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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Tenancy Rights vs. Co-Ownership: Proving Agricultural Tenancy in Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies that tenancy is a legal relationship that must be proven by substantial evidence, not presumed from mere occupation.
Employer Liability: Ownership of Premises Does Not Make One an Employer
Supreme Court clarifies that owning a building or premises does not automatically create an employer-employee relationship, reversing a labor ruling against a property owner.
Contractor Relationships and the Test for Employer Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the control test for employer liability in contractor relationships, and the duties of lawyers and notaries.
Proving an Agrarian Tenancy Relationship: Key Elements Under Philippine Law
Learn the six elements required to prove an agrarian tenancy relationship in the Philippines, and why consent and harvest sharing are crucial.
Breach of Trust: Defining Qualified Theft in Employment Relationships
The Supreme Court clarifies when employee theft becomes qualified theft, punishing breach of trust with reclusion perpetua.
Rape and Parental Authority: Why a Father's Conviction Stood as Simple Rape
A father raped his 16-year-old daughter twice. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction but kept it as simple rape because the information omitted his relationship. Here's why.
Agrarian Reform Adjudication: When DARAB Has No Jurisdiction Over CLOA Cancellation
The Supreme Court clarifies that DARAB has no jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation cases when no tenancy relationship exists between the parties.
When a "Retainership" Is Really Employment: The Control Test and Security of Tenure
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a retainership agreement masks an employer-employee relationship, applying the control test to protect security of tenure.
Attorney’s Fees and Ethical Conduct: Candor and Fairness in Lawyer-Client Relationships
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for five years for deceitful fee agreements and unfair dealings with elderly clients, reaffirming ethical duties.
Upholding Due Process in Dismissals: The Four-Fold Test and Employer Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies the four-fold test for employer-employee relationships and the need for due process in dismissals.
Upholding Attorney Accountability: Neglect of Duty and the Attorney-Client Relationship
A lawyer who takes a client's fees but fails to file the case, deceives the client, and misappropriates funds faces the ultimate sanction: disbarment.
Conditional Employment Offers and When No Employer-Employee Relationship Exists
The Supreme Court clarifies when a conditional job offer, subject to background checks, does not create an employer-employee relationship.
Employer-Employee Relationship and Due Process in DOLE Labor Standards Cases
Supreme Court ruling on DOLE jurisdiction, employer-employee relationship requirements, and due process in labor standards enforcement.
Challenging Land Ownership Claims Establishing Lessor Lessee Relationships IN Unlawful Detainer Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unlawful detainer cases, lessor-lessee relationships, and the res inter alios acta principle in property disputes.
Replevin vs Employer-Employee Relationship: Clarifying Jurisdiction in Car Financing Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that replevin actions arising from car financing agreements are civil in nature, not labor disputes, regardless of employer-employee ties.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer
Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting and employer-employee relationship, holding principals liable for benefits when contractors lack capital or control.
Agrarian Dispute Jurisdiction Over CLOA Cancellation Hinges on Tenancy Relationship
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation requires an agrarian dispute or tenancy relationship between parties.
Rape Conviction: Proving Minority and Relationship for Qualified Rape
The Supreme Court clarifies that for qualified rape, the victim's minority and the offender's relationship must be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Rejection of the Sweetheart Defense in Rape Cases: Consent Beyond Affection
The Supreme Court clarifies that a "sweetheart defense" in rape cases requires proof of both a romantic relationship and genuine consent to the sexual act.
Upholding Due Process and Proving Employer-Employee Relationship in Philippine Labor Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases and the four-fold test for employer-employee relationship.
Regular Employment vs Talent Contract: Defining Employer-Employee Relationships in Media
How the Supreme Court distinguished regular employees from talents in ABS-CBN's TV Patrol Bicol case, applying the control test.
Breach of Trust: Defining Qualified Theft in Philippine Employment Relationships
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's misappropriation is qualified theft, not estafa, and explains the penalty rules.
Establishing Attorney Client Relationship Actions Imply Consent Beyond Written Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that lawyer-client relationships can be implied from actions, not just written contracts, in administrative case.
Franchise or Employment: Distinguishing Independent Business From Subterfuge in Labor Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies when a service franchise creates an independent business, not an employer-employee relationship, in Bandag retreading case.