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.
Self-Defense Claims Fail When Evidence Shows Accused Was the Aggressor
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when incomplete self-defense applies in homicide cases and why the accused's version must be credible.
Upholding Procedural Rules: How Counsel's Negligence Binds Clients in Labor Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a lawyer's failure to file a timely appeal binds the client, even in labor cases.
Proper Service of Notices to Counsel: A Due Process Requirement in Philippine Litigation
A notice sent to the wrong person is no notice at all. The Supreme Court explains why service to counsel matters.
Credit Card Suspension and Moral Damages: When Breach of Contract Lacks Bad Faith
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when credit card suspension without notice does not entitle cardholder to moral damages absent bad faith.
Substantial Compliance with Procedural Rules: Certified Xerox Copies in Philippine Law
Supreme Court ruling on certified xerox copies as substantial compliance with Rule 65 requirements for petitions for certiorari.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Attempted Murder Based on Insufficient Circumstantial Evidence
The Supreme Court acquits a school principal of attempted murder, ruling that hearsay and unverified confessions cannot support a conviction based on circumstantial evidence.
Perfecting Appeals: The Crucial Difference Between Single and Multiple Judgments in Philippine Law
Learn when a record on appeal is required in Philippine civil procedure, and why missing this step can cost you your appeal.
Reconstituting Lost Land Titles: Supreme Court Clarifies Standards for Judicial Reconstitution
Supreme Court clarifies the rules and evidence needed to reconstitute a lost or destroyed land title under Republic Act No. 26.
Squatting Decriminalized: The Extinction of Civil Liability Following the Repeal of Anti-Squatting Law
The Supreme Court acquits a man charged under the Revised Forestry Code, clarifying that even mala prohibita offenses require proof of intent.
Dismissal of Complaint: Balancing Promptness and the Pursuit of Justice in Philippine Courts
When can a court dismiss a complaint for lack of authority and improper certification? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on real parties-in-interest and appeal remedies.
Who Pays Capital Gains Tax and Sale Registration Costs in Philippine Property Deals
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who bears capital gains tax and registration expenses in property sales, distinguishing obligations of individual and corporate sellers.
Perfected Sales vs. Recovery of Property: Understanding Real Actions in Philippine Law
When is a suit for specific performance actually a real action for recovery of property? The Supreme Court clarifies in Jimenez v. Jordana.
When Judges Cannot Notarize Documents: Limits on Notarial Authority and Admissibility in Philippine Law
Supreme Court clarifies when judges may notarize documents, why invalid notarization affects admissibility, and what makes a deed private.
Proper Parties in Appeals: Identifying the Real Party in Interest
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who must be named as respondents in appeals, emphasizing the real party-in-interest rule under Rule 45.
Shareholder Derivative Suits and Private Prosecutor Intervention in Falsification Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when a shareholder suit is truly derivative and when private prosecutors may intervene in criminal falsification cases.
Self-Defense in Homicide Cases: Proving Justification in the Philippines
When claiming self-defense in Philippine homicide cases, the accused bears the burden of proving all elements by clear and convincing evidence. Learn the rules.
Barangay Conciliation Substantial Compliance Sufficient For Unlawful Detainer Cases
Substantial compliance with barangay conciliation suffices for unlawful detainer cases, even without pangkat proceedings, per Zamora v. Heirs of Izquierdo.
Habeas Corpus and DNA Evidence: Limits of Post-Conviction Remedies in Paternity-Based Rape Cases
The Supreme Court explains when DNA evidence can—and cannot—challenge a final rape conviction through habeas corpus or new trial.
Standing to Sue: When an Appointee Can Challenge a Disapproved Civil Service Appointment
An appointee has legal standing to challenge a CSC disapproval of an appointment, but must still possess the required eligibility.
Novation Requires a Completely New and Valid Agreement: Loan Restructuring Lessons
The Supreme Court clarifies when restructuring a loan creates novation, and how usurious interest rates are treated under Philippine law.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: Pollution Cases Belong to DENR, Not Courts
Supreme Court ruling on exhaustion of administrative remedies in pollution cases, affirming DENR Pollution Adjudication Board's primary jurisdiction.
Piercing the Veil When Trust Turns to Deceit in Property Disputes
When a foreigner entrusts money to friends to buy property, but the deed names them as owners, Philippine courts apply solutio indebiti to compel reconveyance.
Attorney Suspended for Neglect of Duty and Misrepresentation to Client
A lawyer who failed to file a petition for review and misled his client about the case's status was suspended for four months and ordered to refund P5,000.
When Judges Face Administrative Complaints: The Limits of Judicial Audits and Harassment Suits
The Supreme Court clarifies when errors by judges are judicial matters, not administrative offenses, and warns against harassment suits.