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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Eyewitness Testimony in Rape with Homicide Cases: Credibility and the Weight of a Single Witness
How Philippine courts assess the credibility of a single eyewitness in rape with homicide cases, explained through a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.
Writ of Possession Is Ministerial Duty Despite Challenges to Mortgage Validity
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a pending case questioning mortgage validity does not stop a writ of possession after foreclosure and redemption lapse.
Agency and Authority: When a Deed Does Not Mean a Done Deal in Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of sale is void without proper agency authority under the Civil Code.
Decree of Registration Prevails Over Tax Declarations in Land Ownership Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on why a decree of registration outweighs tax declarations and receipts in land ownership disputes.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When Heart Disease Is Not Compensable Under POEA Contract
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability claims, work-connection requirement, and the mandatory 3-day post-employment medical examination under the POEA contract.
Self-Defense or Murder? The Limits of Justifiable Force in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and a killing becomes murder, explaining unlawful aggression, treachery, and reasonable force.
Limits of Authority: When a Verbal Agreement Doesn't Guarantee Land Sale
Supreme Court ruling on COSLAP jurisdiction, Torrens title, and why long occupation of government land does not create ownership rights.
Dividing Labor When Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff Form Unions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bargaining units when teaching and non-teaching personnel join one union.
Breach of Public Trust: Dual Roles, OIC Appointments, and Ethical Violations in UP Diliman
A look at the Supreme Court ruling on graft and ethical violations by UP officials who appointed a Chancellor to dual paid positions.
Rape and Consent: Why Love Does Not Justify Sexual Assault in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling affirms that being sweethearts is not a license for non-consensual sex, upholding rape convictions and clarifying the sweetheart defense.
Eyewitness Testimony and the Defense of Alibi: Assessing Credibility in Murder Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on how courts weigh eyewitness testimony against denial and alibi in murder prosecutions, with practical guidance.
Duty of Candor: When Exercising a Right Becomes an Abuse of Right
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on abuse of rights under Article 19, Civil Code, and liability for damages in water disconnection case.
Dishonesty in Public Service: Resignation Does Not Preclude Administrative Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: resigning from government service does not erase administrative liability for gross dishonesty committed while in office.
Self-Defense Claims and the Degree of Injury: When Assault Becomes Attempted Murder
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies self-defense burdens, treachery, and why a non-fatal wound means attempted, not frustrated, murder.
Quantum Meruit and Attorneys Fees in the Philippines: Filing Claims After Case Finality
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recovering attorney's fees via quantum meruit after a case becomes final, with timing rules.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Why Following POEA-SEC Dispute Procedures Matters
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why seafarers must follow the POEA-SEC third-doctor procedure in disability claims.
Probationary Employment: Employers Must Communicate Standards for Regularization
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on probationary employment: employers must inform workers of regularization standards at hiring or risk illegal dismissal liability.
When a Deceased Defendant Is Named in a Collection Case: Jurisdiction and Solidary Liability Rules
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies what happens when a defendant dies before a collection suit is filed, and how solidary obligations affect the case.
When Company Benefits AND Legal Title Collide Establishing Ownership Through Resulting Trusts
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that paying for an asset registered in another's name creates a resulting trust, even in employee benefits.
Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: When Absence Is Not Enough to Fire an Employee
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when employee absence is not abandonment, and what employers must prove to justify dismissal.
When DARAB Lacks Jurisdiction: Res Judicata and Limits on Agrarian Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that not every sale of agricultural land falls under DARAB jurisdiction, preventing endless litigation.
Accountability in Homicide: Liability Beyond the Mortal Blow
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a co-assailant in a fatal mauling can be convicted of homicide even without delivering the fatal blow.
Overseas Dreams, Local Schemes: Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale and Economic Sabotage
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on large-scale illegal recruitment, syndicate liability, and penalties for overseas employment fraud.
Stock Certificate Delivery: A Prerequisite for Valid Stock Transfer in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why physical delivery of stock certificates is essential to transfer ownership and what it means for buyers and sellers.