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.
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Writ of Possession: Ministerial Duty vs Third-Party Adverse Claims in Foreclosure Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies when a writ of possession is ministerial and when third-party adverse claims can stop it.
Search Warrant Validity: Compelling Reasons Needed for Out-of-Jurisdiction Applications
Supreme Court clarifies that "compelling reasons" for out-of-jurisdiction search warrant applications require substantial evidence, not bare claims of information leakage.
Establishing Filiation: Why Paternity Proof Is Critical in Inheritance Claims
The Supreme Court clarifies that a birth certificate alone cannot prove paternity for inheritance claims unless the alleged father participated in its preparation.
Vote Buying Claims Need Credible Evidence, Not Just Video Clips
The Supreme Court clarifies what evidence is needed to establish probable cause for vote-buying complaints under the Omnibus Election Code.
VAT Refund Claims: The Mandatory 120+30 Day Rule in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court affirms that the 120+30 day rule for VAT refund claims is mandatory and jurisdictional. Learn the deadlines and exceptions.
Illegal Dismissal Claims Survive Employee's Death: Heirs May Substitute
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that illegal dismissal complaints are imbued with public interest, allowing heirs to substitute deceased complainants.
Land Ownership, Citizenship, and Caretaker Claims: Lessons from Morales v. De Guia
A caretaker's long possession of property does not ripen into ownership, and losing Filipino citizenship does not forfeit vested land rights.
Homestead Patent vs Implied Trust: When Land Ownership Claims Collide
A Supreme Court ruling shows why a homestead patent can defeat claims of implied trust over registered land in the Philippines.
Redundancy and Management Prerogative: Balancing Business Needs and Employee Rights in Terminations
The Supreme Court clarifies when redundancy is a valid ground for dismissal and what employers must prove to avoid illegal dismissal claims.
Homestead Patent vs Implied Trust: Protecting Land Ownership in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a homestead patent bars claims of implied trust over agricultural land in the Philippines.
Procedural Lapses and Waiver: When Court Rules Trump Substantive Claims in Estafa Cases
A look at Chingkoe v. Sandiganbayan, where the Supreme Court ruled that the right to speedy disposition of cases must be timely invoked, or it is deemed waived.
Seafarer Death Benefits: Prescription Periods and Proving Work-Related Death
Learn the strict rules on prescription and compensability in seafarer death benefit claims, based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Proving the Work-Related Connection for Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers must prove their illness is work-related by substantial evidence, not merely allege it.
Just Compensation and Land Titles: Resolving Conflicting Claims in Expropriation Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when property owners can claim just compensation and when the government can seek reversion of titled land.
Protecting Land Rights: Innocent Purchaser Status and Due Diligence in Property Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies when summary judgment is improper in property disputes involving claims of innocent purchaser status and good faith.
Right of Way Requisites: Proving Isolation for Easement Claims in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof for compulsory right of way easement claims under Civil Code Articles 649 and 650.
Due Process in Elections: COMELEC's Duty to Hear Conflicting Candidacy Claims
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's accreditation of dominant minority parties, clarifying that the Commission's rule-making power over political party accreditation is subject to constitutional limit
Solidary Liability in Labor Standards: Protecting Employee Wage Claims
When a contractor fails to pay wages, the principal employer can be held solidarily liable. The Supreme Court clarifies the rules.
VAT Refund Claims: Establishing Zero-Rated Sales as a Prerequisite
The Supreme Court clarifies that unutilized input VAT refunds under Section 112(A) require proof of zero-rated sales in the same taxable period.
GSIS Jurisdiction Over Housing Loan Disputes: The Rafael Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when GSIS has exclusive jurisdiction over housing loan disputes and when courts may take cognizance of contractual claims.
Abandonment of Medical Treatment Impact on Seafarer Disability Claims
How a company doctor's failure to issue a timely disability assessment affects a seafarer's claim for total and permanent disability benefits.
Diminution of Benefits: Voluntary Employer Practices and GOCC Compliance
Learn how voluntary employer practices and GOCC compliance affect diminution of benefits claims, with insights from recent Philippine labor rulings.
Dismissed Electric Cooperative GM Can't Claim Retirement: NEA Jurisdiction Ruling
Supreme Court affirms NEA's exclusive jurisdiction over electric cooperative GM retirement claims, forfeiting benefits upon valid dismissal.
Attorney Suspended for Filing Petition Based on Client Misinformation
A lawyer's blind reliance on client claims led to a six-month suspension for violating the Code of Professional Responsibility.