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.
Motion for Reconsideration: A Necessary Step Before Filing Certiorari
Learn why Philippine courts require a motion for reconsideration before a Rule 65 certiorari petition, as shown in this Supreme Court ruling.
Striking a Balance When Justice Requires Flexibility in Procedural Rules
The Supreme Court explains when courts may relax mandatory procedural rules, using a bank's late pre-trial brief as the case in point.
Copyright Infringement and Prescription: What Retailers Should Know
A look at how filing a complaint with the DOJ interrupts prescription, and what it means for retailers accused of selling counterfeit goods.
When Is Employee Termination Illegal? Key Rules from a Supreme Court Ruling
Learn when termination becomes illegal under Philippine labor law, based on a Supreme Court ruling on unjustified dismissal and procedural lapses.
Morality vs Misconduct: Defining the Boundaries of Public Service Decorum
The Supreme Court clarifies when private immorality becomes administrative misconduct, and why certiorari cannot replace a lost appeal.
Dismissed Appeal: Why Timely Docket Fee Payment Is Non-Negotiable in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court affirms that paying appellate docket fees on time is mandatory and jurisdictional—late payment can kill an appeal.
Proving Loss of Trust and Confidence in Illegal Dismissal Cases in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when loss of trust and confidence justifies employee dismissal, and what employers must prove.
Corporate Authority and Timely Filing: Navigating Court Procedures in Land Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies rules on corporate authorization and filing deadlines in land dispute appeals.
Dismissal for Untimely Filing: Understanding Procedural Rules in Philippine Appeals
Learn why the Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an appeal due to late docket fee payment, and what this means for litigants.
Perfecting Appeals: Why Timely Docket Fees Matter in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts require timely payment of appellate docket fees to perfect an appeal. Learn the rules and practical lessons from Navarro v. Metrobank.
One-Year Limit on Ejectment Suits: Why Timely Filing Matters in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court explains the one-year deadline for ejectment cases and why missing it shifts jurisdiction to the RTC.
Reviving the Pursuit of Justice: Prescription in Anti-Graft Cases and the Ombudsman's Duty
The Supreme Court clarifies prescription rules for anti-graft cases and the Ombudsman's duty to investigate, not dismiss, based on valid laws.
Laches and Land Ownership: Time Limits in Philippine Property Disputes
The Supreme Court explains how laches, prescription, and procedural deadlines can bar heirs from contesting property transfers in the Philippines.
Retroactive Application of Procedural Rules: Timely Filing of Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied A.M. No. 00-2-03-SC retroactively, allowing a late certiorari petition in a labor case to proceed.
Deadline for Landowners Appealing Land Valuation Decisions Under Agrarian Reform
Philippine Veterans Bank case clarifies the 15-day deadline for landowners to challenge DAR land valuation decisions before Special Agrarian Courts.
AWOL vs Abandonment: When Reinstatement and Backwages Still Apply
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between AWOL and abandonment of work, and when illegally dismissed employees get reinstatement with backwages.
Docket Fees Matter: Ensuring Court Jurisdiction in Philippine Civil Cases
Learn how timely filing and docket fees affect court jurisdiction in Philippine civil cases, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Demata v. Court of Appeals.
Missed Appeal Deadlines in the Philippines: Strict Rules, Rare Exceptions
Philippine courts strictly enforce the 15-day appeal period. Missing it can end a case, with only truly exceptional circumstances excusing delay.
Failure to File Corporate By-Laws: Not Automatic Dissolution in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that failing to file corporate by-laws on time does not automatically dissolve a corporation.
Substantial Justice vs Technicality: When Can Appeal Deadlines Be Relaxed
The Supreme Court explains when late appeals may be allowed despite rigid rules, balancing technicality against substantial justice in Trans International vs. CA.
Motion for Reconsideration Deadlines in Labor Cases: The CEU Lesson
Learn how a missed Motion for Reconsideration deadline made a labor decision final and executory in Centro Escolar University v. NLRC.
When Can a Motion for Extension Be Denied? A Philippine Law Analysis
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts may deny motions for extension and the proper requirements for certifications against forum shopping.
Untimely Appeal Understanding Finality of NLRC Decisions in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court affirmed NLRC finality on retrenchment rulings and why untimely appeals fail in Philippine labor cases.
Workplace Violence and Employee Misconduct: When Can You Be Dismissed in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when fighting in the workplace and a history of misconduct justify dismissal of an employee.