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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Right to Counsel and Fair Arraignment in Capital Offenses: Lessons from People v. Aranzado
The Supreme Court reminds trial courts that a guilty plea in capital cases demands a searching inquiry and genuine counsel.
Cameras in Court: The Estrada Trial and the Right to a Fair Hearing
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on live TV coverage of the Estrada trial, balancing public information against the accused's right to a fair trial.
Balancing Fair Trial Rights and Public Access: The Estrada Trial Audio-Visual Recording Ruling
The Supreme Court's 2001 ruling on the Estrada trial balanced fair trial rights with public access, allowing delayed audio-visual recordings while prohibiting live broadcast.
Credibility of Witness Testimony in Rape Cases: People v. Calimlim
The Supreme Court affirms four rape convictions, explaining how trial courts weigh victim credibility, alibi, and the limits of the death penalty.
Finality Prevails: Reopening a BP 22 Case After Judgment
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a final BP 22 conviction cannot be reopened through a belated new trial motion or petition for relief.
Final Judgments Win: SC Nullifies Lifted Contempt Order in DBP Replevin Case
SC rules a final contempt judgment cannot be lifted by a trial court, reaffirming the immutability of judgments doctrine.
Challenging Ombudsman Decisions: Certiorari and Trial Suspension in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts handle Ombudsman decisions, certiorari petitions, and trial suspension rules in administrative cases.
The Right to Understand Criminal Charges: Due Process and Fair Trial in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts balance media coverage and due process rights of the accused in criminal trials, ensuring fair and impartial proceedings.
Balancing Free Press and Fair Trial: The Estrada Case and Media Coverage of Criminal Proceedings
The Supreme Court upheld its ban on live radio-TV coverage of criminal trials, prioritizing the accused's right to due process over media access.
Dying Declarations and Conspiracy in Murder Cases: People v. Baldago
How Philippine courts weigh dying declarations and infer conspiracy in murder trials, explained through People v. Baldago.
Due Process and Notice: When Failure to Notify Voids Court Proceedings in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how defective pretrial notice violates due process and voids default judgments.
The Perils of Compromise When Legal Counsel Exceeds Authority in Criminal Cases
Learn how defective pretrial notice can void default judgments and why counsel's authority to compromise has strict limits.
Speedy Trial Rights: Prolonged Government Inaction Violates Constitutional Protections
When government delay, not the accused, stalls a case for years, the constitutional right to speedy disposition is violated.
Speedy Trial Rights: Government Delay Leads to Dismissal of Falsification Charges
Supreme Court rules Sandiganbayan must dismiss falsification cases after Ombudsman's decade-long delay violated petitioner's constitutional right to speedy disposition.
Judicial Overreach: When Regular Courts Overstep Labor Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on when regional trial courts overstep jurisdiction by issuing TROs in labor cases, explained for lay readers.
State Participation in Marriage Nullity Cases: Protecting the Inviolability of Marriage
The Supreme Court remands a nullity case for retrial because the State failed to actively participate, underscoring marriage's inviolable nature.
Double Jeopardy and Reinstatement of Dismissed Cases: The Speedy Trial Exception
When can a dismissed criminal case be reinstated without violating double jeopardy? The Supreme Court explains the speedy trial exception.
When the Supreme Court Corrects Aggravating Circumstances in Murder Convictions
A look at People v. Cachola, where the High Court affirmed murder convictions but corrected the trial court's appreciation of aggravating circumstances.
Land Dispute Jurisdiction: How Assessed Value Decides Where to File
The Supreme Court in Aliabo v. Carampatan explains when a municipal trial court may hear a land dispute and why assessed value determines jurisdiction.
Improper Venue Nullifies Court Decision: Jurisdiction Over Real Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that improper venue in real property cases can void a trial court's ruling and justify certiorari.
Preliminary Investigation Protecting Individual Rights Before Trial
Learn how preliminary investigation safeguards individual rights before trial, as explained in a Philippine Supreme Court decision.
Due Process in Rape Cases: Why Alleging Qualifying Circumstances Matters for Death Penalty
The Supreme Court explains why the death penalty in rape cases requires the qualifying circumstances to be alleged in the information, not just proved at trial.
Demurrer to Evidence: The Accused's Right vs. the Trial Court's Discretion
A demurrer to evidence tests the prosecution's case, but trial courts hold broad discretion. Learn the limits of this remedy.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Alibi: Credibility in Philippine Murder Trials
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness credibility against alibi defenses, and why qualifying circumstances must be proven.