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.
Amending Lease Contracts: Upholding Written Agreements and Preventing Unjust Enrichment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease amendments, judicial admissions, and why unjust enrichment claims fail when a lessee violates the contract.
Real Party in Interest: Who Can Sue in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies the real party in interest rule in G.R. No. 205179, explaining who may properly bring suit.
Vehicle Accidents and Utility Posts: Liability Under Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts determine liability when a vehicle damages utility infrastructure, including negligence, vicarious liability, and damages.
Seafarer Disability Claims: The Role of Company-Designated Physicians and POEA-SEC Rules
Understand the Tagle v. Anglo-Eastern ruling on seafarer disability claims, company-designated physicians, and POEA-SEC grading rules.
Forged Signatures and Void Sales: Protecting Conjugal Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court nullified a sale based on forged signatures, protecting conjugal property and heirs' rights under Philippine law.
Task Basis vs Regular Employment: Clarifying Holiday, SIL, and 13th Month Pay Rights
Supreme Court clarifies that task-basis workers are not automatically barred from holiday, SIL, and 13th month pay.
Speedy Trial and Provisional Dismissal: Key Rules from Co v. New Prosperity Plastic Products
The Supreme Court clarifies when provisional dismissal becomes permanent and how the one-year revival period is counted.
Due Process in Termination: Employer's Duty to Ensure Fair Hearing and the Scope of Nominal Damages
Supreme Court clarifies employers' duty to observe procedural due process in dismissals and the proper basis for awarding nominal damages.
Default Judgments and Due Process: Proving Ownership Claims in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that default judgments still require proof of claims, and bare allegations cannot establish ownership of property.
Partition Rights CO Ownership VS Prior Judgment IN Philippine Property LAW
Supreme Court clarifies that a default judgment cannot substitute for proof of co-ownership, and a tax declaration alone does not establish title.
Termination Due to Illness in the Philippines: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection
The Supreme Court clarifies when employers may validly terminate employees due to disease, and the procedural due process required under Philippine labor law.
Writ of Possession and Third-Party Rights in Extrajudicial Foreclosure Sales
When can a writ of possession be issued despite a third party's possession of foreclosed property? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule.
Strict Compliance: The Mandatory Nature of VAT Refund Periods Under the NIRC
The Supreme Court rules that the 120+30 day periods for VAT refund claims are mandatory and jurisdictional, dismissing a belated judicial claim.
Duress in Mortgage Contracts: Reasonable Fear and Legal Claims Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when fear or duress voids a mortgage, and why threatening a legal claim does not vitiate consent.
Reinstatement vs Return to Work: Clarifying Employment Rights After a Transfer
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that reinstatement only applies to illegal dismissal, while a valid transfer requires a return to work order.
Bidding Rules and Government's Right to Reject: Protecting Public Interest in Privatization
Supreme Court affirms government's right to reject bids in privatization auctions, protecting public interest over bidder expectations.
Treachery Defined: The Element of Surprise in Murder Cases
The Supreme Court explains how sudden, unexpected attacks constitute treachery, qualifying killings as murder under Philippine law.
Contractual Breach Understanding Rescission Rights IN Mining Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a mining operating agreement may be validly rescinded for breach under Article 1191 of the Civil Code.
Counterclaims Survive Independent Adjudication After Complaint Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies that dismissing a complaint does not automatically kill the defendant's counterclaim, which may proceed independently.
Local Government Representation Legal Officers Exclusive Authority
Supreme Court clarifies that local government units must be represented by their legal officers, not the OSG, in court cases.
Defense of Insanity Requires Clear and Convincing Evidence in Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the strict evidentiary standard for the insanity defense, requiring proof of complete deprivation of intelligence at the time of the crime.
Exclusive Ownership vs Successional Rights: Clarifying Property Claims in Inheritance Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when heirs acquire rights to property and how titles describe ownership in inheritance disputes.
Mootness Doctrine: When Supervening Events Make Court Cases Academic
Learn how the mootness doctrine works in Philippine civil procedure, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Republic v. Manalo.
Seafarers' Rights: Implied Contract Extension and Disability Benefits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on implied contract extension for seafarers and entitlement to permanent total disability benefits under POEA-SEC.