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.
Moral Turpitude and Attorney Discipline: Upholding Ethical Standards in Personal Conduct
A lawyer's illicit affair and failure to support his child led to a six-month suspension, reaffirming that personal morality matters in the legal profession.
Insurer's Inaction on Insurance Application: When Silence Means Approval
Supreme Court rules insurer's prolonged inaction on a group life insurance application amounts to approval, protecting insured parties from prejudice.
Finality of Judgments, Due Process, and Counsel's Negligence in Contract Rescission
A Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments, due process, and counsel's negligence in a construction contract rescission case.
Bank Negligence and Fiduciary Duty in Handling Foreign Currency Deposits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for negligence in handling foreign currency time deposit pretermination and fiduciary duty.
Writ of Possession as Ministerial Duty: Rayo v. Metrobank on Due Process Limits
The Supreme Court affirms that a writ of possession after extrajudicial foreclosure is a ministerial duty, even if issued ex parte. Learn the limits of due process claims.
Cooperative Membership vs Employment: Defining SSS Coverage Obligations
Supreme Court rules cooperatives can be employers of their owner-members for SSS coverage purposes, clarifying when membership does not negate employment.
SEC Authority to Regulate Fees Upheld to Protect Investors
The Supreme Court affirms SEC's power to regulate fees, protecting investors from excessive charges in securities transactions.
Perfecting Land Titles: Open, Continuous, and Adverse Possession Since June 12, 1945
Learn how the Supreme Court applied the June 12, 1945 possession rule in land registration, citing Republic v. Consunji.
Double Sale Doctrine, Good Faith Registration, and Forged Deeds in Philippine Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when the double sale rule applies and why good faith registration cannot cure a forged deed in land disputes.
Possession vs Ownership: Resolving Land Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on land disputes, possession, accretion, and Torrens title conclusiveness explained in plain language.
Disbarred Lawyer's Continued Practice: Indirect Contempt and the Supreme Court's Warning
The Supreme Court held a disbarred lawyer in indirect contempt for continuing to practice law, underscoring the permanence of disbarment and the judiciary's authority.
Reversion of Land Titles: Public Domain vs Private Claims in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling on when certificates of title over public domain land, including timberlands, are void and subject to reversion.
Unauthorized Real Estate Mortgage: Strict Interpretation of Special Power of Attorney
When a special power of attorney fails to identify the exact property, a mortgage over it is unenforceable. The Supreme Court explains why banks must verify authority.
Self-Defense and Unlawful Aggression: Burden of Proof in Philippine Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on self-defense, unlawful aggression, and the accused's burden of proof in homicide cases.
Compromise Agreements and Redemption Rights in Philippine Tax Delinquency Sales
Supreme Court ruling on compromise agreements, tax delinquency redemption, and substantial compliance in Philippine property law.
Easement Reduction on Urban Land: Balancing Public Land Rules and Development
When a free-patent lot becomes urban private land, the river easement may shrink from 40 meters to 3 meters.
Attorney Negligence and the Limits of Relief from Judgment in Philippine Courts
When a lawyer's mistake costs a client the case, relief from judgment is not always available. This decision explains the limits.
Law Students as Agents in Inferior Courts: The Cruz v. Mina Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a law student may appear in inferior courts without lawyer supervision, and the civil aspect of grave threats.
Land Title Registration in the Philippines: Overcoming the Presumption of Public Land
A Supreme Court ruling on land registration in the Philippines explains why proving alienable public land requires more than a surveyor's notation.
Reopening Criminal Cases in the Philippines: The Hearing Requirement Under Rule 119
When can a Philippine court reopen a criminal case before judgment? The rules require a hearing—and the Supreme Court has enforced that requirement.
Land as Attorney’s Fees: Enforcing Written Contracts for Legal Services in the Philippines
Philippine courts uphold written attorney’s fee contracts, even those paid in land, provided the essential elements of a valid contract are present.
Who Can Question a Bigamous Marriage? Lessons from Amor-Catalan v. Catalan
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies who has legal personality to question a bigamous marriage and the need to prove foreign divorce decrees.
Estate Settlement Venue and Remarriage After Foreign Divorce: Key Philippine Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies estate settlement venue means actual residence, and a Filipino divorced by a foreign spouse may remarry.
Protecting Government Assets Understanding Exemptions From Execution IN THE Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when government funds and properties are exempt from execution, and when judges and sheriffs can be held liable.