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.
Custodian Negligence Court Personnel Held Liable for Missing Case Records
Court personnel who negligently handle case records face administrative liability. Learn the rules on custodianship of court exhibits.
Protecting Children Credibility IN Rape AND Lasciviousness Cases Involving Minors
The Supreme Court affirms that minor inconsistencies do not destroy a child rape victim's credibility, explaining why delay in reporting is justified.
Mandatory Retirement Age for Water District Employees: The Bayona Case
The Supreme Court affirms that water district employees must retire at 65, not 60, and that forced early retirement entitles them to back salaries.
PCGG Duty to Disclose Evidence in Sequestration Cases: Due Process Wins
Supreme Court rules PCGG cannot hide evidence behind Executive Order No. 1; subpoenas must be honored in sequestration cases.
Restrictive Custody in the PNP: Balancing Discipline and Liberty
The Supreme Court explains when restrictive custody of police officers under investigation is lawful and not a ground for habeas corpus.
Beyond Sweetheart Defense: RA 7610 Protects Minors in Professor-Student Relationships
The Supreme Court ruled that a minor's consent is immaterial in child abuse cases under RA 7610, rejecting the sweetheart defense in professor-student relationships.
Perfecting Land Titles: Open, Continuous, and Adverse Possession Since June 12, 1945
Learn how the Supreme Court applied the June 12, 1945 possession rule in land registration, citing Republic v. Consunji.
When Private Individuals Cannot Be Charged Under Section 3(g) of the Anti-Graft Law
Explaining Go v. Sandiganbayan: why private persons cannot be charged with conspiracy under Section 3(g) of RA 3019.
Treachery Defined: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Sudden Attacks Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies treachery in murder cases, affirming that attacking a defenseless victim who is grappling with another constitutes treachery.
Reconstitution of Lost Titles: Supreme Court Clarifies Standards in Faustino Co Shu Kiam v. Republic
Supreme Court clarifies rules on reconstitution of lost certificates of title, balancing strict compliance with practical realities of destroyed land records.
Establishing Landlord-Tenant Relationship: The Core of Ejectment Suits in the Philippines
A landlord-tenant relationship is essential in ejectment cases. The Supreme Court explains who may file an unlawful detainer suit.
Prejudicial Question in Philippine Courts: When Civil Cases Suspend Criminal Proceedings
Learn when Philippine courts suspend criminal cases due to prejudicial questions, and why appeal, not certiorari, is the proper remedy.
From Public Land to Private Right: Establishing Land Ownership Through Acquisitive Prescription
How long possession of alienable public land can ripen into private ownership, explained through a 2007 Supreme Court ruling.
Navigating Forum Shopping: The Consequences of Concealing Related Cases in Habeas Corpus Petitions
The Supreme Court explains why filing a habeas corpus petition while concealing a related certiorari case amounts to forum shopping, with serious consequences.
Abolition of Public Office: Balancing Government Reorganization and Security of Tenure
The Supreme Court explains when abolishing a government office is valid and how it differs from removal, protecting security of tenure.
Court Fines Sheriff for Improper Conduct and Detrimental Statements
Sheriff fined P5,000 for violating ethical standards by making statements that created a wrong perception of his role as a court officer.
Attorney Negligence and the Limits of Relief from Judgment in Philippine Courts
When a lawyer's mistake costs a client the case, relief from judgment is not always available. This decision explains the limits.
Treachery in Criminal Law: Unexpected Assaults and the Denial Defense in Philippine Jurisprudence
How Philippine courts treat denial and alibi defenses in rape cases, and why the victim's credible testimony prevails.
Best Evidence Rule: Photocopies vs Electronic Documents in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when photocopies qualify as electronic evidence and why the best evidence rule still applies.
Land Title Registration in the Philippines: Overcoming the Presumption of Public Land
A Supreme Court ruling on land registration in the Philippines explains why proving alienable public land requires more than a surveyor's notation.
DOLE Compliance Orders and Jurisdictional Limits in Labor Disputes
Explains when DOLE regional directors may issue compliance orders exceeding P5,000, and why annulment cannot replace a lost appeal.
Judicial Impartiality in Philippine Courts: When Should a Judge Inhibit?
A Supreme Court ruling on when judges must inhibit from cases where their impartiality might be questioned, explained in plain language.
Substantial Justice Prevails Understanding Motions FOR Extension AND Notice Requirements IN Philippine Appeals
When a defective motion for extension can still save an appeal, and when execution pending appeal is premature in ejectment cases.
Acts of Lasciviousness as a Lesser Included Offense in Philippine Child Abuse Cases
When rape isn't proven, Philippine courts may convict for acts of lasciviousness under RA 7610. Learn the rules from a landmark case.