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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Shareholder Rights vs Corporate Discretion: Mandamus and Stock Transfer Recording
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a corporate secretary must record stock transfers, SEC jurisdiction, and shareholder rights.
Conspiracy in Estafa: How Mere Presence Can Lead to Fraud Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how conspiracy in estafa can be proven by acts showing unity of purpose, even without direct participation in every detail.
When Force Is Relative: Rape of a Mentally Disabled Victim in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how force and intimidation in rape are measured against a mentally disabled victim's condition.
Project Employment vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure in Construction Projects
Learn when construction workers are project employees and their rights on termination before project completion, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Police Abuse of Power: Understanding Robbery by Intimidation in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when police officers commit robbery by intimidation and how abuse of public position affects the penalty.
Limits of Judicial Authority: Understanding Preliminary Investigations in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that judges conducting preliminary investigations cannot reclassify crimes—that power belongs to the prosecutor.
Positive Identification in Robbery With Homicide: Why Eyewitness Testimony Matters in Philippine Criminal Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on eyewitness identification, credibility of relatives, and why alibi fails against positive identification.
When Eyewitness Testimony and Conspiracy Lead to Conviction: Murder Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on murder conviction based on eyewitness identification, conspiracy, and treachery, and why alibi fails.
Employee vs Independent Contractor: SSS Coverage for Farmworkers in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a "pakyaw (piece-rate) basis considered an employee entitled to compulsory Social Security System (SSS) coverage? The ruling is a reminder that the label used b
Missed Deadlines Lost Inheritance Understanding Appeal Periods IN Philippine Estate Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how missed appeal deadlines in estate cases can cost heirs their inheritance rights.
Attempted Robbery With Homicide: Key Lessons From a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Understand the special complex crime of attempted robbery with homicide under Philippine law, using insights from People v. Macabales.
When Domestic Discipline Turns Deadly: Murder and Cruelty in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on murder qualified by cruelty examines domestic abuse, criminal liability, and the exemption of relatives as accessories.
Self-Defense or Murder: Understanding Justifiable Homicide in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense applies in Philippine homicide cases and why a murder charge became homicide.
Landowner Consent Is Essential in Agricultural Leasehold Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a tenant cannot transfer leasehold rights without landowner consent, and the consequences of unauthorized assignment.
Judicial Delay: The Duty of Judges to Decide Cases Promptly in the Philippines
Philippine judges must decide cases within 90 days. This article explains the rule, the consequences of delay, and practical lessons from a Supreme Court ruling.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal, employee abandonment, overtime pay, and employer duties in termination cases.
Prescription for Falsification of Public Documents: When the Clock Starts
Learn when the prescription period begins for falsification of public documents under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Recebido v. People.
Murder or Homicide: Understanding Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law from People v. Templo
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a sudden attack amounts to treachery—and when it is only homicide, not murder.
Statutory Rape vs. Rape by Force: Key Distinctions in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the key differences between statutory rape and rape by force, and why a victim's age matters most.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Protecting Children and Upholding Justice
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the elements of statutory rape, the need to prove the victim's age, and the rules on force and damages.
Bigamy and Annulment in the Philippines: When Can a Civil Case Stop a Criminal Charge
Learn when a civil annulment case can suspend a bigamy prosecution, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Arthur Te v. Court of Appeals.
Battling Court Delays: Understanding Summary Procedure Violations in the Philippines
A judge's fine for granting extensions and delaying a forcible entry case—what the Supreme Court ruling means for speedy justice.
In Rape Cases, a Child's Testimony Can Be Enough: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A child's testimony alone can convict in rape cases. Learn key rules from People v. Segui on credibility, alibi, and damages.
Finality of Writ of Possession in Foreclosure: Res Judicata in Philippine Property Law
Understand how res judicata bars relitigation of a writ of possession in foreclosure cases, based on a 2000 Supreme Court ruling.