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.
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When a Lawyer's Negligence Can Void a Judgment: Extrinsic Fraud in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawyer negligence amounts to extrinsic fraud that can annul a judgment, and when it does not.
Invalid Promulgation of Judgment: When Philippine Courts Fail to Follow Procedure
Philippine Supreme Court explains what makes a valid promulgation in absentia and when the accused's right to appeal accrues.
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.
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.
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
Conspiracy and Homicide vs Murder: Understanding Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies conspiracy, treachery, and qualifying circumstances in homicide versus murder convictions.
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.
Reasonable Time for Searches: Balancing Rights and Law Enforcement
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when nighttime searches are reasonable and how the witness-to-search rule works.
Prescription Periods in Graft Cases: The Discovery Rule for Ill-Gotten Wealth
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the prescription period for graft cases begins—from discovery, not commission, of the offense.
Security of Tenure for Philippine Career Executives: Rank vs. Position
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that career executive service officers hold security of tenure by rank, not by position, allowing reassignment without consent.
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.
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.
When Summary Proceedings Fail: Protecting Conjugal Property Rights During Spousal Incapacity
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that guardianship, not summary proceedings, governs disposal of conjugal property when a spouse is incapacitated.
When Alibi Fails Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Kidnapping Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when circumstantial evidence is insufficient to convict in kidnapping-murder cases, acquitting two accused.
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.
Right to Speedy Disposition of Cases: When Delay Justifies Dismissal in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains when delay in preliminary investigation violates the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases.
Pleading Pitfalls: How Incorrect Wording in Rape Informations Can Impact Penalties in the Philippines
Learn how defective wording in rape informations can affect penalties, based on Philippine Supreme Court rulings on criminal procedure.
Speedy Trial Rights in the Philippines: How Long Is Too Long for Case Resolution
Philippine Supreme Court explains when delay violates the right to speedy disposition of cases, using the Blanco v. Sandiganbayan ruling.
Philippine Lease Agreements Upholding Tenant Rights Despite CO Ownership Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease terms, co-ownership, and tenant rights in commercial property disputes.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: Philippine Supreme Court Affirms Conviction of Unlicensed Recruiter
Philippine Supreme Court affirms illegal recruitment and estafa conviction of an unlicensed recruiter who collected fees from job applicants for overseas work.
Credibility of Deaf-Mute Witness Testimony in Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
How the Supreme Court affirmed rape convictions based on a deaf-mute eyewitness's testimony, setting rules on witness credibility in Philippine criminal law.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Contract Validity and Simulated Sales in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies simulated sales, contract validity, and protection of illiterate parties in real estate transactions.
Proving the Unseen: How Circumstantial Evidence Convicts in Philippine Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when circumstantial evidence suffices to convict, and why murder was downgraded to homicide.