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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Breach of Trust vs Burden of Proof: Employee Rights in Dismissal Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on appeal periods clarifies how dismissal cases are reviewed and why procedural rules matter.
Pre-Trial Appearances and Summary Judgment Motions: Pascual v. First Consolidated Rural Bank
Explaining when summary judgment motions can be filed, and why skipping pre-trial remains fatal even with a pending motion.
Execution Pending Appeal: Balancing Justice and Judicial Discretion in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of execution pending appeal and the requirements for claiming injunction bonds in Abenion v. Pilipinas Shell.
Liberal Interpretation of Procedural Rules in Intellectual Property Appeals
Supreme Court rules that administrative tribunals like the IPO may liberally apply procedural rules, allowing substantial compliance with certification requirements.
Illegal Dismissal: Backwages and Separation Pay Computed Until Final Judgment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that backwages and separation pay for illegally dismissed employees run until the judgment becomes final, regardless of who appealed.
Appeal Bonds: Financial Hardship Is Not a Valid Excuse for Non-Compliance
The Supreme Court rules that financial difficulty alone cannot excuse an employer from posting the full appeal bond required under the Labor Code.
When Counsel's Negligence Costs the Appeal: Lessons from Dimaandal v. Ilagan
A client is bound by counsel's mistakes unless gross negligence deprives them of due process. The Supreme Court explains the rule.
The Limits of Appellate Courts Introducing New Evidence on Appeal in Philippine Law
Philippine appellate courts generally cannot receive new evidence on appeal; review is limited to the trial record. This article explains the rule.
Peace Agreements and Premature Constitutional Challenges: Why Courts Wait for Implementing Laws
The Supreme Court dismissed challenges to the Bangsamoro peace agreements as premature, explaining why courts wait for implementing laws before ruling on constitutionality.
SEC Cease and Desist Orders and Investment Contracts: A Supreme Court Primer
The Supreme Court clarifies that SEC cease and desist orders are interlocutory, not appealable, and that the SEC has primary jurisdiction over investment contract questions.
Cease and Desist Orders Secs Authority and the Limits of Judicial Intervention
The Supreme Court clarifies when an appeal from a trial court's dismissal order involves questions of fact, not just law.
Perfecting Appeals in Election Protests: Payment Deadlines and Damage Awards
Supreme Court clarifies COMELEC appeal fee deadlines under Resolution 8486 and limits damages in election protests to actual or compensatory damages.
Perfecting Appeals in Election Protests: Timely Payment of Appeal Fees
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on appeal fees in election protests, emphasizing timely payment and the limits on damages.
Striking a Balance When Justice Outweighs Procedural Technicalities in Criminal Appeals
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect when police breaches of Section 21, RA 9165 compromise the integrity of seized evidence.
Real Property Tax Disputes: Why Payment Under Protest Is a Mandatory First Step
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that payment under protest is mandatory before appealing real property tax assessments, even when claiming tax exemption.
Appeal Bonds and Due Process in Labor Dismissal Cases: Key Lessons from the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court clarifies when defective appeal bonds may be excused and how courts may rule on unassigned errors in illegal dismissal cases.
Guilt by Association: Analyzing Conspiracy in Drug Trafficking Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when a person becomes a co-principal in drug trafficking through conspiracy, and the limits of questioning evidence on appeal.
Upholding Procedural Rules: The Supreme Court on Proper Appeals in Legal Questions
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on appeals, emphasizing that only questions of law may be raised in a petition for review on certiorari.
Death of Accused Pending Appeal Extinguishes Criminal Liability: People v. Layag
The Supreme Court explains how an accused's death before final conviction extinguishes criminal liability and what happens to civil claims.
Upholding Notarial Duties Negligence AND Misrepresentation IN Legal Practice
A lawyer's failure to secure notarial paraphernalia and unauthorized court appearances lead to suspension and notarial disqualification.
Reinstatement Rights Employers Duty to Reinstate Despite Appeal
Labor Arbiter reinstatement orders are immediately executory. Employers must reinstate or pay wages even while appealing.
Reinstatement Orders Are Immediately Executory: What Employers Must Know
A dismissed employee must be reinstated even while appeal is pending; failure to do so means paying accrued wages.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: Appealing MARINA Decisions to the Office of the President
When must MARINA decisions be appealed to the Office of the President before going to court? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule.
Judicial Clarity Required: Nullifying Decisions Without Factual and Legal Basis
The Supreme Court affirms that decisions lacking clear factual and legal bases are void, upholding the Court of Appeals' nullification of a trial court ruling.