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.
Preterition in Philippine Wills: When Omitting a Compulsory Heir Invalidates Inheritance
Learn how preterition—omitting a compulsory heir—can annul a will's heir institution under Philippine law, with insights from Trinidad v. Trinidad.
Installment Land Sales in the Philippines: Buyer Rights and Contract Reinstatement
Learn how the Supreme Court protects installment buyers' right to reinstate contracts under the Maceda Law.
When a Sale Among Heirs Can Be Voided: PD 27 and Simulated Land Transfers
Learn when a sale of agrarian reform land among heirs is void under PD 27, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Dela Cruz v. Dumasig.
Enforcing Foreign Arbitral Awards in the Philippines: The Authentication Requirement
Learn why authenticated arbitration agreements are jurisdictional requirements for enforcing foreign arbitral awards in Philippine courts, as ruled in Manis Shipping.
Third-Party Claims in Labor Disputes: Protecting Assets from Wrongful Levy
Learn how the Supreme Court protects third-party asset owners from wrongful levy in labor dispute executions, and the proper remedies available.
Easements and Eminent Domain in the Philippines: MMDA’s Limits After Diamond Motor
The Supreme Court limits MMDA’s power to impose easements, balancing flood control with private property rights and just compensation.
Deficiency Claims After Mortgage Foreclosure: The Prieto v. BPI Ruling
Learn how the Supreme Court's Prieto v. BPI ruling protects borrowers from unproven deficiency claims after mortgage foreclosure in the Philippines.
Timely Filing of Just Compensation Claims Under Philippine Agrarian Law
Learn the 10-year prescriptive period for filing just compensation claims with the Special Agrarian Courts under Philippine agrarian reform law.
Accomplice Liability in Direct Bribery: The Gerunda Case Explained
Learn how the Supreme Court defined accomplice liability in direct bribery cases, using the Gerunda ruling to explain key legal principles.
Forcing Title Surrender After a Property Sale: What the Law Says
Learn when courts can compel a certificate of title's surrender under the Property Registration Decree, and the key difference between its relevant provisions.
Double Jeopardy in the Philippines: When an Acquittal Becomes Final
Philippine law protects acquitted persons from retrial through double jeopardy. Learn the rule, its narrow exceptions, and key case law.
Property Dispute Jurisdiction: Assessed Value of the Contested Area, Not the Whole Lot
Philippine courts decide property dispute jurisdiction by the assessed value of the specific area in question, not the entire property. Learn the rule.
Foreclosure Publication Rule: Why Missing the Notice Voids the Sale
Failure to publish a foreclosure notice under Act No. 3135 is a jurisdictional defect that invalidates the sale, as Baclig v. Rural Bank of Cabugao shows.
Final and Executory Judgments: The Doctrine of Immutability in Philippine Courts
Once a judgment becomes final and executory, courts cannot revisit it. Learn the doctrine of immutability, its exceptions, and key lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Choice of Law Clauses in Cross-Border Contracts: The Standard Chartered Ruling
How Philippine courts resolve conflicting choice-of-law clauses in cross-border contracts, explained through the Standard Chartered Bank v. Philippine Investment Two ruling.
When a MOA Becomes a Binding Contract: Lessons from a Property Sale Dispute
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a Memorandum of Agreement becomes a binding contract of sale, and why parties cannot later disavow it.
Reconstitution of Lost Land Titles: Register of Deeds' Duty Under RA 26
When registry records go missing, who must reconstitute your land title? The Supreme Court clarifies the Register of Deeds' duty under RA 26.
Defective Summons and Voluntary Appearance: Due Process in Property Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when defective extraterritorial summons can be cured by voluntary appearance—and why due process still protects the defendant.
Due Process and Summons: Supreme Court Ruling on Unresolved Motions for Reconsideration
The Supreme Court clarifies that ignoring a motion for reconsideration violates due process, while explaining how courts acquire jurisdiction over defendants.
Defective Summons Voids Trustee Appointment: Key Lessons from Diversified Plastic Film v. PI-One
Defective summons can void court proceedings. Learn the jurisdictional limits and SPV Act requirements from this Supreme Court ruling.
Bunkhouse Residency and Voter Registration: The Bascon Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court affirms that workers living in employer-provided bunkhouses can establish voter residency, provided they meet legal requirements.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: When Courts Can Depart from DAR Formulas
Explains the Supreme Court ruling on just compensation in agrarian reform, when courts may deviate from DAR valuation formulas, and why evidence matters.
Prejudicial Question in the Philippines: Suspension, Not Dismissal, of Criminal Cases
A prejudicial question suspends, not dismisses, a criminal case. Learn the rule from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Reconstitution of Lost Land Titles: Strict Rules Under RA 26 Explained
Lost your Torrens title? Judicial reconstitution demands strict compliance with RA 26. Learn the rules, evidence, and burden of proof.