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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Regular Employment Status and Illegal Dismissal: Employee Rights After Probation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when probationary employees become regular and the rights they gain against illegal dismissal.
Attorney Conflicts of Interest: When Dual Representation Violates Client Loyalty
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lawyer's dual representation becomes a prohibited conflict of interest under Rule 15.03 of the CPR.
Estate vs Trustee: Intestate Courts Cannot Decide Ownership Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that intestate courts lack jurisdiction to adjudicate ownership of properties claimed by third parties under adverse title.
No-Spouse Employment Policies: Balancing Business Needs and Marital Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies psychological incapacity rules in Laroco v. Laroco, reshaping how courts evaluate marriage nullity cases.
Annulment of Judgment: Jurisdiction vs. Exercise of Authority in Land Title Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between lack of jurisdiction and excess of jurisdiction in annulment of judgment cases involving land titles.
Challenging Land Titles: Jurisdiction and Collateral Attacks Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts may hear challenges to land titles, and when such actions amount to prohibited collateral attacks.
Foreclosure Rights Understanding Redemption Periods AND Legal Remedies IN Mortgage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when Act No. 3135 applies in mortgage foreclosures and why borrowers must act within the redemption period.
Employer Vicarious Liability: When A Driver's Negligence Makes The Employer Liable
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies employer vicarious liability under Article 2180 when a driver's negligence causes injury.
Who Pays When a Check's Payee Is Faked? Collecting Bank's Liability for Forged Endorsements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a collecting bank must return funds paid out on checks with forged endorsements to an impostor.
Liability for Forged Checks When Collecting Banks Bear the Loss
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on collecting bank liability for forged endorsements, negligence standards, and the fictitious payee rule.
Navigating Will Probate: Key Lessons From a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Case
A Philippine Supreme Court decision on property under custodia legis offers crucial lessons for lawyers and litigants in estate and will probate cases.
Compromise Agreements and Third Party Rights: Protecting Property Interests in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on compromise agreements, third party rights, property interests, and execution of judgments explained in plain language.
Corporate Disputes: Navigating Derivative Suits and Jurisdictional Boundaries in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when derivative suits are proper and how jurisdictional boundaries apply in corporate disputes.
VAT Refund Timelines: The 120+30 Day Rule and Its Window Period Exception
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies VAT refund filing deadlines, the mandatory 120+30 day rule, and the window period exception under BIR Ruling DA-489-03.
Reconstitution of Title Requires Strict Compliance and Proof of Existence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reconstitution of lost titles: strict compliance with RA 26 and proof of title existence required.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Strict Compliance With Three-Day Reporting Rule
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarers' disability claims and the mandatory three-day post-employment medical examination requirement under the POEA-SEC.
Overcoming the Presumption in Seafarer Disability Claims and Employer Responsibilities in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the disputable presumption of work-relatedness in seafarer disability claims, and the mandatory third-doctor referral rule.
Enforcing Foreign Judgments Philippine Courts Balance Comity AND Domestic Policy
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rules on enforcing foreign judgments, service of summons, and limits on interest awards.
Certiorari Deadlines Strict Enforcement IN Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies medical malpractice prescription and strict procedural deadlines for certiorari petitions under Rule 45.
Waiver Validity and Estoppel: When Taxpayers Cannot Question Defective BIR Waivers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on defective waivers of prescription, taxpayer estoppel, and BIR assessment periods explained in plain language.
Fencing Cases: When Possession of Stolen Goods Proves Knowledge and Intent
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how possession of stolen vehicle parts can establish knowledge and intent to gain in fencing cases under PD 1612.
Brokers' Commissions Survive Property Buy-Backs: Lessons from Malate Construction v. ERABCO
Philippine Supreme Court rules brokers earn commissions once sale conditions are met, even if buyers later default and properties are bought back.
Beyond Infidelity: The High Bar for Psychological Incapacity in Philippine Marriages
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that infidelity, immaturity, and lack of support do not automatically constitute psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Breach of Promise to Marry: Good Faith as a Prerequisite for Damages
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a party acting in bad faith cannot recover damages for breach of promise to marry.