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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Valid Search Warrants Despite Name Discrepancies and Scope Limits in Drug Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when name errors in search warrants are valid and when warrantless car searches are illegal.
The Particularity Requirement Balancing Privacy and Law Enforcement in Search Warrants
Supreme Court acquits in credit card fraud case, ruling that items not listed in a search warrant and not in plain view cannot be seized or used as evidence.
Search Warrants Balancing Specificity AND Practicality IN Drug Cases
Jurisdiction Over Search Warrants: Criminal Court vs Issuing Court
Once a criminal case is filed in another court, that trial court has jurisdiction over any challenge to the search warrant.
Search Warrant Validity and Plain View Doctrine in Drug Possession Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on search warrant requirements, plain view doctrine, and inadmissible evidence in drug possession cases.
Search Warrant Specificity: Protecting Businesses From Unreasonable Seizures
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on search warrants, particularity of items seized, and protection of businesses from unreasonable seizures.
When Can a Trial Court Resolve a Motion to Quash a Search Warrant Issued by Another Court?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies which court resolves a motion to quash a search warrant when the criminal case is pending in a different court.
Resolving Search Warrant Disputes: Which Court Has Jurisdiction to Quash
Learn which court resolves a motion to quash a search warrant when the issuing court differs from the court trying the criminal case.
Void Search Warrant: Can Seized Illegal Goods Still Be Retained?
When a search warrant is void, illegally possessed goods may still be forfeited—return is not automatic. Here’s the rule.
Search Warrants and Intellectual Property: The Imperative of a Specific Offense
A search warrant must be anchored on a specific existing offense. When the crime is repealed, the warrant falls.
Invalid Search Warrants in the Philippines: Protecting Your Rights Against Unreasonable Searches
Learn how the Supreme Court protects Filipinos from unreasonable searches through the strict requirements for valid search warrants.
Valid Search Warrants in the Philippines: Probable Cause and Specificity
Philippine law requires probable cause and particular description for valid search warrants. Kho v. Makalintal clarifies how specific these must be.
Due Process in Court: Why Proper Notice and Hearing Are Non-Negotiable
A judge dismissed for quashing a search warrant and granting bail without notice—what this means for fair procedure in Philippine courts.
Warranting Precision: Why Describing the Right Place Is Crucial in Search Warrants
The Supreme Court explains why the place to be searched must be described with precision, and the consequences of a vague warrant.
Search Warrants in IP Cases: Probable Cause and Specificity Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probable cause and specificity requirements for search warrants in intellectual property infringement cases.
Copyright Infringement: Protecting IP Rights and the Prospectivity of New Rules
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on search warrants in copyright cases and why new judicial doctrines apply prospectively.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: How It Affects Search Warrants and Legal Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that forum shopping applies to search warrant applications, and seized property cannot be held indefinitely without criminal prosecution.