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.
Erosion of Public Trust: Dismissal for Graft and Corruption in the Judiciary
A process server's dismissal for soliciting money from litigants underscores the strict accountability of court personnel in the Philippines.
Separation Pay After Valid Dismissal: When Social Justice Does Not Apply
The Supreme Court clarifies when a validly dismissed employee may still receive separation pay, and when social justice arguments fail.
Upholding Decorum: Judicial Employees Reprimanded for Discourteous Conduct
Explore the Supreme Court ruling on administrative liability for discourteous conduct by judicial employees and its implications.
Breach of Public Trust: When Dismissal in Government Service Fails Due Process
A Supreme Court ruling on why a government employee's dismissal for insubordination was void for violating due process requirements.
Movable or Immovable: How Mortgage Agreements Define Property in Foreclosure
A Supreme Court ruling on whether machineries are movable or immovable property in mortgage foreclosures, explained in plain language.
Grave Neglect of Duty in Public Office: The Samson De Leon Case
When does a public official's inaction become grave neglect of duty? The Supreme Court clarifies the standard in this administrative law case.
Trust Receipt vs. Loan: When a Security Agreement Becomes a Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a trust receipt arrangement is actually a loan, affecting liability and criminal exposure.
Co-Ownership, Partition, and Prescription in Disputed Land Titles: Key Lessons from Figuracion
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies co-owners' rights to partition property, the limits of prescription, and why Torrens titles are not absolute.
Tenants Rights and Landlords Title: Estoppel and Redemption in Lease Agreements
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on repurchase agreements, estoppel, and landlord-tenant rights in foreclosure cases.
Falsification and Probable Cause: Protecting Individuals From Baseless Criminal Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may review prosecutors' findings and what probable cause requires in falsification cases.
Falsification of Documents: Probable Cause and Presumptions of Regularity
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when allegations of falsification are enough to warrant prosecution, and the weight given to notarized documents.
Parental Incest and Rape Law in the Philippines: The Buado Case
How Philippine courts handle incestuous rape by a parent, the proof of minority required, and the effect of the death penalty abolition.
Unraveling Estafa: The Supreme Court's Stance on Misappropriation and Probable Cause
A look at Burgundy Realty v. Reyes, where the Supreme Court clarified the elements of estafa and the low bar for probable cause in preliminary investigations.
Rehabilitation vs Secured Interests: Balancing Creditor Rights in Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how corporate rehabilitation balances secured creditors' rights with the need for equal treatment and recovery.
Self-Defense and Proximate Cause in Homicide: Lessons from Belbis v. People
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and how proximate cause links stab wounds to death in homicide cases.
Breach of Trust: Upholding Employers' Right to Terminate Managerial Employees in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers may validly terminate managerial employees for breach of trust, examining the legal standards and evidentiary requirements.
Loss of Trust and Confidence: When Can Philippine Employers Dismiss Managerial Employees?
The Supreme Court in Manese v. Jollibee clarifies the less stringent standard for dismissing managerial employees for loss of trust and confidence.
Foreclosure vs Rehabilitation: When a Stay Order Takes Effect
A stay order in corporate rehabilitation does not undo a foreclosure completed before the petition. Ownership matters.
Bad Faith in Unregistered Land Sales and Trust Disputes: Belle Corp. v. De Leon-Banks
When can a buyer of unregistered land be sued for bad faith? The Supreme Court clarifies pleading rules in trust and property disputes.
CBA Loan Benefits vs Bank Policy: When Management Rules Violate the Agreement
SC rules on when a bank's "no negative data bank" policy for employee loans violates the existing CBA. Learn the limits of management prerogative.
Corporate Merger and Garnishment: Surviving Corporation's Liability for Pre-Existing Obligations
When banks merge, the surviving corporation inherits garnishment obligations of the absorbed bank. The Supreme Court explains why.
Dragnet Clauses and Foreclosure: Defining the Limits of Mortgage Security in the Philippines
A bank cannot inflate a foreclosure redemption price using a dragnet clause. The Supreme Court explains the limits of mortgage security.
Corporate Rehabilitation Separate Juridical Personality Prevails Over Third Party Mortgages
Supreme Court clarifies that corporate rehabilitation stay orders do not cover properties owned by third-party mortgagors.
Bank Negligence vs Depositor Responsibility: Who Bears the Brunt of Fraud
Learn how Philippine courts balance bank negligence against depositor responsibility in fraud cases, and what this means for your rights.