Mortgage in Good Faith: How Registered Mortgages Protect Lenders Despite Title Defects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how registered mortgages protect lenders in good faith, even when prior unregistered sales exist.
Judicial Accountability Ensuring Prompt Transmittal of Records in Appealed Cases
A judge's duty to supervise court personnel and ensure prompt transmittal of records in appealed cases, explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Sheriffs Duty Enforcing Writs With DUE Notice AND Jurisdictional Respect
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sheriffs' duty to give notice and coordinate with local sheriffs when enforcing writs outside their jurisdiction.
Contract Validity: Illness and Consent in Property Sales Under Philippine Law
Supreme Court ruling on when illness affects consent in property sales, and the burden of proving lack of capacity to contract.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: The Two-Notice Rule Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine law requires employers to follow the two-notice rule before dismissing employees. Learn what this means from a Supreme Court ruling.
Creek Ownership and Land Disputes: Public vs. Private Property Rights
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that creeks are public property, not private land, and how this affects boundary disputes.
Upholding Due Process: Employees' Right to Notice in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that resignation does not shield court employees from administrative liability for dishonesty and grave misconduct.
Certiorari as an Improper Substitute for a Lost Appeal: The Importance of Timely Filing
A Supreme Court ruling reminds litigants that certiorari cannot replace a lost appeal, and that probable cause in preliminary investigations rests on probability, not certainty.