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.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: Why Choosing the Right Court Matters
Learn how Philippine courts penalize lawyer negligence and forum shopping, and why choosing the right court protects your case.
Barangay Conciliation: Why a Settlement Agreement Cannot Replace the Lupon Requirement
Learn from Berba v. Pablo why a barangay settlement with one party does not excuse mandatory conciliation before filing an ejectment suit.
Overcoming Technicalities in Employees Compensation for Associated Illnesses
How the Supreme Court ruled that a worker's death from a non-listed illness may still be compensable if associated with a compensable disease.
Laches and Land Rights: Why Delay Can Defeat Property Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how laches and inaction can bar property reconveyance claims even when fraud is alleged.
Mortgage Foreclosure Estoppel Prevents Claimants From Denying Prior Actions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how estoppel bars property claimants from questioning a mortgage foreclosure after prior inconsistent acts.
Upholding Ejectment: The Finality of Judgments and Timeliness in Appeals
The Supreme Court affirms ejectment, stressing that a late motion for reconsideration fails to stop a judgment from becoming final and executory.
Corporate Dissolution and Judgment Enforcement: Rights Survive Liquidation
A final judgment can still be enforced after a corporation dissolves — the Supreme Court explains why in this ruling.
Prescription in Contract Disputes: The 10-Year Rule Under Philippine Law
Learn how the 10-year prescription period for written contracts works in the Philippines, and why delay can bar a valid claim.
Upholding Property Rights: Reconveyance and Damages for Unlawful Possession
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void reconstitution of title, laches, and property recovery explained in plain language.
Defining Counterclaims: Compulsory vs. Permissive in Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish compulsory from permissive counterclaims, and why docket fees and jurisdiction depend on that distinction.
GOCC vs. Private Corporation: Labor Jurisdiction and the Philippine National Red Cross Case
Learn how the Supreme Court's charter test determines whether an employer is a GOCC and which tribunal—CSC or NLRC—has jurisdiction over labor disputes.
Laches and Forgery in Philippine Property Law: The Isabela Colleges Case
Philippine property law: can laches defeat a forgery claim? The Supreme Court's ruling in Isabela Colleges v. Heirs of Rivera explains why delay can be deadly.
Statute of Limitations in Philippine Contract Law: The 10-Year Rule for Written Contracts
Learn the 10-year prescriptive period for written contracts in the Philippines, when it starts, and how the Supreme Court applied it in a stock pledge dispute.
Forum Shopping in Philippine Courts: The Quinsay Case and Why Multiple Lawsuits Backfire
Forum shopping—filing multiple suits for the same dispute—can get cases dismissed. Learn the rules from the Supreme Court's ruling in Quinsay.
Default and Damages: Clarifying Rights in Chattel Mortgage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies default rules, damages, and replevin in chattel mortgage disputes—key lessons for creditors and borrowers.
Self-Defense in Philippine Law: Understanding Justifiable Homicide and the Burden of Proof
Explaining self-defense and justifiable homicide under Philippine law, including the requisites and the burden of proof on the accused.
When Words Wound Understanding Damages FOR Baseless Lawsuits IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts award damages for baseless lawsuits, what must be proven, and practical tips to protect your rights.
Legally Binding Family Agreements: Extrajudicial Settlements and Inheritance in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on extrajudicial settlements, forgery claims, prescription, and laches in family inheritance disputes.
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.
Failure of Election Under Philippine Law: Grounds and Remedies Explained
Learn the limited grounds for declaring a failed election under Philippine law and the proper remedies available to candidates and voters.
Family Disputes and Property Rights: Extrajudicial Settlements and Reconveyance
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when family members must attempt compromise before suing and how reconveyance works for wrongfully registered property.
Self-Defense and Defense of Relatives in Philippine Law: Limits and Lessons from People v. Babor
When does self-defense fail in the Philippines? People v. Babor clarifies the limits of justifying circumstances, unlawful aggression, and reasonable force.
Diplomatic Immunity in the Philippines: Protecting International Organizations From Legal Suits
The Supreme Court explains how diplomatic immunity shields international organizations like the Asian Development Bank from local lawsuits, and why courts must respect it.
Establishing Employer-Employee Relationship Is Key to Illegal Dismissal Claims in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why proving employer-employee relationship is essential before an illegal dismissal case can prosper.