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.
Corporate Liability Accountability FOR Unremitted SSS Contributions
Supreme Court affirms conviction of corporate officer for non-remittance of SSS contributions under RA 8282.
Unlawful Detainer When Initial Objection Voids A Claim OF Tolerance
Supreme Court ruling on unlawful detainer, lease renewal options, and binding successors-in-interest in property law.
Franchise Tax After EPIRA: NPC's Liability and the Limits of Local Government Power
The Supreme Court clarifies when the local franchise tax applies after EPIRA, nullifying Bataan's levy on NPC properties.
Trademark Infringement and Probable Cause: When the Secretary of Justice Abuses Discretion
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may override the Secretary of Justice's dismissal of trademark infringement complaints for grave abuse of discretion.
Non-Payment of Premium and Insurance Coverage Validity: The Gaisano Case
When is an insurance policy valid? The Supreme Court clarifies that non-payment of premium before loss means no coverage.
Submarine Cables as Taxable Real Property: Supreme Court Clarifies Local Government Authority
The Supreme Court rules submarine cables are taxable real property, affirming local governments' power to impose real property tax on these assets.
When a Non-Profit Hospital Still Pays Income Tax: The St. Luke's Ruling
The Supreme Court explains when a charitable hospital's income from paying patients becomes taxable under the NIRC.
Third Party Claims in Execution: Protecting Property Rights Under Rule 39
Learn how third-party claimants can protect property wrongly levied in execution, and why certiorari is not the right remedy.
Construction Delays and Liquidated Damages: Defining Substantial Completion in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when liquidated damages stop accruing in construction delays—actual substantial completion, not projections, matters.
Presumption of Work Relatedness Protecting Seafarers' Rights to Disability Benefits
SC ruling clarifies that seafarers' non-listed illnesses enjoy a disputable presumption of work-relatedness, easing their burden of proof.
Third-Party Claims in Property Execution: PSALM v. Maunlad Homes Explained
Learn how Philippine law protects third-party property owners from wrongful levy during judgment execution, based on PSALM v. Maunlad Homes.
Execution Pending Appeal: Balancing Justice and Judicial Discretion in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of execution pending appeal and the requirements for claiming injunction bonds in Abenion v. Pilipinas Shell.
Corporate Representation: The Necessity of Board Resolutions in Legal Actions
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers need board resolutions to file or defend legal actions, and the limits of derivative suits.
Reinsurance and Attachment Bonds: Upholding Surety Validity Beyond Retention Limits
Supreme Court clarifies that attachment bonds exceeding a surety's retention limit remain valid when the excess is reinsured, explaining reinsurance contracts.
Quorum Quagmire: Can Non-Unit Owners Decide a Condo's Fate?
Supreme Court rules on quorum in condo meetings, membership of owner-developers, and who can sit on the board.
Security of Tenure for OFWs: Why Illegal Dismissal and Void Contracts Matter
A Supreme Court ruling affirms that overseas Filipino workers enjoy security of tenure, and contracts violating this right are void.
Appeal Bonds: Financial Hardship Is Not a Valid Excuse for Non-Compliance
The Supreme Court rules that financial difficulty alone cannot excuse an employer from posting the full appeal bond required under the Labor Code.
Judicial Accountability: Defining the Boundaries of Gross Ignorance of the Law
When does a judge's legal error become gross ignorance of the law? The Supreme Court clarifies the standard in Ortega v. Judge Dacara.
Conspiracy and Probable Cause in Corporate Criminal Cases: The Ient v. Tullett Prebon Ruling
Supreme Court clarifies when conspiracy and probable cause establish criminal liability for corporate officers under the Corporation Code.
Accountability Prevails: COA's Power to Discipline and Recover Unlawful Benefits
The Supreme Court affirms COA's authority to discipline its personnel and recover unauthorized benefits received from audited agencies.
Equitable Mortgage Protecting Vulnerable Parties IN Property Transactions
The Supreme Court clarifies when a contract breach warrants damages, and when it does not, in a property dispute.
Construction Contracts Default Rules and Unjust Enrichment in Equipment Leases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies default rules on minimum contract amounts, quantum meruit, and unjust enrichment in construction equipment lease disputes.
Tax Evasion and Prescription: The Statute of Limitations in Philippine Tax Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when the three-year prescriptive period for tax assessment applies, and why fraud must be proven to trigger the ten-year rule.
Improper Levy Voids Execution Sale Protecting Due Process in Debt Recovery
Supreme Court rules labor tribunals cannot hold corporate officers liable without summons, voiding execution sales against them.