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.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Upholding Corporate Stability When Courts Defer to Internal Disputes
How the Supreme Court resolved a family corporate dispute by deferring to amended pleadings, docket fee rules, and the limits of injunctions.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Proper Remedy in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains why appeal and certiorari are mutually exclusive remedies, and why procedural rules matter in extraordinary actions.
Jurisdiction Over Labor Disputes: The Decisive Moment of Filing Claims
A Supreme Court ruling on why filing the wrong remedy — or the right one too late — can end a labor case before the merits are ever reached.
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.
Counterclaims and Forum Shopping: Why No Certification Is Needed for Defenses
Learn when a forum shopping certification is required in Philippine civil cases—and why counterclaims and defenses are exempt under the rules.
Verification and Certification of Non-Forum Shopping: Why Your Personal Signature Matters
A party must personally sign the verification and certification against forum shopping; a lawyer's signature, even with an SPA, may be fatal.
Standing to Sue, Co-Ownership Authority, and the Demurrer to Evidence in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a co-owner may sue alone and why lack of authority is not a ground for demurrer to evidence.
Res Judicata and Forum Shopping in Partition Cases: When a Separate Nullity Suit Is Barred
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a separate action to nullify a deed of sale is barred by forum shopping when the same issue can be resolved in a pending partition case.
HLURB Jurisdiction Over Homeowner-Developer Disputes: Key Ruling
The Supreme Court confirms HLURB's exclusive jurisdiction over homeowner-developer construction disputes, not the RTC. Learn the rules and practical implications.
Substantial Compliance in Labor Disputes: Upholding Merits Over Technicalities
Philippine Supreme Court rules that substantial compliance with procedural rules, not technicalities, should govern labor dispute resolutions.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on liberal construction of verification and non-forum shopping rules in labor cases.
Certifying Non-Forum Shopping: The Personal Signature Requirement in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies that a certificate of non-forum shopping must be personally signed by the party, not just counsel, or the case faces dismissal.
Defective Verification and Forum Shopping Certification: Why Cases Get Dismissed in Philippine Courts
Learn how defective verification or certification against forum shopping can get a case dismissed in Philippine courts, based on Loquias v. Ombudsman.
Hlurb Jurisdiction Prevails Ensuring THE Right Forum FOR Land Dispute Resolution IN THE Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified expropriation rules under the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, including writ of possession and just compensation requirements.
Grave Slander in the Philippines: Lessons from Artajos v. Court of Appeals
Learn how Philippine law punishes grave slander, the elements prosecutors must prove, and key lessons from the Supreme Court's Artajos ruling.
Fatal Flaws in Appeals: Why Strict Procedural Compliance Is Non-Negotiable in Philippine Courts
A missed signature and an uncertified document cost these litigants their appeal. Learn the strict rules for Philippine appellate filings.
Successor Liability in Philippine Labor Law: Enforcing Judgments Against Transferee Companies
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on enforcing labor judgments against successor companies that assume liabilities of the original employer.
Res Judicata in Philippine Courts: When a Prior Dismissal Bars a Refiled Case
Learn when a dismissed case bars refiling under res judicata in Philippine courts, and how dismissal without prejudice works under the Rules of Court.
Refiling a Dismissed Case in the Philippines: When a Technical Dismissal Is Not Final
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a procedural dismissal is without prejudice, allowing a case to be refiled.