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.
Demurrer to Evidence: Insufficient Proof in Customs and Anti-Graft Cases Leads to Dismissal
When prosecution evidence fails to establish a prima facie case, a demurrer to evidence may lead to dismissal. The Supreme Court explains.
BPI v. Reyes: Physical Evidence Prevails in Bank Deposit Dispute
Supreme Court explains preponderance of evidence in bank deposit disputes, ruling physical evidence outweighs bare testimony.
Union Fund Mismanagement: Substantiation Required for Special Assessments
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on union officers' liability for unsubstantiated special assessments and litigation expenses.
Safeguarding Due Process Understanding Formal Investigation in Philippine Attorney Disciplinary Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court upholds due process in administrative cases against court personnel, using a sheriff's suspension as a key example.
Proof of Alienability Required: Land Registration Denied Without Government Certification
Supreme Court denies land registration where applicant failed to prove the property was alienable and disposable public land.
Burden of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law: Affirmative Testimony vs Denial
How Philippine courts weigh affirmative testimony against bare denial in criminal and civil cases, with practical guidance.
Buy-Bust Operations in Drug Cases: When Arrests and Evidence Are Valid
Learn when warrantless arrests and searches in buy-bust operations are legal, and how evidence stays admissible in Philippine drug cases.
The Perils of Oversight: Delineating Negligence and Liability in Medical Practice
A missed surgery due to a time-zone error tests the line between ordinary and gross negligence in medical practice, shaping damage awards.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Homicide Cases: Lessons from Lascano v. People
The Supreme Court reaffirms that credible eyewitness identification outweighs alibi and denial in criminal cases, explaining why appellate courts respect trial court credibility findings.
Probable Cause and Judicial Discretion: Examining the Dismissal of Rape Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge may dismiss a rape case for lack of probable cause, and when such dismissal constitutes grave abuse of discretion.
Formal Offer of Evidence: Why Failure Can End a Land Ownership Case
A missed deadline to formally offer evidence can doom a land dispute. Learn the rule from Heirs of Pasag v. Parocha.
Lack of Property Rights: Why a Valid Claim Is Essential to File a Case in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts require a valid claim or property right to file a case. This article explains the rule and its practical implications.
Perjury in the Philippines: When a False Statement Is Not a Crime
The Supreme Court explains why negligence, not malice, in a sworn statement does not amount to perjury under Philippine law.
Unlock Loan Restructuring Benefits: Why Application Is Key Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on RA 7202 shows why filing an application is essential to claim loan restructuring and condonation benefits.
Double Sale of Land in the Philippines: Bad Faith Registration and Ejectment Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on double sale of land: bad faith registration cannot defeat the first buyer's right to possession.
Burden of Proof in Labor Cases: Supreme Court Upholds Employee Rights in Wage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers bear the burden of proof in labor standards cases, protecting workers' claims for unpaid wages.
Double Jeopardy in Philippine Courts: When a Case Dismissal Protects You from Retrial
Understand when a case dismissal bars retrial under Philippine double jeopardy rules, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Benares v. Lim.
Real Property Tax Refund: Illegality of Assessment and the Proper Claim Procedure
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that an invalid real property tax ordinance entitles taxpayers to refunds, but claims must follow the Local Government Code's procedure.
Land Registration and the Importance of Accurate Property Identification: Republic vs. Enriquez
A land registration case shows why accurate property identification is crucial, and how discrepancies in area can defeat a title application.
Breach of Contract Rescission and the Importance of Proving Payment
A buyer who claims full payment must prove it with credible evidence; the Supreme Court explains rescission under Article 1191.
Dismissal of Administrative Complaint Against Court Interpreter: Burden of Proof in Administrative Cases
Administrative complaints require substantial evidence; mere allegations and assumptions are insufficient to hold court personnel liable for misconduct.
Probable Cause in Search Warrants: Lessons from the Marlboro Counterfeit Case
When is a search warrant valid in IP cases? The Supreme Court clarifies probable cause standards in People v. Choi.
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.
Bound by Your Lawyer’s Mistakes? Client Responsibility Under Philippine Law
Philippine courts generally hold clients responsible for their lawyers' negligence. Only gross negligence that deprives a client of due process warrants relief.