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.
Territorial Jurisdiction and Taxing Power: The Limits of Local Authority
A local government cannot tax property outside its territory. The Supreme Court explains why jurisdiction defines taxing power.
Credit Card Interest Rates: Balancing Lender Rights and Borrower Protection in the Philippines
The Supreme Court limits credit card interest and penalty rates to 2% monthly, balancing lender rights with borrower protection.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies in Agrarian Disputes: A Lesson from Montanez
Why landowners must appeal PARAD decisions to the DARAB first—and what happens when they skip this step.
Redundancy and Management Prerogative: Safeguarding Employee Rights in Corporate Restructuring
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies redundancy termination rules, management prerogative limits, and employee rights in corporate restructuring.
Marine Risk Note Alone Cannot Prove Subrogation: Eastern Shipping Lines v. Prudential Guarantee
Insurers must present the marine insurance policy to prove subrogation claims; a marine risk note alone is insufficient under Philippine law.
Entrapment vs Predisposition: How Philippine Courts View Drug Buy-Bust Operations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a buy-bust operation is valid entrapment rather than instigation, and how courts weigh police procedures in drug cases.
Unreliable Identification Conviction Quashed DUE TO Flawed Witness Testimony
Explore how flawed witness testimony undermines drug convictions, examining the Supreme Court's ruling on unreliable identification.
Voluntary Retirement vs Illegal Dismissal: Employee Rights in Downsizing
When does a retirement package become a forced exit? The Supreme Court clarifies the thin line between voluntary retirement and illegal dismissal.
Implied Consent and Jurisdiction: When Unpleaded Issues Become Part of a Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how unpleaded issues tried with implied consent become part of a case under Rule 10.
Retrenchment Rules in the Philippines: When Cost-Cutting Becomes Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court explains when retrenchment is illegal: employer must prove losses, use fair criteria, and follow notice rules.
Why Police Procedure Matters: Acquittal in Drug Cases and the Weight of Evidence
A buy-bust operation's failure to follow Section 21 of RA 9165 led to an acquittal. Learn the rules on evidence integrity.
Striking a Balance When Justice Requires Flexibility in Procedural Rules
The Supreme Court explains when courts may relax mandatory procedural rules, using a bank's late pre-trial brief as the case in point.
Forced Resignation Is Illegal Dismissal: Casa Cebuana v. Leuterio
Forcing an employee to resign without due process is illegal dismissal. Learn the two-notice rule from Casa Cebuana v. Leuterio.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Broken Links Mean Acquittal
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect over broken chain of custody, underscoring the strict rule on preserving evidence integrity.
Equitable Reduction of Liquidated Damages in Construction Delays: Balancing Contractual Obligations and Fairne
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may reduce liquidated damages in construction delay cases, balancing contract terms with equity.
Proximate Cause Prevails: When a Plaintiff's Own Negligence Bars Recovery in Vehicle Accidents
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a plaintiff's own negligence as proximate cause bars recovery, even with defendant's contributory negligence.
Judicial Ethics: When Judges Squabble, Both Face Administrative Liability
A Supreme Court ruling on two RTC judges fined for a public altercation shows why decorum is a non-negotiable judicial duty.
Insurance Policy Lapses Reinstatement Approval Required Before Death
A lapsed life insurance policy requires company approval during the insured's lifetime for reinstatement; payment alone is not enough.
Duress vs Free Will: When Fear Does Not Excuse Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court explains when uncontrollable fear excuses a crime and when it does not, in a murder case.
Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits for Serious Misconduct: Due Process in Termination Cases
Supreme Court ruling on when employers may forfeit retirement benefits for serious misconduct and what due process requires in termination.
Constructive Possession When Contraband in a Shared Space Implicates Guilt
Philippine Supreme Court explains when drugs found in a shared space can still prove constructive possession and guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Heirs Obligation Estate Debt Survival Beyond Death IN Philippine LAW
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that debts survive death—heirs inherit obligations but only up to the estate's value. Learn the rules.
Sangguniang Bayan Concurrence in Municipal Appointments: A Mandatory Requirement
The Supreme Court ruled that municipal appointments require Sangguniang Bayan concurrence; without it, the appointment is invalid regardless of tenure.
Surety Bond Validity: The Impact of Accreditation on Appeal Perfection in Labor Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that a surety bond remains valid if the bonding company was accredited at the time of issuance, affecting labor appeal perfection.