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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Strict Accountability for Court Funds: Consequences for Clerks of Court Mismanagement in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on clerk of court liability for mismanaged judiciary funds, emphasizing strict accountability and administrative consequences.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Alibi: Credibility in Philippine Murder Trials
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness credibility against alibi defenses, and why qualifying circumstances must be proven.
Malversation in the Philippines: Why Failure to Liquidate Cash Advances Can Lead to Criminal Charges
A clerk of court's failure to account for missing public funds triggered malversation charges under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.
Illegal Strikes in the Philippines: Return-to-Work Orders and Employment Consequences
Understand when a strike becomes illegal in the Philippines, the binding effect of return-to-work orders, and the employment consequences for defiant strikers.
Safeguarding Due Process: Understanding Indirect Contempt in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court reminds the IBP that formal investigation is mandatory in lawyer discipline cases, ensuring due process before any penalty.
Safeguarding Your Appeal: Due Process and Lawyer Negligence in Philippine Courts
When a lawyer's mistakes cost a client her case, can the judgment be annulled? The Supreme Court explains the limits of extrinsic fraud and counsel negligence.
Crucial Evidence in Incestuous Rape Cases: Why Proof of Age Determines the Penalty
In incestuous rape, the death penalty requires proof of the victim's age beyond reasonable doubt. Learn from People v. Pecayo.
Conspiracy and Homicide vs Murder: Understanding Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies conspiracy, treachery, and qualifying circumstances in homicide versus murder convictions.
Due Process and Eyewitness Identification: Safeguarding Fair Trials in Philippine Courts
How Philippine courts test eyewitness identification for impermissible suggestion, and why due process demands fair procedures in criminal trials.
Navigating Inheritance for Distant Relatives in the Philippines: Understanding the Rule of Proximity
Learn how Philippine intestate succession works for distant relatives, including the rule of proximity and who inherits when no immediate family exists.
When Self-Defense Fails: Unlawful Aggression and Reasonable Necessity in Philippine Law
When does self-defense hold up in Philippine courts? The Supreme Court explains unlawful aggression and reasonable necessity in People v. Dela Cruz.
Regalian Doctrine vs Indigenous Rights: The IPRA Landmark Case
The Supreme Court's 7-7 split in Cruz v. DENR left the IPRA intact, shaping how ancestral domains and the Regalian doctrine interact today.
When Domestic Discipline Turns Deadly: Murder and Cruelty in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on murder qualified by cruelty examines domestic abuse, criminal liability, and the exemption of relatives as accessories.
Landowner Consent Is Essential in Agricultural Leasehold Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a tenant cannot transfer leasehold rights without landowner consent, and the consequences of unauthorized assignment.
Judicial Delay: The Duty of Judges to Decide Cases Promptly in the Philippines
Philippine judges must decide cases within 90 days. This article explains the rule, the consequences of delay, and practical lessons from a Supreme Court ruling.
Statutory Rape vs. Rape by Force: Key Distinctions in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the key differences between statutory rape and rape by force, and why a victim's age matters most.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Does It Justify Homicide?
Philippine law recognizes self-defense, but it requires unlawful aggression, reasonable necessity, and lack of provocation. Learn the rules.
Judicial Misconduct and Bail Irregularities: Safeguarding Due Process in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling on undue delay and abuse of authority clarifies judicial duties and due process in Philippine courts.
Judicial Delay: Understanding the 90-Day Rule for Case Resolution in Philippine Courts
Philippine judges must decide cases within 90 days. Learn the rule, its legal basis, and consequences of delay.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Does It Justify Homicide?
Philippine law requires unlawful aggression, reasonable necessity, and lack of provocation for self-defense to justify homicide.
Escheat of Unclaimed Bank Deposits in the Philippines: Procedure and Due Process
Learn how Philippine escheat law works for unclaimed bank deposits, why publication is required, and why certiorari cannot replace a missed appeal.
Proving the Unseen: How Circumstantial Evidence Convicts in Philippine Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when circumstantial evidence suffices to convict, and why murder was downgraded to homicide.
Fatal Flaws in Filing Rape Cases: Why Precision in Criminal Complaints Matters in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court reduced a rape conviction from death to reclusion perpetua because the complaint failed to allege the qualifying circumstances of filiation and minority.
Bouncing Checks and Due Process: Why Notice of Dishonor Is Crucial in BP 22 Cases
The Supreme Court acquits check issuers where the prosecution failed to prove notice of dishonor, underscoring due process in BP 22 cases.