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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Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Corporation Cannot Escape Its Loan Obligations
The Supreme Court explains when courts may disregard corporate fiction to hold a corporation liable for loans received by its affiliates and alter egos.
Leasehold Improvements: Understanding Reimbursement Rights and Obligations in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts handle leasehold improvement reimbursement rights, obligations, and settlement through compromise agreements.
Compromise Agreements in Philippine Courts: When Parties Settle, the Court Approves
Explaining the Supreme Court's approval of a compromise agreement in Spouses Tankiang v. Alaraz, and what it means for settling litigation in the Philippines.
Laches and Diligence: The Duty to Prosecute Appeals in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on dismissing appeals for failure to file briefs, and the duty of counsel to prosecute appeals diligently.
Indispensable Parties in Philippine Litigation: Ensuring Complete Justice
Learn how the indispensable party rule ensures complete justice in Philippine litigation, and why courts require all necessary parties to be joined.
Court Jurisdiction in Property Disputes: Agrarian Reform vs Civil Action
Supreme Court clarifies when property disputes fall under regular courts rather than DARAB, using jurisdictional rules.
Boundary Disputes and Local Autonomy: Clarifying Jurisdiction in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies which body settles boundary disputes between LGUs in Metro Manila, and when courts may intervene.
Homeowners Association Disputes: HLURB Jurisdiction and Mandatory Arbitration
When do homeowners association disputes go to HLURB instead of courts? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction and arbitration rules.
Partition Disputes: The Mandatory Role of Commissioners in Property Division
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts must appoint commissioners to divide property in partition disputes, and the limits of the parol evidence rule.
Protecting Children: Defining and Punishing Child Abuse Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when sexual abuse of a minor falls under RA 7610 and how courts determine the true nature of the crime charged.
Accountability for False Promises: Illegal Recruitment and Estafa in Philippine Law
Explaining when false promises of overseas employment lead to both illegal recruitment and estafa, and how Philippine courts penalize each offense.
When Courts Can Take Judicial Notice of Industry Practice in Labor Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies judicial notice limits, independent contractor tests, and abandonment rules in South Davao Development Co. v. Gamo.
Navigating Mining Disputes When DO Courts NOT Mining Agencies Decide
The Supreme Court clarifies when regular courts, not the Panel of Arbitrators, have jurisdiction over mining-related contract disputes under the Philippine Mining Act.
Assignee's Rights Determine Court Jurisdiction in Construction Contract Disputes
Supreme Court rules that an assignee's claim over retention money is not a construction dispute, so regular courts, not CIAC, have jurisdiction.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: Applying Current Land Valuation Standards
Explains how Philippine courts determine just compensation for agrarian reform lands, using current DAR valuation formulas rather than outdated standards.
Resolving Jurisdictional Conflicts Concurrent Jurisdiction VS Forum Shopping IN Intra Corporate Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts handle overlapping jurisdiction and forum shopping in intra-corporate disputes, based on a 2009 Supreme Court ruling.
When Courts Can Relax Filing Deadlines: Hierarchy of Courts and Final Judgments
The Supreme Court clarifies when direct recourse to it is allowed, and why final judgments cannot be set aside by belated claims of indigenous status.
Voice Identification in Rape Cases: Ensuring Justice Through Reliable Testimony
How Philippine courts accept voice identification in rape cases, and why a victim's long familiarity with the accused makes it credible.
Marital Discord and Deadly Conspiracy: Establishing Parricide Through Circumstantial Evidence
Explore how Philippine courts convict parricide when a spouse conspires with a lover to kill, relying on circumstantial evidence.
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.
Tolerance in Unlawful Detainer: When Permission Becomes a Possession Dispute
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when tolerated possession becomes unlawful detainer and how courts resolve ownership questions in ejectment cases.
The Expert Witness Imperative: Proving Medical Negligence in the Philippines
Philippine courts require expert medical testimony to prove negligence in most malpractice cases. Learn the rules and practical steps.
Lost Appeals When Negligence Bars Justice in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court affirms dismissal of an appeal for failure to file brief on time, stressing that the right to appeal is a mere statutory privilege.