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.
Psychological Incapacity in Philippine Marriages: What the Supreme Court's Latest Ruling Means
The Supreme Court clarifies that psychological incapacity is a legal concept, not a medical illness, in this landmark marriage nullity case.
Religious Freedom and SSS Coverage: The Salvation Army Case Explained
The Supreme Court ruled that religious ministers can be SSS-covered employees. Learn how the Court balanced faith and social security law.
Hearsay and Reasonable Doubt: How Witness Testimony Impacts Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a homicide accused when prosecution evidence rests on hearsay and conflicting medical findings.
Condonation Doctrine and Grave Misconduct: When Final Administrative Rulings Can Be Altered
Explore when final administrative rulings may be altered, focusing on the condonation doctrine and grave misconduct in Gabornes v. Ombudsman.
When Religious Ministers Are Employees: SSS Coverage and the Condonation Doctrine
The Supreme Court ruled that religious ministers can be SSS-covered employees, clarifying the limits of church-state separation in secular matters.
Res Judicata and Foreign Judgments: What Property Disputes Teach Us About Finality
Philippine courts won't take judicial notice of foreign judgments. Learn the rules on res judicata, litis pendentia, and proof of foreign pleadings.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor in Real Estate: The Four-Fold Test Explained
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when real estate sales agents are employees or independent contractors, and why the distinction matters.
Hierarchy of Courts in Certiorari Petitions: Lessons from Nacionales v. Solde-Annogui
The Supreme Court reaffirms the hierarchy of courts doctrine, requiring certiorari petitions to start at the RTC, not the High Court.
Writs of Possession in Extrajudicial Foreclosures: What Borrowers Should Know
Learn when courts must issue writs of possession after extrajudicial foreclosure, the limited exceptions, and the proper remedies for borrowers.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Homeowners Association Disputes: HLURB vs RTC
The Supreme Court clarifies that intra-association disputes over inspection rights fall under HLURB jurisdiction, not the regular courts.
Understanding Conspiracy and Collective Responsibility in Rape Cases: A Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Deci
A landmark ruling clarifies when conspiracy exists in rape cases and how collective responsibility applies to all perpetrators.
Accountability in Public Infrastructure: When COA Disallowances Become Final
Supreme Court clarifies when COA decisions on disallowed government projects become final and when officials may be held liable.
Evident Partiality in Philippine Arbitration: When Courts Can Vacate an Award
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the "evident partiality" standard for vacating arbitration awards, distinguishing it from mere errors in weighing evidence.
Calculating Redemption Price in Extrajudicial Foreclosures: BPI v. LCL Capital Explained
Learn how Philippine courts compute redemption prices in bank foreclosures under the General Banking Law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in BPI v. LCL Capital.
Failure to State vs. Lack of Cause of Action: Key Distinctions in Philippine Property Cases
Learn the crucial difference between failure to state a cause of action and lack of cause of action, as clarified by the Supreme Court in Roa v. Sy.
Navigating Property Disputes: The Importance of Due Process and Property Identification in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies estafa liability for selling property one does not own, emphasizing due process and proper property identification.
Seafarer Disability Benefits: Why Final Medical Assessments Matter
Understand why the Supreme Court denied permanent total disability benefits to a seafarer who filed his claim before the company doctor issued a final assessment.
Infanticide in the Philippines: Proving Guilt Through Circumstantial Evidence
Learn how Philippine courts convict in infanticide cases using circumstantial evidence, as shown in People v. Adalia.
Hot Pursuit Arrests and Drug Evidence: What Adoma v. People Teaches Law Enforcement
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect, clarifying the rules on hot pursuit arrests and the chain of custody of seized evidence.
Reviving Dormant Judgments: Understanding the 10-Year Window for Enforcement in the Philippines
Learn how long you have to enforce a final judgment in the Philippines, what happens when the 10-year prescriptive period lapses, and how to revive a dormant judgment.
Constructive Dismissal: When Management Prerogative Crosses the Line
Learn when employer actions amount to constructive dismissal and when they are valid management prerogative, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Understanding Unfair Competition in the Philippines: Lessons from a Landmark Supreme Court Case
A look at unfair competition under the Intellectual Property Code, explained through a 2021 Supreme Court ruling on confusingly similar products.
Understanding Statutory Rape: Insights From a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Case
A 2021 Supreme Court ruling clarifies statutory rape and qualified statutory rape, penalties, damages, and evidentiary rules under Philippine law.
Spousal Consent in Property Leases: What the Supreme Court Ruling Means
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that leases of common property without written spousal consent are void. Learn the rules and practical safeguards.