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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Death of Accused Before Final Judgment: Civil Liability Extinguished Under Bayotas Doctrine
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that death of accused before final judgment extinguishes criminal and civil liability ex delicto, but separate civil action may survive.
When Death of the Accused Extinguishes Criminal and Civil Liability in Philippine Libel Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how an accused's death before final judgment affects criminal and civil liability in libel cases.
Failing to Object to Evidence: Waiver Rules in Philippine Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains why silence on inadmissible evidence means waiver, and how death before final judgment extinguishes liability.
Rescission vs Ejectment: Jurisdiction in Philippine Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when ejectment is premature: a contract to sell must first be rescinded before filing for possession.
Prior Land Title Prevails: Property Rights and Good Faith in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on ejectment, lease obligations, and why historical landmark status does not override property rights.
Corporate Liability vs Personal Guarantee: Surety Agreements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a continuing surety agreement covers corporate debts and when it does not bind the surety.
Bouncing Checks Law: Corporate Officers Personally Liable for Signed Checks
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on BP 22: corporate officers who sign bouncing checks face personal criminal liability, even if signed in blank.
Separation Pay in the Philippines: When Is It Required?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when separation pay is legally required—and when it is not—in this plain-language guide to labor law.
Accomplice Liability: How Participation Level Determines Criminal Responsibility
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a participant in a crime is an accomplice, not a principal, and how courts determine the proper penalty.
Can Corporations Hire Optometrists? The Corporate Practice of Professions in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether corporations may employ optometrists, and the limits of the corporate practice of professions doctrine.
Election Protests Must Specify Precincts Where Fraud Occurred
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why election protests must specify precincts where fraud allegedly occurred to be sufficient in form and substance.
When Can an Employee Be Dismissed for Negligence in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on gross negligence as a just cause for dismissal, explained in plain language for employees and employers.
Marine Insurance: When Arrest of a Vessel by Civil Authorities Is a Covered Risk
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when arrest of a vessel by judicial process is a covered risk under marine cargo insurance policies.
Adoption in the Philippines: Alien Restrictions and Joint Adoption Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when aliens may adopt Filipino children and why joint adoption by spouses is mandatory under the Family Code.
Mining Claim Disputes: Tie Points and Reconstitution Requirements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mining claim validity, tie points under the Philippine Bill of 1902, and reconstitution rules.
Complex Crimes: When One Act Causes Multiple Fatalities Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains how a single act causing multiple deaths is treated as a complex crime under the Revised Penal Code.
Understanding Attorney's Fees: When Lawyers Can Claim Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers can claim attorney's fees beyond retainers, explaining general vs. special retainers and quantum meruit.
Reconveyance Actions and Estate Administration: Jurisdiction vs. Venue in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seeking appointment as estate administratrix in a reconveyance action affects venue, not jurisdiction, of the RTC.
Child Testimony in Rape Cases: Credibility and Legal Standards in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies standards for crediting child testimony in rape cases, affirming conviction based on victims' narrations.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Company Officers Liable for Corporate Debts in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers and close corporation stockholders can be held personally liable for separation pay.
Regular vs Project Employees: When Philippine Law Says You're Regular
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between regular and project employees, and why labeling workers as "project-based" is not enough.
Election Protests and Forum Shopping: The Certification Rule in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when non-forum shopping certifications apply to election protests and why timing matters.
Squatting Rights: When Tolerance Does Not Mean Consent in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sharing harvests or tolerating possession does not create ownership rights or consent to squatting.
Constructive Trusts Protecting Beneficiaries From Abuse OF Confidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on constructive trusts, fiduciary duty, and remedies for abuse of confidence in property relations.