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.
Squatters Rights vs Absentee Landlords: Resolving Land Disputes in Urban Reform
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on absentee landowners vs renters in urban land reform, explaining who qualifies for lot awards under the Zonal Improvement Program.
Jurisdiction in Swindling Cases: How Penalties Determine the Proper Court
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how penalties and fines determine which court hears swindling cases under the Revised Penal Code.
Annulment of Judgment in Criminal Cases: Llamas v. Court of Appeals
When can a criminal conviction be annulled? The Supreme Court clarifies Rule 47 applies only to civil cases, not criminal ones.
Balancing Efficiency and Discretion: Revisiting PHILJA Staffing Patterns
The Supreme Court clarifies when coterminous status is proper for confidential staff in the Philippine Judicial Academy's executive offices.
Finality of Judgment in Disbarment Cases: Lessons from Bihag v. Era
A disbarred lawyer's belated bid to reopen his case fails; the Court enforces finality, cites contempt, and orders execution.
Judge Dismissed and Suspended from Law Practice for Marital Infidelity and Abandonment
Supreme Court dismisses a judge for gross immorality over an extramarital affair and child, suspending him from law practice for three years.
Silence Is Not Acquiescence: Delayed Reporting in Philippine Rape Cases
Why a rape victim's delayed report and vague words like "ginalaw" do not weaken a conviction, explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Parking Fees vs Public Access: Reconciling Building Codes and Private Property Rights in Philippine Malls
Supreme Court rules malls may charge parking fees; building codes require spaces, not free access. Property rights prevail.
Upholding Termination for Theft: Balancing Due Process and Employer Rights in Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of cable splicers for theft of company property, clarifying that ample opportunity to be heard, not a formal hearing, satisfies due process.
Forgery Undermines Real Estate Sale: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how forged deeds transfer no rights, and why good faith buyers can still be protected under Philippine property law.
Compromise Agreements and Illegitimate Filiation: When Settlements Violate Public Policy
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: compromise agreements on filiation and civil status are void. Learn the public policy limits on settlements.
Good Faith Prevails When Public Officials ACT Without Malice IN Granting Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on good faith as a defense in graft cases under RA 3019, Section 3(e), for public officials relying on agency issuances.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Affirming Murder Conviction Despite Self-Defense Claim
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction, rejecting self-defense where the accused admitted killing but failed to prove unlawful aggression.
Territorial Jurisdiction and Taxing Power: The Limits of Local Authority
A local government cannot tax property outside its territory. The Supreme Court explains why jurisdiction defines taxing power.
Credit Card Interest Rates: Balancing Lender Rights and Borrower Protection in the Philippines
The Supreme Court limits credit card interest and penalty rates to 2% monthly, balancing lender rights with borrower protection.
Hauling Contracts: Scope of Work Defines Entitlement to Extra Pay
Supreme Court rules on when hauling contractors can claim extra compensation beyond the contract price in service agreements.
Clerk of Court Dismissed for Dishonesty in Handling Public Funds
Supreme Court dismisses clerk of court for failing to account for P256,530.25 in court fund shortages, affirming strict accountability standards.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies in CLOA Cancellation Cases: A Property Law Primer
Learn why a landowner's direct appeal to the Court of Appeals failed in a CLOA cancellation case, and the importance of exhausting administrative remedies.
Collective Bargaining in Education: Balancing Tuition Hikes and Employee Benefits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how RA 6728 tuition fee increments fund employee benefits in collective bargaining disputes.
Defective Summons Ensuring Proper Notification IN Philippine Legal Proceedings
Learn how defective summons can void a default judgment, as shown in B.D. Long Span Builders v. R.S. Ampeloquio Realty.
Unreliable Identification Conviction Quashed DUE TO Flawed Witness Testimony
Explore how flawed witness testimony undermines drug convictions, examining the Supreme Court's ruling on unreliable identification.
Defining Public Officer When Private Sector Representatives Face Graft Charges
Supreme Court ruling on when private sector board members are public officers under the Anti-Graft Law and Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.
Default and Foreclosure: When Accepting Late Payments Waives the Right to Foreclose
A lender who accepts late and partial payments after a borrower's default may waive the right to foreclose. Learn the rule from this Philippine case.
Entrapment vs Predisposition: How Philippine Courts View Drug Buy-Bust Operations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a buy-bust operation is valid entrapment rather than instigation, and how courts weigh police procedures in drug cases.