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.
The 90-Day Rule for Judges: What It Means for Speedy Justice in the Philippines
The 90-day rule requires Philippine judges to decide cases promptly. Learn how it works, what happens on delay, and the lessons from a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Time Is of the Essence: Prescription and Laches in Philippine Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how prescription and laches bar property claims filed decades after a sale with pacto de retro.
Complex Crime vs Separate Offenses: When Multiple Murders Are Not a Single Crime
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when multiple killings form one complex crime or separate offenses, and the effect on penalties.
Lost Your Appeal Understanding Certiorari AND Final Judgments IN Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts treat petitions for review on certiorari, final judgments, and due process in administrative proceedings.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Proving Your Case Even Without a Termination Letter
Illegal dismissal can be proven even without a termination letter. Learn the rules from a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Improvident Guilty Plea in Capital Offenses: When a Conviction Still Stands
A flawed guilty plea in a capital case doesn't automatically void a conviction if prosecution evidence independently proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Land Ownership in the Philippines: Why Possession Isn't Always Nine Tenths of the Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when lengthy possession of public land cannot ripen into private ownership, and why free patents prevail.
Unfounded Misconduct Claims: Protecting Public Servants From False Accusations
Learn how Philippine jurisprudence protects employees from baseless misconduct allegations and requires employers to prove just cause for dismissal.
Legal Interest Rates in the Philippines: When Does 6% vs 12% Apply
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when 6% or 12% legal interest applies—loans and forbearance versus other obligations. Learn the rules.
Permanent Total Disability in the Philippines: Employee Rights and Compensation
Understand permanent total disability under Philippine law, how it differs from partial disability, and what the GSIS vs. Bella ruling means for employees.
Probation Revocation in the Philippines: Why Non-Compliance with Court Orders Can Lead to Imprisonment
Probation is a privilege, not a right. Learn how ignoring court orders can lead to revocation and imprisonment in the Philippines.
When Is a Sheriff Liable for Wrongful Execution? The De Guzman Rule
Philippine law shields sheriffs who execute judgments in good faith and with an indemnity bond. Learn the rules on wrongful execution and third-party claims.
When a Confirmed Flight Doesn't Extend Ticket Validity: Cervantes v. PAL
Learn from Cervantes v. PAL: confirming a flight does not extend a ticket's validity, and agents cannot bind the airline beyond their authority.
Heirship First, Claim Later: Proving You're an Heir Before Filing Property Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why heirs must first be declared in special proceedings before filing property reconveyance cases.
Strictly Observe Deadlines: Why Missing Appeal Periods Can Cost You Your Case in the Philippines
Learn how missing appeal deadlines or filing late comments can affect your case, and why courts may relax procedural rules only in exceptional circumstances.
Does Your Case Die With Your Client? Survival of Actions and Attorney's Fees in the Philippines
When a client dies before judgment, does a lawyer's claim for fees survive? The Supreme Court explains the rule on survival of actions.
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.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: When Can New Evidence Be Introduced on Appeal?
When can an employer introduce new evidence on appeal in a dismissal case? The Supreme Court explains the limits of due process.
Unraveling Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases: Collective Guilt and the Limits of Self-Defense
How the Supreme Court applied conspiracy doctrine and rejected self-defense in a murder case where three men ganged up on a victim.
Employer-Employee Relationship and the Control Test: Lessons from Villa v. NLRC
The Supreme Court's ruling in Villa v. NLRC clarifies the control test in employer-employee relationships and the rules on evidence in illegal dismissal cases.
Force and Intimidation in Rape Cases: Why Silence Is Not Consent (People v. Marabillas)
Explaining how Philippine courts define force and intimidation in rape, and why a victim's silence or lack of resistance does not mean consent.
Child Support Cannot Be Waived: Res Judicata in Philippine Family Law
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a child's right to support cannot be renounced or barred by a prior dismissal, citing Civil Code Articles 301 and 2035.
Lost Your Land Title in the Philippines? Understanding Reconstitution and RA 26
Learn how to reconstitute a lost or destroyed land title in the Philippines under RA 26, and what documents courts require.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Right Remedy in Philippine Courts
Learn when to file certiorari versus appeal in Philippine courts, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Asian Trading Corporation v. Court of Appeals.