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.
Agrarian Reform Land Transfer Ban: What Beneficiaries and Buyers Must Know
Supreme Court clarifies the 10-year ban on selling agrarian reform lands, the void sale rule, and the buyer's right to recover payment.
Architects vs Engineers: Who Can Sign Building Plans in the Philippines?
Supreme Court ruling on whether civil engineers may prepare, sign, and seal architectural documents under the National Building Code and Architecture Act.
Bunkhouse Residency and Voter Registration: The Bascon Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court affirms that workers living in employer-provided bunkhouses can establish voter residency, provided they meet legal requirements.
Discernment in Juvenile Justice: Key Lessons from CICL XXX vs. People
Understand how Philippine courts determine a minor's discernment and criminal liability, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in CICL XXX vs. People.
When Agrarian Disputes Are Really Contract Cases: DAR v. Lapanday Foods
The Supreme Court clarifies when disputes over CARP lands are ordinary contract cases, not agrarian disputes under DAR jurisdiction.
Winning the Lottery Without a Ticket: Contract Law and Games of Chance in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that a damaged lotto ticket doesn't bar winning the jackpot if the bettor proves selecting the winning combination.
Expropriation and Just Compensation: Understanding Legal Interest in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the legal interest rates landowners can claim when the government delays payment of just compensation in expropriation cases.
Disbarment for Judicial Misconduct: Integrity and Ethics in the Legal Profession
The Supreme Court disbarred a former judge for gross misconduct, including soliciting money and failing to report marriages she solemnized.
Interest on Just Compensation in Philippine Expropriation: The Tamparong Rule
The Supreme Court clarifies the legal interest rates on unpaid just compensation in expropriation cases, protecting landowners' property rights.
Judicial Accountability: Granting Bail Without Due Process Is Gross Ignorance of the Law
A judge's dismissal for granting bail without due process illustrates the high standard of judicial competence and accountability in the Philippines.
Heirship Disputes: Why Summary Judgments Fail When Inheritance Rights Are Unclear
Supreme Court explains why summary judgment cannot resolve contested heirship and inheritance rights in estate administration cases.
Psychological Incapacity as a Legal Concept: Expert Testimony and Marital Obligations
The Supreme Court clarifies that psychological incapacity is a legal concept, not a medical illness, and psychiatric examination of the spouse is not indispensable.
GSIS Loan Penalties: When Are They Unconscionable?
The Supreme Court ruled that compounded GSIS loan penalties can be unconscionable and subject to reduction. Learn the rules.
Gross Negligence of Counsel: When Final Convictions Can Be Reopened for Due Process
When a lawyer's gross negligence and lies cost a client the right to appeal, the Supreme Court may recall a final judgment to protect due process.
Eminent Domain and Prior Rights: Resolving Land Disputes in Infrastructure Projects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contract rights, port operations, and jurisdictional issues in infrastructure disputes.
Gross Negligence of Counsel Can Restore the Right to Appeal in Criminal Cases
When a lawyer's gross negligence and misrepresentations cause a client to lose the right to appeal, the Supreme Court may recall the entry of judgment and reinstate the appeal.
Indispensable Parties: Why an Estate Administrator Is Not Always Required in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when an estate administrator is an indispensable party in property disputes, and the limits of raising new issues on appeal.
Equitable Mortgage Prevails When A Deed Of Sale Masks A Loan Agreement
When a deed of sale actually secures a loan, Philippine law treats it as an equitable mortgage. The Supreme Court explains the rules.
Dismissal Delayed Is Justice Denied: The Right to Speedy Disposition in Philippine Administrative Cases
The Supreme Court rules that inordinate delay by the Ombudsman in resolving administrative cases violates the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases.
Probable Cause vs Due Process: Navigating Preliminary Investigations in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between probable cause and due process in preliminary investigations, affirming a direct bribery conviction.
Conjugal Property vs Separate Insurance: When a Spouse's Death Does Not Pay Off the Mortgage
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a mortgage redemption insurance payout applies after a spouse's death, and how conjugal property is determined.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Novation and Debtor Substitution in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a creditor's silence or acceptance of payments amounts to novation and debtor substitution.
Disrespect to the Court: Disbarment for Abusive Language and Unprofessional Conduct
Supreme Court disbars lawyer for abusive language and disrespect toward court officials, affirming high standards of lawyer conduct.
Prescription in Property Disputes: Clarifying the Need for Trial on the Merits in Reconveyance Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when prescription bars reconveyance actions and why trial on the merits remains essential in property disputes.