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.
Inheritance Disputes: Redemption, Co-Ownership, and Prescription in Family Estates
When one heir redeems family property, does she own it? The Supreme Court clarifies co-ownership, prescription, and reimbursement rules.
Indefeasibility of Title: Why Land Ownership Can't Be Attacked Decades After Registration
A Torrens title becomes incontrovertible after one year. Learn why a collateral attack on a 1973 title failed in Ingusan v. Heirs of Reyes.
Navigating Corporate Disputes: The Boundaries of Forum Shopping and Litis Pendentia in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when two corporate cases are not forum shopping or litis pendentia, using the Taningco dispute as a guide.
Forcible Entry vs Accion Publiciana: Key Distinctions in Philippine Property Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinctions between forcible entry and accion publiciana in Regis v. Garcia, emphasizing proper remedies and procedural rules.
Future Inheritance Contracts Are Void: Arrogante v. Deliarte Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void contracts over future inheritance, and the exceptions that can save family property arrangements.
Probable Cause and Judicial Discretion: Examining the Dismissal of Rape Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge may dismiss a rape case for lack of probable cause, and when such dismissal constitutes grave abuse of discretion.
Fortuitous Events and Employee Dismissal: When Absences Are Excusable
The Supreme Court ruled that absences caused by fortuitous events like flooding cannot justify dismissal, protecting workers' labor rights.
Employer's Liability for Diligence in Employee Supervision After a Vehicular Accident
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability and the standard of diligence required in supervising employees after a vehicular accident.
Establishing Filiation: How Informal Writings Can Prove Paternity in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how handwritten letters can establish paternity and filiation of illegitimate children under the Family Code.
Lawyer Suspended for Contracting Second Marriage While First Was Subsisting
A lawyer's second marriage while his first remained valid led to a one-year suspension, underscoring lawyers' duty to know the law.
Notarial Wills and Territorial Limits on Notary Public Authority
A will acknowledged before a notary acting outside his commission is void. Learn the territorial limits rule from Guerrero v. Bihis.
Rape and the Best Evidence Rule: Proving Minority in Statutory Rape Cases
A father convicted of qualified rape challenges the death penalty, claiming the victim's minority was not proven. The Supreme Court explains how a photocopied birth certificate can establish age.
Paraphernal Property vs Conjugal: When Improvements Don't Change Ownership
When does a wife's inherited land become conjugal property? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on improvements in Heirs of Vicente Reyes.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Consent, Intimidation, and Victim Credibility in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how intimidation, victim credibility, and medical evidence establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Persistent Lying As Psychological Incapacity Understanding Grounds For Marriage Nullity In The Philippines
Explore how persistent lying may constitute psychological incapacity under Philippine law, affecting marriage nullity cases and legal remedies.
Estate Settlement Venue and Remarriage After Foreign Divorce: Key Philippine Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies estate settlement venue means actual residence, and a Filipino divorced by a foreign spouse may remarry.
Who Can Question a Bigamous Marriage? Lessons from Amor-Catalan v. Catalan
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies who has legal personality to question a bigamous marriage and the need to prove foreign divorce decrees.
Divorce Abroad and Remarriage in the Philippines: Legal Standing in Bigamy Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who may challenge a bigamous marriage when a foreign divorce is involved, and what evidence is required.
Proving Employee Abandonment: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what employers must prove to establish employee abandonment—and why mere absence is not enough.
Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet: Why Title Verification Matters in Philippine Property Deals
Philippine law bars transferring property you don't own. Learn the nemo dat rule from Hermosilla v. Remoquillo and how to protect your purchase.
Burden of Proof in Labor Cases: Supreme Court Upholds Employee Rights in Wage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers bear the burden of proof in labor standards cases, protecting workers' claims for unpaid wages.
Piercing the Corporate Veil in the Philippines: When Parent Companies Pay Subsidiary Debts
Philippine courts can hold parent companies liable for subsidiary debts when the subsidiary is a mere instrumentality. Learn the rules from General Credit v. Alsons.
Substantial Compliance vs Strict Procedure: Negligence and Liability in Fire Incidents
A fire spreads from one food stall to another—who pays? The Supreme Court clarifies negligence, fortuitous events, and procedural rules.
When Farm Closures Trigger Separation Pay: Elcee Farms v. NLRC
The Supreme Court clarifies when a farm closure or lease triggers separation pay and when corporate officers can be held personally liable.