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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Moral Turpitude and Electoral Disqualification: The Teves Case Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when a conviction for a prohibited interest involves moral turpitude, using the Teves cockpit case as guide.
Homestead Patent Validity Prevails Clarifying Land Ownership Rights And Restrictions
Supreme Court ruling on homestead patents, quitclaims, and land ownership rights under the Public Land Act.
Sheriffs Accountability Receiving Unauthorized Payments AND Neglecting Duty
Supreme Court rules on sheriff's liability for receiving unauthorized payments and dereliction of duty in implementing writs of execution.
Real Property Tax: What Counts as Pollution Control Equipment for Exemption
The Supreme Court clarifies when pollution control structures qualify for real property tax exemption under the Local Government Code.
Upholding Judicial Authority When Disrespect AND Insubordination Lead TO Suspension
The Supreme Court suspends a court process server for one year for gross insubordination and simple misconduct toward his judge.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer in Labor-Only Contracting
When is a principal the real employer? The Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules in Iligan Cement Corporation v. IEWU-SPFL.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Safeguarding Evidence Integrity
Why the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect over broken chain of custody, and what it means for prosecutions.
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery
Supreme Court rules dividends and interests follow ownership of recovered ill-gotten shares, even if not expressly stated in the dispositive portion.
Reconstitution of Title: Why Primary Evidence Matters in Land Registration
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why reconstitution of a lost title requires primary evidence, not mere certifications.
Conjugal Property and Spousal Liability: Defining Benefit Under the Family Code
When can a spouse's personal debt be charged against conjugal property? The Supreme Court clarifies the Rule Under Article 122
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases, SC Rules
In ill-gotten wealth cases, dividends and fruits follow ownership of the shares, the Supreme Court ruled in Cojuangco v. Sandiganbayan.
Good Faith and the Lis Pendens Rule: Lessons from Cunanan v. Jumping Jap Trading
A Supreme Court ruling shows why a cancelled notice of lis pendens does not always protect a mortgagee, and how bad faith can void a real estate mortgage.
CIAC Jurisdiction Prevails Over Contractual Conditions Precedent in Construction Arbitration
Philippine Supreme Court rules CIAC retains jurisdiction over construction disputes even when parties fail to comply with contractual conditions precedent like DAB referral.
RTC Has Exclusive Jurisdiction Over Libel Cases, Even for Public Officers
The Supreme Court clarifies that Regional Trial Courts exclusively handle libel cases, regardless of whether the accused is a public officer.
Treachery in Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Unprovoked Attacks
How Philippine courts apply treachery to qualify killings as murder, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Gidoc.
When a Dismissal for Breach of Trust Goes Too Far: Gulf Air v. Reyes
The Supreme Court ruled that not every company-rule violation justifies dismissal. In Gulf Air v. Reyes, an inadvertent breach led to suspension, not termination.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Drug Sale Conviction Overturned for Procedural Lapses and Insufficient Evidence
The Supreme Court acquits Cesar Cantalejo in a drug sale case, ruling that procedural lapses and weak evidence failed to overcome the presumption of innocence.
Party-List Disputes and Comelec Rehearing Rules: The Alagad Case
How the Supreme Court clarified Comelec rehearing rules when internal party-list disputes deadlock the Commission En Banc.
Solicitation Ban Upholding Integrity in the Judiciary
Court personnel dismissed for soliciting from bonding companies using fake Supreme Court letterheads. Learn the rules on improper solicitation.
Urgent Relief vs Prudence: Balancing Injunctive Action and Electorate Rights in Public Office Suspension Cases
When may a court defer action on a TRO against a preventive suspension order? The Supreme Court weighs urgency against prudence.
Deportation and Drug Convictions: Broadening the Scope of Philippine Immigration Law
The Supreme Court rules that foreign drug convictions justify deportation under Philippine immigration law, rejecting a narrow reading of Section 37(a)(4).
Quashal vs Provisional Dismissal: Understanding the Nuances of Criminal Procedure in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the key differences between a motion to quash and provisional dismissal under Rule 117, and why the time-bar rule does not apply to quashal orders.
Retirement Benefits: Employer's Duty Beyond Initial Retirement
Retired employee continues working; Supreme Court clarifies prescription, retirement pay computation, and employer obligations under Philippine law.
Speedy Trial Rights: When Delay Is Not a Violation
The Supreme Court explains when delays in criminal prosecution do not violate the right to speedy trial, and the limits of double jeopardy.