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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Surety Bonds and Execution Pending Appeal: What Lawyers Should Know
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when execution pending appeal may run against a surety and how far the bond covers damages.
Forged Documents and Judicial Misconduct: Protecting Land Titles in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on judge misconduct highlights the dangers of unauthorized notarization and the importance of protecting land titles from forged documents.
Self-Defense and the Burden of Proof: Evidence Rules in Slight Physical Injuries Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains self-defense burdens and when unoffered evidence may still be admitted in slight physical injuries cases.
Habeas Data and Facebook Privacy: When Photos Posted Online Lose Legal Protection
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when Facebook photos lose privacy protection and how the writ of habeas data applies to social media posts.
Untangling Mortgage Disputes: Good Faith, Due Diligence, and Finality of Judgments
A Supreme Court ruling on mortgage disputes, good faith, and why final and executory judgments bind all parties.
Mortgage Disputes, Good Faith, and Final Judgments in Philippine Foreclosure
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mortgage foreclosure, good faith of banks, and the finality of judgments in property disputes.
Good Faith vs Actual Knowledge: Resolving Land Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments, petitions for relief, and banks' duty of diligence in land mortgage disputes.
When Police Testimony Conflicts: Buy-Bust Operations and the Presumption of Innocence
A Supreme Court ruling shows how inconsistent police testimony in buy-bust operations can lead to acquittal, protecting the presumption of innocence.
Due Process in Corporate Rehabilitation: Creditors' Right to Participate on Appeal
Supreme Court ruling on creditors' right to participate in corporate rehabilitation appeals, protecting due process and equal footing principles.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: When the Value Is Fixed at the Time of Taking
Explains the Supreme Court ruling that just compensation in expropriation is based on property value at the time of taking, not at filing of a later damages suit.
Attorneys Fees and Ethical Boundaries: When Interest Stipulations Fail in Philippine Loan Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on written interest stipulations, unconscionable rates, and borrower protections under Civil Code Article 1956.
Freedom of Speech vs Fair Elections: Balancing Airtime Limits in Political Ads
Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC's aggregate airtime limits for political ads, balancing free speech and fair elections.
Good Faith and Land Titles: When Forged Deeds Void Property Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on forged deeds, good faith buyers, and why Torrens titles from fraudulent sales can be cancelled.
Forged Signatures and Good Faith in Philippine Land Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on forged deeds, buyer good faith, and protecting land ownership rights.
Government Contracts Upholding Competitive Bidding In Public Private Joint Ventures
Supreme Court ruling on SM Land vs BCDA: government agencies cannot unilaterally abort a competitive challenge under NEDA JV Guidelines.
Usurious Interest and Foreclosure: When Unconscionable Loan Terms Void a Foreclosure Sale
A Supreme Court ruling on how excessive interest rates can invalidate a foreclosure sale, and what borrowers and lenders must know.
Loss of Trust and Confidence as a Just Cause for Dismissal: When Employers Can Terminate
Learn when Philippine employers may validly dismiss employees for loss of trust and confidence, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
The Fine Line Between Entrapment and Instigation in Philippine Drug Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies entrapment vs. instigation in drug busts, and why informants' tips remain valid.
The Duty of Disclosure: Honesty in Seafarer Employment Contracts
A Supreme Court ruling on how concealing a pre-existing illness in a seafarer's PEME can bar disability claims, even when the 3-day reporting rule is excused.
Correcting Errors in Arbitration Awards: The Finality Principle in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when errors in arbitration awards can be corrected without violating the finality principle.
Service Charges and CBA Terms: When Negotiated Contracts Are Exempt in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when service charges are due under a CBA, and how negotiated contracts and special rates are exempt.
Self-Defense and Treachery: The Boundaries of Justifiable Homicide in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies a killing as murder under Philippine law.
Amending Lease Contracts: Upholding Written Agreements and Preventing Unjust Enrichment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease amendments, judicial admissions, and why unjust enrichment claims fail when a lessee violates the contract.
When Labor Officials Cannot Appeal: The Real Party-in-Interest Rule
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that quasi-judicial officers like the Labor Secretary cannot appeal adverse appellate decisions, reinforcing judicial detachment.