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.
Judicial Discretion vs Delay: Balancing Justice and Efficiency in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when court delays warrant administrative liability, distinguishing error from bad faith in judicial discretion.
Compromise Agreements Upholding Obligations AND Equitable Relief IN Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sale-leaseback arrangements, equitable mortgages, and deed of assignment effects on debtor obligations.
Sale and Leaseback as Disguised Loan: When Financial Leasing Is an Equitable Mortgage
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale and leaseback is a disguised loan secured by chattel mortgage, not a true financial lease.
Court of Appeals Erred in Dismissing Appeal Over Photocopied Annexes
Supreme Court rules photocopied annexes in Rule 43 appeals need not be certified true copies, only the assailed decision itself.
When Constitutional Limits Bar Recovery of Illegally Acquired Property
Philippine Supreme Court explains why an alien who bought land through a Filipino cannot recover the property or his money.
Ejectment Suits: Registered Ownership vs. Co-Ownership Claims in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in unlawful detainer cases, registered ownership prevails over co-ownership claims, but only for possession purposes.
Landlord Rights Prevail Recovering Possession Despite Ownership Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when tenants cannot appeal denial of new trial and how counsel's errors bind clients.
Sovereign Immunity Contracts With Foreign States AND Waiver OF Immunity
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling in Republic of Indonesia v. Vinzon on foreign sovereign immunity, waiver clauses, and embassy maintenance contracts.
Compulsory vs Permissive Counterclaims: When Court Fees Are Not Required in Loan Disputes
Learn when a counterclaim in a loan dispute is compulsory and exempt from docket fees, based on a 2003 Supreme Court ruling.
Age Limits and Security of Tenure: Navigating Employment Rights in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies how age limits in service contracts interact with security of tenure and constructive dismissal claims.
Service of Court Decisions: When Notice to a Party Trumps Notice to Counsel
Philippine Commercial International Bank v. Court of Appeals clarifies when service of a CIAC decision on a party, not counsel, starts the appeal period.
Loss of Appeal: The Duty to Submit to Court Jurisdiction
When an accused appeals a conviction but refuses to surrender to court authority, the appeal may be dismissed for abandonment.
Amicable Settlement vs Original Obligation: When Does a Compromise Change the Deal
A compromise that is not perfected does not automatically novate the original debt. Learn when an amicable settlement modifies or extinguishes an obligation.
Judicial Efficiency Mandate: Undue Delay in Resolving Appeals Warrants Fine
A judge's 106-day delay in transmitting appeal records constitutes gross inefficiency, warranting a P11,000 fine under Rule 140.
Corporate Officers' Apparent Authority and Breach of Warranties in Stock Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on corporate president's apparent authority to bind company and breach of warranty claims in stock purchase agreements.
When Can a Corporate President Bind the Corporation? Lessons from Inter-Asia v. Asia Industries
A corporate president can bind the corporation even without board authority under apparent authority. Learn the rules from this Supreme Court case.
Deposit Insurance Coverage and the Usual Course of Business Rule in Bank Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on PDIC coverage for deposits made before a bank's closure, defining "usual course of business."
Ejectment and Land Ownership: When a Titleholder's Right to Possession Prevails
Unlawful detainer cases focus on possession, not ownership. A Torrens title is conclusive proof of ownership and cannot be collaterally attacked.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on liberal construction of verification and non-forum shopping rules in labor cases.
Proving Smuggling Without the Seized Goods: Witness Testimony as Corpus Delicti
The Supreme Court rules that smuggling can be proven by credible witness testimony alone, even without presenting the seized contraband in court.
Trust Receipts Law Liability: When Agents Face Estafa Charges
Learn when corporate agents can face criminal liability for estafa under the Trust Receipts Law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Ong v. Court of Appeals.
When Advertising Costs Become Capital Expenditures: Lessons from CIR v. General Foods
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when large advertising expenses are deductible business costs or capital outlays for goodwill.
Advertising Expenses and Tax Deductions: Ordinary vs. Capital Outlay in the Philippines
Philippine tax law on advertising deductions: when a colossal ad spend becomes a capital outlay, not an ordinary expense.
Dead Man's Statute: Protecting Estates and Ensuring Fair Trials in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the Dead Man's Statute's scope, balancing estate protection against fair trial rights in claims against deceased persons.