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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Reconstitution of Cadastral Records: Publication Requirement for Court Jurisdiction
Learn when publication in the Official Gazette is required to reconstitute cadastral records under Act 3110, and how the Supreme Court resolved this property law dispute.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: Proving Facebook Post Authorship and Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies how to prove Facebook post authorship in VAWC cases and applies higher cybercrime penalties for online psychological abuse.
When Lawyers Cite Cases That Do Not Exist: G.R. No. 276106 and the Duty of Candor
The Supreme Court denied a labor petition and ordered an investigation of counsel who cited eighteen decisions that were nonexistent, misquoted, or ruled against his client.
Employee Dismissal: When Courts Can Look Beyond the Termination Notice
Philippine Supreme Court rules on whether courts may consider grounds beyond those stated in an employee's termination notice in illegal dismissal cases.
Lis Pendens and Due Process: Protecting Registered Owners in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a notice of lis pendens may be annotated, balancing a claimant's interest against a registered owner's right to due process.
Circumstantial Evidence and Conviction: Rape with Homicide Requires Moral Certainty
When can circumstantial evidence convict someone of rape with homicide? The Supreme Court explains the moral certainty standard.
Guarantor's Defense of Excussion: What the Supreme Court Requires
Explaining the benefit of excussion for guarantors under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Bitanga v. Pyramid Construction.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Upholding Corporate Stability When Courts Defer to Internal Disputes
How the Supreme Court resolved a family corporate dispute by deferring to amended pleadings, docket fee rules, and the limits of injunctions.
Authority TO Sell Written Power IS KEY To Valid Real Estate Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Estate of Lino Olaguer clarifies when a written power of attorney is required for valid real estate sales.
Land Registration in the Philippines: Why Possession Since June 12, 1945 Matters
The Supreme Court denied a land registration application because possession began after June 12, 1945, and before the land was declared alienable and disposable.
Breach of Public Trust, Misappropriation of Funds, and the Duty of Accountable Public Servants
The Supreme Court affirms that misappropriating funds received in trust constitutes estafa, emphasizing the fiduciary duty of accountable public servants.
Breach of Trust Establishing Estafa Through Misappropriated Loan Proceeds
When does failure to turn over loan proceeds become estafa? The Supreme Court explains misappropriation under Article 315.
Supreme Court Dismisses Judge for Extramarital Affair, Suspends Him From Law Practice
The Supreme Court dismissed a judge for gross immorality over an extramarital affair and suspended him from law practice for three years.
Behest Loans and the Ombudsman’s Discretion: Balancing Justice and Due Process in Government Transactions
The Supreme Court upholds the Ombudsman’s dismissal of behest loan charges, reinforcing the principle of non-interference in prosecutorial discretion.
Simulated Business Closure Employer Liability FOR Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a simulated business closure constitutes illegal dismissal and employer liability.
Upholding Due Process for Workers: When Business Closure Is a Subterfuge
Business closures must be bona fide. The Supreme Court explains when a simulated shutdown becomes illegal dismissal.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: The Legal Threshold for Carnal Knowledge and Victim Credibility
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, clarifying that slight penetration of the labia suffices for carnal knowledge and that a credible victim's testimony alone can convict.
Equitable Reduction of Interest: Protecting Borrowers from Unconscionable Loan Terms
The Supreme Court affirms courts' power to reduce unconscionable interest and penalty rates, protecting borrowers from excessive loan charges.
Ejectment and Urban Land Reform: Balancing Security of Tenure with Property Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when urban land reform protections can stop an ejectment case, and when they cannot.
Finality of Judgments: Understanding Motions for Reconsideration in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a second motion for reconsideration may be allowed, emphasizing finality of judgments and notice to counsel rules.
Exterior vs Interior Contract Interpretation and Obligations in Philippine Law
Supreme Court rules on contract interpretation: plain meaning controls unless ambiguity exists, and obscurity cannot favor the drafting party.
Venue Rules in Personal Actions: Why the Principal Plaintiff's Residence Matters
Supreme Court clarifies venue rules for personal actions, emphasizing the principal plaintiff's residence determines proper venue, not nominal co-plaintiffs.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Moral Ascendancy as Intimidation in Familial Settings
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction of a cousin, ruling that moral ascendancy in familial settings constitutes intimidation, and clarifies penetration standards.