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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Death of Accused Pending Appeal Extinguishes Criminal Liability: People v. Layag
The Supreme Court explains how an accused's death before final conviction extinguishes criminal liability and what happens to civil claims.
When Family Driver Claims Mask Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Employee Rights in the Philippines
Supreme Court rules that labeling a company driver as a "family driver" cannot defeat illegal dismissal claims and full backwages.
Burden of Proof in Seafarer Disability Claims: Establishing Work-Relatedness
The Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers must prove work-relatedness of illness or injury by substantial evidence to receive disability benefits.
Supervening Events and Boracay Land Claims: Heirs of Maravilla v. Tupas
A Supreme Court ruling on how the Boracay ownership decision stopped execution of a final judgment, explained for property owners.
Work-Related Illness and Seafarers' Compensation: The Burden of Proof Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's illness is compensable and how the burden of proof works in disability claims.
Third-Party Claims in Labor Execution: Due Process and the Burden of Proof
The Supreme Court clarifies when a hearing is required for third-party claims in NLRC execution proceedings, and what claimants must prove.
When the Company Physician's Fit-to-Work Assessment Prevails in Seafarer Disability Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a company-designated physician's fit-to-work certification outweighs a seafarer's private doctor in disability claims.
Contractual Obligations Enforcing Clean Title Delivery Despite Third Party Claims
Ancestral Land Disputes Reasserting Court Jurisdiction Over Indigenous Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies NCIP jurisdiction over ancestral land disputes, reaffirming Lim v. Gamosa and the rule on first-filed cases.
Lease Default and Lessor Rights: Reading Contract Clauses Literally
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessor rights upon lessee default, contract interpretation, and enforcement of claims against a deceased lessee's estate.
Possession Disputes When Foreclosure Sales Meet Adverse Claims
When can a third-party possessor block a writ of possession after foreclosure? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules in Hernandez v. Ocampo.
Ejectment Cases: Proving Tolerance and the Limits of Possession Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unlawful detainer, tolerance, and why ownership claims don't decide who keeps physical possession.
Deficiency Claims After Foreclosure: Banks' Rights and Limits on Penalties
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that banks may collect deficiency after extrajudicial foreclosure, but courts can reduce excessive penalty charges.
Unconscionable Penalties: Reassessing Loan Obligations in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may reduce penalty charges and attorney's fees in deficiency claims after foreclosure.
Voluntary Resignation vs Constructive Dismissal: What Employees Must Prove
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof in constructive dismissal claims involving voluntary resignation and retirement.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim Credibility and Delayed Reporting in Philippine Law
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that a victim's credible testimony outweighs claims of improbability and delayed reporting.
When Direct Testimony Outweighs Forgery Claims in Philippine Land Sales
Supreme Court ruling on how direct testimony of a witness can overcome forgery allegations in a disputed land sale.
Conditional Sales vs. Adverse Claims: Protecting Property Interests in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court in Logarta v. Mangahis distinguishes conditional sales from adverse claims, and the proper registration rules under PD 1529.
State Immunity vs Private Rights: Balancing Public Use and Just Compensation
When government agencies take private property without expropriation, state immunity cannot block claims for just compensation and recovery of possession.
Reckoning the Two-Year Prescriptive Period for DST Refund Claims: PBCom v. CIR
When does the two-year prescriptive period for a documentary stamp tax refund claim begin for metering machine users? The Supreme Court settles the rule.
Unlawful Detainer: Why Timely Action and Consistent Claims Matter
Learn how the Supreme Court in Reyes v. Heirs of Forlales clarified the one-year rule in unlawful detainer cases and the limits of mere tolerance.
VAT Refunds for Ecozone Enterprises: The Cross Border Doctrine Explained
Supreme Court clarifies when ecozone enterprises can claim VAT refunds and how the Cross Border Doctrine affects input tax claims.
LRTA v. Pili: When a Government Agency Answers for a Subsidiary's Labor Debts
The Supreme Court clarifies when a government-owned corporation can be held liable for the monetary claims of a subsidiary's employees.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Why Timely Assessment by the Company Doctor Matters
If a company-designated doctor fails to assess a seafarer's fitness within 240 days from repatriation, the seafarer is deemed totally and permanently disabled.