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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Lawyer Suspended for Breach of Trust: Neglecting Client's Case and Withholding Funds
Philippine Supreme Court suspends lawyer for three years for failing to file a client's case and refusing to return P65,000 in entrusted funds.
Upholding Client Trust: Attorney Suspended for Misappropriating Funds and Neglecting Legal Duty
Philippine Supreme Court suspends lawyer for three years for failing to file a client's case and refusing to return P65,000 in entrusted funds.
Reasonable Doubt in Drug Cases: The Need for Clear Identification of Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in drug cases, the identity of the seized item must be proven beyond reasonable doubt, not just presumed.
Forfeiture Clauses Balancing Employer Protection AND Employee Rights IN Commission Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when commission forfeiture clauses in employment contracts are valid and enforceable.
Direct Testimony vs Expert Opinion in Property Disputes: The Ambray Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how direct testimony outweighs expert opinion in proving forgery in property disputes.
Counsel's Negligence in Appeals: When a Client Is Bound by a Lawyer's Lapses
A missed deadline for an appellant's brief can end an appeal. Philippine Supreme Court explains when clients are bound by counsel's negligence.
Ejectment Actions Beyond Lease Agreements: The Contract to Sell Rule in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that ejectment cases cover contract to sell violations, not just lease agreements or forcible entry.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: The Uneasy Weight of Recanted Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite the victim's affidavit of desistance, explaining why recanted testimony is viewed with suspicion.
Dismissal Due to Failure to Present Corpus Delicti: Safeguarding Drug Evidence in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug suspect over broken chain of custody, underscoring the need to preserve corpus delicti in drug cases.
Subrogation and Compensation When Payment of Another's Debt Extinguishes Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on legal subrogation and compensation when a business buyer pays the seller's unpaid bills.
Coca-Cola Route Helpers: Regular Employees Despite Agency Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court rules route helpers remain regular Coca-Cola employees despite transfers to labor contractors, applying stare decisis.
Tenant's Right of Redemption: Written Notice and Payment Requirements Under Agrarian Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies agricultural lessee's right of redemption, written notice requirements, and tender payment obligations under R.A. 3844.
Tenant Redemption Rights: Tender of Payment Required in Agrarian Land Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that agrarian tenants must tender or consign the redemption price to validly exercise their right of redemption.
Employer's Duty to Bargain and the Consequences of Unfair Labor Practices
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer's duty to bargain with the certified union and the consequences of unfair labor practices.
Constructive Dismissal: When Cutting Work Hours Violates Employee Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when reducing work hours becomes constructive dismissal, and what employers must prove to justify it.
Misconduct in the Workplace: Defining the Boundaries of Trust and Employment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when serious misconduct justifies dismissal and the evidentiary standard employers must meet.
Good Faith Possession Determining Rights AND Obligations IN Land USE Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how good faith possession affects rights and obligations in land use disputes, citing Civil Code provisions.
Judicial Stability: Why Co-Equal Courts Cannot Interfere With Each Other's Judgments
Philippine Supreme Court explains the doctrine of judicial stability, barring co-equal courts from interfering with each other's orders and judgments.
Forum Shopping: Simultaneous Appeal and Annulment of Judgment Constitutes Abuse
Philippine Supreme Court rules that pursuing an appeal and a petition for annulment of judgment simultaneously constitutes forum shopping and may warrant contempt.
Procedural Due Process in Employment Termination: The Right to a Hearing
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers must provide a hearing or conference, not just written notices, before validly dismissing employees.
Accountability for All: Criminal Liability and Kidnapping for Ransom Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on kidnapping for ransom clarifies liability of principals and accomplices under Article 267, RPC.
Forum Shopping and Preliminary Mandatory Injunctions in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies forum shopping rules and possessory rights under the Civil Code in property disputes.
Challenging Land Ownership Claims Establishing Lessor Lessee Relationships IN Unlawful Detainer Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unlawful detainer cases, lessor-lessee relationships, and the res inter alios acta principle in property disputes.
Marriage Nullity for Absence of Marriage License: What the Supreme Court Says
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on declaring marriage void for lack of marriage license, evidence rules, and practical implications.