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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Res Judicata and Due Process in Tax Sales: When a Prior Case Does Not Bar a New Suit
The Supreme Court clarifies when res judicata applies in tax delinquency sales and protects property owners' right to due process.
Protecting Childhood Conviction Stands In Statutory Rape Case Despite Lack Of Fresh Medical Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court affirms statutory rape conviction based on credible child testimony, ruling medical evidence is not indispensable.
Res Judicata by Conclusiveness of Judgment Bars Relitigation of Equitable Mortgage
Final ruling that deeds of sale were equitable mortgages binds parties in later foreclosure case, explains the Supreme Court.
Statutory Rape Conviction Affirmed: Child Victim's Sole Testimony Sufficient
Supreme Court affirms statutory rape conviction, ruling a credible child victim's testimony alone suffices even without medical examination.
Eminent Domain: How Courts Fix Just Compensation and Interest in Expropriation
Learn how Philippine courts determine just compensation and legal interest in expropriation cases, based on a 2017 Supreme Court ruling.
Sheriffs Must Follow Execution Procedures Exactly or Face Administrative Liability
A sheriff who skipped the demand step before garnishing and levying property was suspended for simple misconduct by the Supreme Court.
Statutory Rape Conviction Upheld: RA 7610 and Child Testimony Explained
The Supreme Court affirms a triple statutory rape conviction, clarifying RA 7610, child testimony, and damages for child victims.
Guilt Beyond Doubt: Circumstantial Evidence in Robbery With Homicide Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a robbery-with-homicide conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence, and what this means for criminal prosecutions.
Valid Service of Summons in Foreign Judgment Recognition: Key Lessons from Express Padala v. Ocampo
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on invalid substituted service of summons in foreign judgment recognition, and its due process implications.
Judicial Accountability Balancing Discretion AND Duty IN Search Warrant Issuance
A Supreme Court ruling on administrative liability clarifies the balance between judicial discretion in search warrants and accountability for neglect.
Contractual Waivers and Delayed Claims: Quality Disputes in Construction Agreements
Examine how the Supreme Court enforced a contractual waiver clause in a construction dispute, barring a delayed quality claim.
Clerk of Court Liable for Simple Neglect of Duty Over Lost Firearm Exhibits
The Supreme Court holds a clerk of court guilty of simple neglect for losing firearm exhibits kept beyond case termination, explaining duties under Rule 136.
Attorney Neglect and the Duty to Return Fees: Ethical Boundaries in Legal Practice
When a lawyer takes a client's acceptance fee but renders no service, can the fee be kept? The Supreme Court says no.
Neglect of Duty in Court Clerks' Responsibility for Safekeeping Exhibits
Court clerks must safely keep exhibits in custodia legis. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling on simple neglect of duty for lost firearms.
Kidnapping for Ransom: Convictions Upheld on Positive Identification and Collective Intent
The Supreme Court affirms kidnapping-for-ransom convictions, explaining how positive identification and conspiracy establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Protecting Contractors: Quantum Meruit and COA Disallowances in Government Projects
Supreme Court clarifies when contractors may recover from void government contracts under quantum meruit, and the limits of COA's audit powers.
Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Security Guards' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a security guard who abandons his post may be validly dismissed versus illegally terminated.
Procedural Rigidity vs Substantive Justice: Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when strict procedural rules in certiorari petitions outweigh substantive justice in labor cases.
Apparent Authority and Estoppel: When a Corporation Is Bound by Its Officer's Acts
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is estopped from denying an officer's apparent authority to bind it to contracts with innocent third parties.
Due Process Rights and Fair Notice in Administrative Cases: The Iglesias Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies that administrative due process requires fair notice of charges, but valid original allegations can still support dismissal.
Corporate Inspection Rights: When Stockholder Disputes Become Intra-Corporate
Supreme Court clarifies when stockholder inspection disputes are intra-corporate controversies and how corporations may validly deny access to records.
Immutability of Judgments: When Final Decisions Can Be Altered
Philippine Supreme Court explains the doctrine of immutability of judgments and its narrow exceptions, using a damages case as illustration.
Dismissal Due to Technicality: Navigating Procedural Requirements in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court affirms that strict compliance with procedural rules, like attaching certified true copies and stating material dates, is essential in certiorari petitions.
Self-Defense Under Scrutiny: Establishing Unlawful Aggression in Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails in homicide cases, emphasizing unlawful aggression and reasonable necessity of force.