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.
Real Action vs Annulment: How Courts Determine Proper Docket Fees in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an annulment of sale case is a real action requiring higher docket fees based on property value.
Real Property Tax: Who Is the Actual User in a BOT Agreement?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on real property tax exemption under a Build-Operate-Transfer agreement and who qualifies as actual user.
Rehabilitation Petitions Technical Insolvency AND Creditors Rights IN Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a technically insolvent corporation may file for rehabilitation and how creditor rights are affected.
Continuing Surety Agreements: When a Surety Is Liable for Another's Loan
Philippine Supreme Court explains continuing surety agreements and when a surety becomes liable for a principal debtor's obligations.
When Landlords Can Cut Utilities: Lessons from Barbasa v. Tuquero
Learn when a lessor may lawfully disconnect utilities under a lease's penalty clause without committing grave coercion.
Proportionality in Employee Discipline: When Is Dismissal Too Harsh?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when dismissal is too harsh a penalty for workplace policy violations, explained in plain language.
Reversion of Land: Balancing State Ownership and Good Faith Improvements
When land reverts to the State, what happens to improvements planted in good faith? The Supreme Court provides guidance.
Final Judgments and Clerical Errors: The PhilHealth v. Chinese General Hospital Case
When a final judgment contains a clerical omission, courts may clarify it by reading the decision as a whole.
Delayed Retirement Benefits: Balancing Public Service and Official Discretion
A retired bookkeeper's unpaid terminal leave leads to graft charges against a mayor, but the Supreme Court dismisses the case on procedural grounds.
Perfected Contract of Sale vs. Writ of Preliminary Attachment: Balancing Obligations with Due Process
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a contract of sale is perfected and when a writ of preliminary attachment may be improperly issued.
Fictitious Payee Rule and Bank Liability in Check Payments
When is a named payee "fictitious" under Philippine law? The Supreme Court explains who bears the loss when checks are paid without indorsement.
Condominium Ownership for Foreign Nationals: Property Rights Under the Condominium Act
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that foreigners may own condominium units under RA 4726, separating land ownership from unit ownership.
Debt Recovery Execution: Waiver of Demand and Proving Overlevy
Learn when a sheriff's failure to demand payment is excused and how to prove overlevy in execution sales under Rule 39.
Loan Restructuring vs Mortgage Release: When Must a Bank Return Collateral?
When a borrower restructures a loan and assigns property as partial payment, is the bank obliged to release other collateral? The Supreme Court explains.
Guarantor's Defense of Excussion: What the Supreme Court Requires
Explaining the benefit of excussion for guarantors under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Bitanga v. Pyramid Construction.
Upholding Due Process for Workers: When Business Closure Is a Subterfuge
Business closures must be bona fide. The Supreme Court explains when a simulated shutdown becomes illegal dismissal.
Altered Checks and Holder in Due Course Protection Under the Negotiable Instruments Law
Supreme Court ruling on drawee bank liability for altered checks and holder in due course protection under the Negotiable Instruments Law.
Unconscionable Interest Rates: Protecting Borrowers From Excessive Loan Costs
The Supreme Court affirms that monthly interest rates of 5% to 7% are unconscionable and may be reduced to 12% per annum.
Abuse of Rights in Philippine Law: When Filing Complaints Is Not a Basis for Damages
The Supreme Court clarifies the abuse of rights principle, ruling that filing labor complaints and seeking government action without malice is not actionable.
Upholding Workers' Rights: The Extent of DOLE's Authority and the Validity of Labor Standards Claims
The Supreme Court clarifies the scope of DOLE's visitorial powers over labor standards claims and the limits of its jurisdiction.
False Promises and Financial Ruin: Establishing Estafa Through Deceit in Investment Schemes
The Supreme Court affirms that luring investors with false profit promises constitutes estafa, even when the accused claims ignorance of the scheme.
Conditional Sale Buyers' Rights and Sellers' Obligations After Partial Payment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies buyer and seller rights in contracts to sell, including when a buyer can demand a deed of absolute sale.
Extrajudicial Termination Clauses in Lease Agreements: What the Supreme Court Says
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lessor may validly terminate a lease and repossess property without court action under Philippine law.
Breach of Contract: When Incomplete Construction Doesn't Warrant Full Payment
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when a contractor's incomplete work bars recovery of the full contract price in construction disputes.