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.
Independent Civil Actions: Enforcing Contract Obligations Separate From Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies when a civil collection case can proceed independently of dismissed criminal estafa cases, and why res judicata does not bar it.
Culpa Contractual vs Culpa Criminal: Civil Action Can Proceed Despite Criminal Case Dismissal
A dismissed criminal case does not automatically bar a separate civil action based on breach of contract. Learn the distinction between culpa contractual and culpa criminal.
Finality of Judgment in Disbarment Cases: The Bihag v. Era Resolution
The Supreme Court enforces final disbarment decisions, citing a lawyer for contempt and ordering execution of the judgment.
Credibility of Witnesses: How Courts Assess Testimony in Philippine Homicide Cases
Learn how Philippine courts weigh witness credibility and alibi in homicide cases, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Hugo.
Defining Jurisdiction When Specific Performance Claims Outweigh Monetary Demands In Contract Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies RTC jurisdiction over breach of contract cases where specific performance is the main action, not the monetary claim.
Solidary Liability of Co-Principals in Agency: Agent May Collect Full Commission From Any Principal
When co-owners appoint an agent for a common transaction, they are solidarily liable. The agent can collect the full commission from any one of them.
Loan or Partnership: Supreme Court on Novation and Acknowledgment Receipts
When does a loan become a partnership contribution? The Supreme Court clarifies novation, acknowledgment receipts, and payment application rules.
Rape and Defective Informations: Protecting the Rights of the Accused and the Victim
This article examines the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Aquino on the sufficiency of rape informations and the rights of both the accused and the child victim.
Prior Payment of Check Value as Defense in Bouncing Checks Cases
When does paying the check amount before prosecution bar a B.P. 22 conviction? The Supreme Court explains in Griffith v. Court of Appeals.
Clerk of Court Fined for Delayed Fund Remittance Despite Full Restitution
Supreme Court holds clerk of court administratively liable for delayed remittance of judiciary funds, imposing fine despite full restitution after retirement.
Estoppel Bars Investor from Questioning Contract After Enjoying Its Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on estoppel: an investor cannot question a trading agreement's validity after benefiting from it and suffering losses.
Partnership vs Employment: Sharing Profits in Lending Ventures Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when profit-sharing in a lending business creates a partnership, not an employment relationship, and how profits are computed.
Interest on Penalties: The Limits of Compounding in Loan Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when interest may be charged on unpaid penalty charges in loan contracts, and when courts may reduce unconscionable penalties.
Surety's Solidary Liability: The True Extent of Guarantees in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a "guarantee" becomes a suretyship, making the surety solidarily liable with the principal debtor.
Attorney Negligence Upholding Diligence AND Accountability IN Legal Representation
A lawyer's failure to file an appellant's brief led to a one-year suspension, reinforcing the duty of diligence in legal representation.
Attorney’s Lien in the Philippines: Can It Attach to Real Property?
Philippine law limits attorney’s liens to judgments and client documents—not land. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Buy-Bust Operations and the Defense of Frame-Up: Lessons from People v. Ganenas
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction from a buy-bust operation, explaining why frame-up defenses fail and how courts weigh police testimony.
Eyewitness Testimony and the Standard of Proof in Robbery with Homicide Cases
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification against denial in robbery with homicide, and what it means for the burden of proof.
Timeliness of Appeals When Weekends Extend Deadlines in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts compute appeal deadlines when weekends intervene, and why timing can decide a case's fate.
Beyond Reasonable Doubt: Rebutting the Presumption of Malversation in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that the presumption of malversation is rebuttable, and mere failure to produce funds does not prove conversion beyond reasonable doubt.
Conviction for Incestuous Rape: When Multiple Counts Arise from One Information
A father's conviction for six counts of incestuous rape shows how credible victim testimony and proof of minority determine the penalty.
GOCC vs. Private Corporation: Labor Jurisdiction and the Philippine National Red Cross Case
Learn how the Supreme Court's charter test determines whether an employer is a GOCC and which tribunal—CSC or NLRC—has jurisdiction over labor disputes.
Verbal Contracts in the Philippines: Are Oral Agreements Legally Binding?
Oral agreements can be legally binding in the Philippines, but proving them in court requires clear and convincing evidence. Learn the rules.
When Can a Lawyer Be Disciplined? IBP Jurisdiction Over Attorney Misconduct and Private Debts
A lawyer who ignores IBP orders can face sanctions even when the underlying complaint involves a private debt. Learn the rules.