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 Impartiality When Doubts Warrant Disqualification
A Supreme Court ruling on financial accountability of court personnel and the duty of clerks of court to safeguard judicial funds.
Fire Damage Liability and Res Ipsa Loquitur in Philippine Lease Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessee liability for fire damage, res ipsa loquitur, and temperate damages in lease disputes.
Gross Receipts vs. Gross Revenue: The Tax Base for Contractors in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that local business tax on contractors is based on gross receipts, not gross revenue.
Substantial Compliance Prevails Upholding Justice Over Technicalities IN Appellate Procedure
SC rules substantial compliance with verification rules and corrects error on local business tax base—gross receipts, not gross revenue.
Buy-Bust Operations in Drug Cases: When Arrests and Evidence Are Valid
Learn when warrantless arrests and searches in buy-bust operations are legal, and how evidence stays admissible in Philippine drug cases.
AWOL and Reinstatement: The Scope of Appointing Authority in Philippine Civil Service
Explaining Jaucian v. Wycoco on AWOL, automatic separation from the rolls, and the appointing authority's discretion over reinstatement.
Private or Public? COA Audit Authority Over Animal Welfare Societies
When is a corporation created by special law a government entity subject to COA audit? The Supreme Court clarifies the test.
Judicial Integrity: When a Judge Must Inhibit From a Case
A judge who hears a criminal case where his wife is the private complainant violates judicial conduct rules and must pay a fine.
False Claims Real Consequences Falsification OF Public Documents AND THE Erosion OF Public Trust
Learn how Philippine courts treat falsification of public documents and why it erodes public trust in official records.
Judicial Accountability: The Consequences of Delay in Resolving Court Matters
The Supreme Court fined a judge P10,000 for undue delay in resolving a motion, underscoring that justice delayed is justice denied.
Withdrawal of Appeal in Reclusion Perpetua Cases: Discretion and Executive Clemency
The Supreme Court clarifies that reclusion perpetua cases are not subject to mandatory review, allowing appellants to withdraw their appeals.
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.
Revival of Judgment and Venue: When Real Property Interests Determine the Proper Court
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on where to file an action to revive a judgment involving real property, and why venue depends on the nature of the underlying action.
Treachery Defined: The Element of Surprise in Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains treachery as a sudden, unexpected attack, using a husband stabbing his sleeping wife as the defining example.
Lease or Disguised Sale: Recto Law Protects Lessees in Equipment Financing Agreements
When is a lease really a sale? The Supreme Court explains how the Recto Law shields lessees in disguised financing deals.
Accountability for Public Officers: Protecting Constitutional Rights Beyond Official Duty
Learn how the Supreme Court defines accountability for public officers and why protecting constitutional rights extends beyond official duty.
INP Retirees Entitled to PNP Retirement Benefits Under R.A. 6975
Supreme Court rules INP retirees are entitled to the same retirement benefits as PNP retirees under R.A. 6975, as amended.
Bail Rights in the Philippines: Understanding When and How They Can Be Restricted
Philippine law guarantees bail as a matter of right for most offenses. A Supreme Court ruling explains when courts may restrict it.
Challenging Election Results: Pre-Proclamation Controversies and Void Proclamations
Learn when a pre-proclamation controversy can be filed after proclamation, and why a void proclamation is no proclamation at all.
Serious Physical Injuries in the Philippines: The Pilares Case Explained
Understand serious physical injuries under Philippine law through the Pilares case, including penalties, evidence, and self-defense considerations.
Judicial Delays and Judge Liability: Lessons from Dela Cruz v. Judge Vallarta
A Philippine judge fined P11,000 for gross inefficiency in resolving motions, plus P5,000 for contempt—what this means for litigants and judicial accountability.
Fixed-Term Contracts in the Philippines: When Are They Valid? Caparoso v. Court of Appeals Explained
Understand when fixed-term employment contracts are valid in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Caparoso v. Court of Appeals.
Buy-Bust Operations and Warrantless Arrests Under RA 9165: What the Supreme Court Said
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when buy-bust arrests are valid without a warrant and how penalties are imposed under RA 9165.
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.