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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Retrenchment in the Philippines: Balancing Employer Prerogative and Employee Rights
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when retrenchment is valid, how waivers and quitclaims are tested, and what happens when the required DOLE notice is late.
Protecting Marital Assets When Corporate Debt Cannot Seize Family Property
Supreme Court ruling on when corporate debts cannot reach family property, and the proper remedy for third-party claims in labor execution.
Calculating Loss of Earning Capacity in Wrongful Death Claims: The Roberto Lopez Case
The Supreme Court in People v. Lopez clarifies the formula for computing loss of earning capacity in wrongful death cases.
Judicial Accountability When Archiving Cases Constitutes Gross Ignorance of the Law
A judge who archived criminal cases instead of forwarding them to the prosecutor was fined P30,000 for gross ignorance of the law.
When Archiving Criminal Cases Becomes Gross Ignorance of the Law: Ricablanca v. Barillo
A judge's duty to transmit preliminary investigation records to prosecutors, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Ricablanca v. Barillo.
Cityhood Laws and Equal Protection: The League of Cities Doctrine
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of 16 cityhood laws, ruling that Congress validly exempted certain municipalities from higher income requirements.
Direct Contempt of Court: Limits, Penalties, and Remedies Under Philippine Law
Learn the limits of direct contempt in Philippine courts, including penalties, due process rights, and remedies like certiorari.
Docket Fees and Jurisdiction: The David Lu Case on Actions Incapable of Pecuniary Estimation
Learn how the Supreme Court's David Lu ruling clarifies docket fees and jurisdiction for actions incapable of pecuniary estimation in Philippine courts.
Housing VS Agrarian Reform Prioritizing National Housing Projects Over Tenant Rights
Condominium Common Areas: When Utility Installations Inside a Unit Belong to the Corporation
Learn when electrical panels and utility installations inside a condominium unit are common areas under RA 4726 and the master deed.
When Words Are Not Libel: Understanding Defamation in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that insulting or offensive words are not automatically libel; defamation requires imputation of a crime, vice, or defect.
Understanding Novation in Philippine Contract Law: When Can Agreements Be Modified
Learn when a new contract can replace an old one under Philippine law, based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling on novation.
RES Judicata Preventing Relitigation OF Final Judgments IN Property Disputes
Reconstitution OF Land Titles Overcoming Insufficient Evidence AND Lost Documents
Redundancy Dismissal in the Philippines: When Is It Legal? The Culili v. ETPI Case
The Supreme Court explains when redundancy dismissal is valid, what employers must prove, and the cost of missing procedural due process.
The Fresh Period Rule: Reconciling Procedure and Justice in Appeals
The Supreme Court extends the Neypes fresh period rule to criminal appeals, ensuring uniform 15-day appeal periods and protecting the accused's right to appeal.
When Public Use Fails: Reclaiming Expropriated Land in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when former owners can reclaim expropriated property after the public purpose is abandoned.
Fresh Period Rule in Criminal Appeals: Understanding the Limits of Judicial Overreach
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Neypes fresh period rule applies to criminal appeals, ensuring uniform treatment for accused persons.
Forfeiture of Conversion Fees: Understanding Government Contracts and Bidding Rules in the Philippines
When can the government forfeit a bidder's payment? The Supreme Court explains bidding rules, forfeiture clauses, and government contract obligations.
Expiration OF Lease Agreements Upholding Ejectment Rights Despite Extended Occupancy
Contractual Obligations and Attorneys Fees: Liability in Lease Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when attorneys fees are recoverable in lease disputes and how courts determine contractual liability.
Mortgage Priority Good Faith Trumps Subsequent Attachment In Property Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on mortgage priority, good faith, and why unregistered attachments don't defeat prior real estate mortgages.
Bail Before Formal Charges: The Limits of Judicial Discretion
A judge's verbal grant of bail without written application, deposit, or release order constitutes a violation of Rule 114.
Foreclosure Sales in the Philippines: The Legal Weight of Notice and Publication
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the requirements for notice and publication in extrajudicial foreclosure sales under Act No. 3135.