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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Lotto Winner or Loser: Proving Your Claim in Philippine Courts
A failed PCSO jackpot claim shows why evidence, not mere assertion, decides lotto disputes in Philippine courts.
The Limits of Mandamus: When Courts Can Compel Government Actions
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts can compel government action, explaining the limits of mandamus in government contract negotiations.
Ancestral Land Disputes: When Regular Courts, Not NCIP, Have Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court clarifies that the NCIP's jurisdiction over ancestral land disputes is limited to parties from the same indigenous group.
Breach and Balance: Equitable Relief in Construction Contract Disputes
When both parties breach a construction contract, courts may equitably mitigate damages. The Supreme Court explains how.
Ombudsman’s Discretion in Probable Cause Determinations Upheld in Anti-Graft Case
Supreme Court affirms Ombudsman’s dismissal of graft charges, emphasizing courts only review probable cause findings for grave abuse of discretion.
Interlocutory Orders and Appeals: When to Appeal a Judgment in Philippine Courts
Learn when a court ruling becomes appealable and why a party's right to appeal is not affected by another party's motion for reconsideration.
Corporate Rehabilitation and Court-Approved Penalty Reductions: La Savoie v. Buenavista
A stay order voids judgments rendered in violation of it, and rehabilitation courts may reduce contractual penalties under an approved plan.
Just Compensation for Agrarian Reform: Valuing Land Under RA 6657
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts must value agrarian reform land under RA 6657, not just market price.
Employment Status and Control Test in Illegal Dismissal Cases: A Guide
Explaining how Philippine courts determine employment status and jurisdiction in illegal dismissal cases, using the Loreche-Amit v. CDMC ruling.
Impleading Indispensable Parties in Damages Claims: The PNCC v. Superlines Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts must implead indispensable parties in damages claims, applying the law of the case doctrine.
Annulment of Judgment Protects Due Process and Jurisdictional Integrity
When courts dismiss annulment petitions on technicalities, due process suffers. The Supreme Court clarifies the rules.
Probable Cause and Ombudsman's Discretion: When Courts Can Intervene
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may review prosecutorial findings and the limits of a private complainant's right to appeal criminal case dismissals.
Libel and Damages: Balancing Free Speech and Reputation in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court's Guy v. Tulfo ruling clarifies when journalists may be liable for libel and how courts compute damages for reputational harm.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: When Courts May Deviate From DAR Valuation Guidelines
Explaining when courts may depart from DAR valuation formulas in agrarian reform cases, and why a clear explanation is required.
Just Compensation and Agrarian Reform: When Courts Can Deviate From DAR Guidelines
The Supreme Court clarifies when Special Agrarian Courts may deviate from DAR valuation formulas in determining just compensation under RA 6657.
Falsified Documents and Fraud: How Courts Determine Liability in Complex Crimes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts determine liability when falsified documents and fraud are alleged, using a forged deed of sale case.
Jurisdictional Thresholds Determining Court Competence In Property Disputes
A 2019 Supreme Court ruling clarifies what courts must decide in land registration cases and the limits of Rule 45 review.
IPRA Does Not Shield Indigenous Peoples From Criminal Prosecution
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act cannot be used to evade criminal liability or strip courts of jurisdiction over criminal cases.
Deed of Assignment Validity and Loan vs. Sale: Key Contract Lessons from the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court clarifies when a Deed of Assignment establishes ownership, and how courts distinguish a loan from a sale.
Hierarchy of Courts: Why Direct Appeals to the Supreme Court on Factual Matters Fail
The Supreme Court dismisses a petition against airport project bundling, reaffirming that factual issues must first be heard by lower courts.
Just Compensation Courts Role IN Agrarian Reform Valuation
The Supreme Court clarifies that courts may deviate from DAR's valuation formula in agrarian reform cases, provided the deviation is reasoned and grounded on evidence.
Docket Fees and Jurisdiction: Why Accurate Filing Matters in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies that deliberately underpaying docket fees can cost a plaintiff jurisdiction over their case, not just money.
Simple Rape Conviction: Credibility of Victim’s Testimony and Burden of Proof
A look at how Philippine courts weigh a rape victim’s testimony, credibility, and the prosecution’s burden of proof in simple rape cases.
Timely Objections in Philippine Courts: The Magsino Evidence Ruling
Learn when to object to expert testimony and documentary evidence in Philippine courts, based on the Supreme Court's Magsino ruling.