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.
Judicial Acts During Suspension: Balancing Authority and Protecting Litigant Rights
The Supreme Court validates decisions of a suspended judge under the de facto officer and operative fact doctrines, protecting good-faith litigants.
Overtime Rights Security Guard DTRs As Proof Of Extra Hours
Security guards can prove overtime work through DTRs countersigned by the client. A 2024 Supreme Court ruling explains the rules.
Double Jeopardy in the Philippines: When an Acquittal Can Be Overturned
Philippine law protects against double jeopardy, but an acquittal can be voided if the State's right to due process is violated. Learn the exception.
Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Criminal Law: When Is It Enough to Convict?
The Supreme Court acquits a rape-with-homicide accused, clarifying when circumstantial evidence falls short of moral certainty.
Safeguarding Justice: The Judiciary Marshals Act and Its Implementing Rules
The Supreme Court approved the IRR of the Judiciary Marshals Act, creating an armed unit to protect judges and secure the courts.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: Avoiding Conflicting Court Decisions
The Supreme Court clarifies the prohibition on forum shopping in labor cases, warning parties against raising the same issues in multiple forums to delay execution.
VAT Refund Timelines: Supreme Court Clarifies the 120-Day Rule in Dohle Shipmanagement
The Supreme Court clarifies when the 120-day VAT refund period starts, giving taxpayers control over the timeline for judicial claims.
Usufruct vs. Co-Ownership: When a Usufructuary Can Eject a Co-Owner
The Supreme Court clarifies that a usufructuary can eject a co-owner during the usufruct period, protecting family property arrangements.
Community Service as an Alternative to Jail Time: Understanding R.A. 11362 in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how Republic Act No. 11362 allows courts to convert arresto menor and arresto mayor penalties into community service.
Reconveyance Actions and Fraud Allegations: What a Complaint Must Allege
A reconveyance suit fails if fraud is only alleged in general terms. The Supreme Court explains what a complaint must state.
Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines: Employer Liability and Worker Rights
Understand labor-only contracting in the Philippines, when a principal becomes the true employer, and key lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Conjugal Property Presumptions: Protecting Separate Assets from a Spouse's Debts
Learn how the Supreme Court protects separate property from a spouse's debts and what evidence overcomes the conjugal presumption.
Franchise Amendments and Public Utilities: When Does the Common Good Justify Change
The Supreme Court upholds RA 11918 expanding MORE Power's franchise, ruling exclusive franchises are unconstitutional and Congress determines the common good.
Competency of Witnesses With Intellectual Disabilities: Safeguarding Justice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms that intellectual disability alone does not disqualify a witness, provided they can perceive and communicate their perceptions.
Floating Status in Philippine Labor Law: When Suspension Becomes Illegal Dismissal
Learn when an employee's floating status becomes illegal dismissal under Philippine law, based on a 2024 Supreme Court ruling.
Election Gun Ban and Retroactivity: The Bargado Case Explained
Can a postponed election erase a gun ban violation? The Supreme Court's Bargado ruling explains retroactivity in Philippine election law.
Solidary Liability in Construction Contracts: When LWUA Shares Responsibility
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when LWUA can be held solidarily liable with water districts for construction contract obligations.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: How a Judicial Admission Can Affect Your Rights in the Philippines
A judicial admission can excuse gaps in the chain of custody—but only up to a point. Learn how the Supreme Court applied this rule in a drug possession case.
Abandonment in Agrarian Leaseholds: What Farmers and Landowners Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies when a farmer's absence amounts to abandonment—and why notarized documents alone cannot end a leasehold.
Navigating Employment Status: Contract of Service vs Regular Employment in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when workers in government-owned corporations are contract of service workers, not regular employees entitled to security of tenure.
Navigating Government Procurement: Avoiding Liability in Disallowed Transactions
Learn how the Supreme Court held BAC members liable for flawed procurement, and how to avoid audit disallowances.
Protecting Installment Buyers Understanding Rescission Rights Under THE Maceda LAW
The Supreme Court clarifies the strict notarial and grace period requirements for canceling installment contracts under the Maceda Law.
Protecting Children: Understanding Sexual Assault Laws in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between rape by sexual assault and sexual assault under RA 7610, protecting child victims.
Proving Filiation for Inheritance: Delayed Birth Registration in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how delayed birth registrations and other evidence establish filiation for inheritance claims in the Philippines.