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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Negligence in Notarization: Consequences for Failure to Comply With Notarial Duties
Learn how the Supreme Court disciplines lawyers who neglect notarial duties and mishandle client funds, with practical compliance tips.
Breach of Contract in Property Sales: Rights, Interest, and Damages Under Philippine Law
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unpaid property sale balances clarifies when nominal damages, attorney's fees, and 12% interest apply.
Contract Interpretation Enforcing Equitable Compensation FOR Extended Services
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on equitable compensation for extended construction management services in Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas v. Santamaria.
Attorney Misappropriation of Client Funds: Fiduciary Duty and Ethical Obligations of Lawyers
When a lawyer mishandles client money, the Supreme Court does not take it lightly. Learn the ethical rules and consequences.
Upholding Electoral Due Process: The Illegality of Suspending Proclamation Without Clear Evidence
The Supreme Court rules that suspending a winning candidate's proclamation without due process and clear evidence violates election laws and the people's will.
Judicial Accountability: The Consequences of Undue Delay in Rendering Decisions
A retired judge fined for failing to decide cases on time—what this means for judicial accountability and the public's right to speedy justice.
Finality of Judgment: Court Warns Against Repeated Motions to Evade Execution
Supreme Court warns litigants against filing repeated motions to delay execution of final judgments, citing abuse of judicial processes.
Illegal Dismissal Case: Why Salary Deductions Defeated a Theft Claim
Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal: employer's theft claim failed because goods were paid via salary deductions and due process was not observed.
Conspiracy and Consent: Examining the Elements of Rape in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies rape elements, consent, and qualifying circumstances in a father's conviction for raping his 10-year-old daughter.
Upholding Due Process in Attorney Discipline: The Necessity of Formal Investigation
When can a lawyer be suspended without a formal investigation? The Supreme Court clarifies due process requirements in disciplinary cases.
Rape Conviction Affirmed Credible Testimony Outweighs Physicians Doubts In Child Abuse Cases
Supreme Court affirms father's rape conviction, ruling a child victim's credible testimony outweighs conflicting medical findings in incest cases.
Local Autonomy vs Presidential Supervision: The Scope of Power in Granting Judges' Allowances
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of presidential supervision over local governments in granting allowances to judges.
Breach of Trust: The Grave Consequences of Parental Rape in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his 10-year-old daughter, highlighting the law's treatment of incestuous rape.
Security of Tenure in the CES: Clarifying Eligibility and Reassignment Rights
The Court clarifies when a demotion amounts to constructive dismissal, the limits of CBA benefits for managerial employees, and retirement rights under the Labor Code.
Incestuous Rape in the Philippines: Why the Victim's Age Must Be Proven, Not Assumed
In People v. Caralipio, the Supreme Court reduced a death sentence to reclusion perpetua because the prosecution failed to prove the victim's minority beyond reasonable doubt.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Proving Minority and Relationship in Qualified Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction but reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua because the prosecution failed to prove the victim's minority beyond reasonable doubt.
Rape and Incest: Minor Testimony Inconsistencies Don't Undermine Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony don't weaken her credibility, and why minority must be proven.
Checks and Balances When Regional Prosecutors Overstep Local Authority in Preliminary Investigations
When can a regional prosecutor take over a city prosecutor's case? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of supervision and control.
Protecting Seafarers: Illegal Dismissal and Due Process Rights in Maritime Employment
When can a shipowner dismiss a Filipino seafarer? The Supreme Court clarifies just cause and due process rules for maritime employment.
Treachery Unveiled: The Standard for Qualifying Circumstances in Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that treachery must be proven with equal certainty as the crime itself, not presumed from the killing.
Eyewitness Testimony and the Limits of Capital Punishment: People v. Narciso
The Supreme Court affirms a robbery-homicide conviction based on eyewitness testimony but reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua.
Expediting Justice: Why Election Protests Favor Speed Over Rigid Procedure
In Quintos v. COMELEC, the Supreme Court allowed a trial court first access to contested ballot boxes, showing that speedy election protest resolution outweighs rigid rules.
Rape Conviction Stands but Death Penalty Falls: Proving the Victim's Age
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction but reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua, clarifying the burden of proving the victim's age.
Protecting Children: The Credibility of a Minor's Testimony in Incestuous Rape Cases
How Philippine courts assess a minor's testimony in incestuous rape cases, and why credibility, not corroboration, often decides the outcome.