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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Judicial Delay: A Judge's Duty to Decide Cases Promptly in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court reprimands judge for three-year delay in deciding a case, underscoring the 90-day rule and judicial accountability.
Conspiracy and Murder: Understanding Shared Criminal Intent in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how dying declarations, eyewitness testimony, and treachery establish murder liability beyond reasonable doubt.
Venue Stipulations in Contracts: When Do They Override General Rules?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when contractual venue stipulations bind parties and when general venue rules prevail in extrajudicial foreclosures.
Attorney's Fees in the Philippines: Quantum Meruit and Retainer Agreements Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers recover fees by quantum meruit and how retainer agreements govern attorney's compensation.
Doing Business in the Philippines: Jurisdiction Over Foreign Corporations
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a foreign corporation is had been the exclusive dealer of BMW vehicles and products in the Philippines. In 1967, Hahn executed a "Deed of Assignment with Specia
Lis Pendens and Contract Disputes: When a Pending Case Can Halt Another Suit
Learn when a pending case between the same parties can block a second lawsuit under the lis pendens rule, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Quantum Meruit: When a Contractor Can Recover Payment Without a Formal Contract
Philippine Supreme Court explains when contractors can recover payment on a quantum meruit basis even without a written contract.
Foreclosure Sale Remedies in the Philippines: Act 3135 Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the remedy to set aside a foreclosure sale under Act 3135, and when courts may relax procedural rules.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: Why Notice and Hearing Are Non-Negotiable
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why employers must observe notice and hearing requirements before terminating employees, even with alleged just causes.
Sheriff Negligence and Liability for Unreturned Seized Property
Philippine Supreme Court rules on sheriff's duty to return seized property and consequences of negligence in execution of writs.
Rape Conviction: The Importance of Victim Testimony and Circumstantial Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how credible victim testimony and circumstantial evidence can sustain a rape conviction.
Self-Defense or Murder: Criminal Liability in Group Attacks Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails in group attacks and how conspiracy and abuse of superior strength qualify killing as murder.
Evidence Rules in Illegal Firearm Cases: Why Conviction Requires Proof of No License
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal possession of firearms explains why prosecutors must prove lack of license beyond reasonable doubt.
Continuing Security in Mortgages: When Future Loans Are Covered
Philippine Supreme Court explains when real estate mortgages secure future loans beyond stated amounts, and the limits of injunctions against foreclosure.
Rape Conviction Based on Credible Testimony: Force, Intimidation, and Victim Behavior
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape: credible victim testimony, force and intimidation standards, and post-incident conduct as proof.
The Weight of Circumstantial Evidence in Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on parricide explains how direct testimony, not just circumstantial evidence, can prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Courts: When Doubt Leads to Acquittal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on eyewitness identification, hearsay confessions, and reasonable doubt in robbery-homicide cases.
Credibility of Mentally Retarded Rape Victims: Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible testimony of a mentally retarded victim, clarifying competency rules.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Credibility, Delay in Reporting, and Minor Inconsistencies
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite minor testimony inconsistencies and delayed reporting; explains credibility rules for victims.
Right of First Refusal and Ownership Proof in Philippine Real Estate Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts resolve property ownership disputes and partition actions, emphasizing evidence rules and prescription periods.
Quieting Title vs Boundary Disputes: What Property Owners Should Know
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when quieting of title applies and why boundary disputes need different legal remedies.
Alibi vs Eyewitness Testimony: How Philippine Courts Decide Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when alibi fails against positive eyewitness identification, and how minority affects sentencing in murder cases.
Robbery With Homicide: How Intent to Gain and Taking Are Established
Philippine Supreme Court explains how intent to gain and the element of taking are proven in robbery with homicide cases.
Overseas Employment Contracts: Illegal Dismissal and Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal of a seafarer, covering due process, overtime pay, and overseas employment contract rights.