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.
Murder to Homicide: Proving Evident Premeditation and Treachery in Philippine Law
When the prosecution fails to prove evident premeditation or treachery, a murder conviction falls to homicide. Learn the rules from People v. Aytalin.
Eminent Domain vs Urban Development: Balancing Public Need and Property Rights in Manila
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may expropriate private land for socialized housing under R.A. 7279.
When Domestic Disputes Turn Deadly: Understanding Parricide in Philippine Law
A look at parricide under Philippine law through the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Cabug, explaining the crime, penalties, and evidentiary rules.
Docket Fees and Intervention: Y Realty's Quest for Justice in Marcos Wealth Case
A look at how the Supreme Court resolved docket fee issues in intervention cases involving recovered Marcos assets.
Land Retention Rights Prevail Landowners Choice Overrides Prior Land Transfer Certificates
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a landowner's retention right under PD 27 can override a previously issued Certificate of Land Transfer.
Arbitration Clauses and Third Parties: When Courts Refuse to Stay Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when arbitration clauses bind only signatories and why courts may deny suspension of proceedings for non-parties.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Void Marriages and Inheritance Rights: Determining Legal Heirs in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void marriages, death benefits, and who qualifies as legal heirs under the Family Code.
Revoking a Donation for Ingratitude in the Philippines: The Noceda Case
Philippine law allows donors to revoke gifts when donees show ingratitude, such as usurping the donor's property. Learn the rules and limits.
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.
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.
Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law: When Words Lead to a Homicide Conviction
A Supreme Court ruling shows how conspiracy in Philippine law makes all robbers liable for homicide, even without pulling the trigger.
Self-Defense vs Murder: Proving Unlawful Aggression and Treachery in Philippine Homicide Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails, how treachery is proven, and why a murder conviction became homicide.
Laches and Forgery in Philippine Property Law: The Isabela Colleges Case
Philippine property law: can laches defeat a forgery claim? The Supreme Court's ruling in Isabela Colleges v. Heirs of Rivera explains why delay can be deadly.
Employer Subsidiary Liability in Philippine Criminal Law: The Catacutan Doctrine
Philippine employers can be held subsidiarily liable for damages from employees' criminal negligence. Learn the rules from Catacutan v. Heirs of Kadusale.
Amnesty in the Philippines: Erasing Criminal Liability for Political Offenses — Lessons from People v. Patriar
How Philippine amnesty works, what it erases, and why the Supreme Court acquitted an NPA member in People v. Patriarca.
Partition Inter Vivos and Torrens Title Protection: Lessons from Zaragoza v. Morgan
Philippine law allows property owners to partition estates during their lifetime, but only if legitimes are respected and titles are challenged directly.
Compromise Agreements in the Philippines: Why You Need a Special Power of Attorney
A lawyer cannot compromise a client's case without a special power of attorney. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Lis Pendens Cancellation in the Philippines: What Property Owners Should Know
Learn when a Notice of Lis Pendens can be cancelled in the Philippines, the grounds under PD 1529, and key lessons from Yared v. Ilarde.
Modal Institutions in Philippine Wills: Heirs' Obligations and the Rabadilla Ruling
Learn how modal institutions in Philippine wills impose enforceable obligations on heirs, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Rabadilla v. Court of Appeals.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Why RTCs Always Have Jurisdiction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that expropriation suits are incapable of pecuniary estimation, so RTCs have exclusive jurisdiction regardless of property value.
Contract of Sale vs Contract to Sell: Key Differences and Legal Implications
Philippine Supreme Court explains the difference between a contract of sale and a contract to sell, and why the distinction matters in real estate disputes.
Canceling a Fictitious Birth Certificate: The Babiera v. Catotal Ruling
When can a birth certificate be canceled as fictitious? The Supreme Court explains in Babiera v. Catotal.
When Heirs Disagree: Judicial Partition Over Administration of an Estate
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when courts may convert estate administration proceedings into judicial partition among heirs.