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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Prima Facie Evidence in Disbarment Cases: Protecting Lawyers From Baseless Accusations
Learn how the Supreme Court protects lawyers from baseless disbarment complaints, requiring prima facie evidence before full investigation proceeds.
Psychological Incapacity in Philippine Annulment: Why Expert Evidence Is Crucial
Philippine Supreme Court explains why expert evidence is crucial in psychological incapacity annulment cases under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Default Doesn't Mean Victory: Why Plaintiffs Still Need Evidence in Philippine Courts
A default order doesn't guarantee a win. Philippine courts still require plaintiffs to prove their case by preponderance of evidence.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Clarifies Social Media Evidence and Penalties
Supreme Court affirms conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262, sets guidelines on proving social media authorship, and raises penalty for ICT use.
Unmasking Fraud in Property Deals: Supreme Court Clarifies Burden of Proof
The Supreme Court clarifies that fraud in property sales must be proven with clear evidence, not bare allegations.
Chain of Custody Is Key: How Mishandled Evidence Can Undermine Drug Cases in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling shows how poor court records management delays justice, and why drug cases demand stricter handling of evidence and dockets.
Unreliable Eyewitness Testimony: Rabanal v. People and Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court's ruling in Rabanal v. People shows how inconsistent eyewitness testimony and contradicting physical evidence can lead to acquittal.
Navigating Agrarian Disputes: DARAB Jurisdiction and Tenancy Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when DARAB has jurisdiction over agrarian disputes and what evidence proves tenancy and ownership rights.
Retrenchment Requisites Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Employee Rights Against Unsubstantiated Loss Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies retrenchment requisites, ruling that employers must prove actual losses with evidence, not mere allegations.
Forcible Entry in the Philippines: Why Prior Physical Possession Evidence Wins Cases
Learn how Philippine courts decide forcible entry cases, why prior physical possession evidence matters, and key lessons from Buduhan v. Pakurao.
Seafarer Death Benefits: Proving Work-Related Causation in Philippine Law
When can a seafarer's family claim death benefits? The Supreme Court explains the evidence needed to prove work-related causation.
Transferee Recruitment Agency Liability and OFW Claims: The Grand Placement Case
Explaining when a transferee recruitment agency assumes liability for OFW claims, and why evidence still matters in monetary disputes.
Presumption of Regularity in Dismissing Administrative Charges Against Judges Without Substantial Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that administrative complaints against judges require substantial evidence, and the presumption of regularity applies when charges lack proof.
Preponderance of Evidence Key to Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery in the Philippines
How the Supreme Court ruled that preponderance of evidence, not proof beyond reasonable doubt, governs ill-gotten wealth cases.
Statutory Rape and Circumstantial Evidence: How Philippine Courts Weigh a Child's Testimony
In a 2026 ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed statutory rape convictions based largely on the child victim's testimony. Here is what the decision teaches.
Res Ipsa Loquitur: When Negligence Speaks for Itself in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains how the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur allows accident victims to prove negligence through circumstantial evidence.
Truth and Oath in Attorney Discipline: When Perjury Allegations Against Lawyers Fail
Explaining Asturias v. Serrano, where the Supreme Court dismissed disbarment complaints for lack of clear evidence of willful falsehood.
Oral Loan Agreements in the Philippines: When a Verbal Promise Is Legally Binding
Oral loan agreements can be enforceable in the Philippines. Learn the rules, evidence needed, and key Supreme Court ruling on verbal contracts.
Employee Dismissal Illegal Overseas Call Involvement AND DUE Process Rights
PLDT v. Tiamson: dismissal for illegal overseas call connection requires substantial evidence, not just unauthenticated affidavits and unsigned printouts.
Grave Abuse of Discretion in Demurrer to Evidence: When Can an Interlocutory Order Be Challenged
A Supreme Court ruling on when judges commit grave abuse of discretion in granting demurrers to evidence and how interlocutory orders may be challenged.
Tenancy Rights: How to Prove Agricultural Tenancy in Philippine Agrarian Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that a tenancy relationship cannot be presumed—all six elements must be proven by evidence.
Due Process in Criminal Prosecution: When the State May Present Additional Evidence
Explaining when courts may allow the prosecution to present additional evidence and how the State's right to due process balances against the accused's right to speedy trial.
Parol Evidence Rule Bars Verbal Conditions on Written Contracts: Allied Banking v. Cheng Yong
Supreme Court clarifies that clear written contracts cannot be varied by verbal stipulations, applying the parol evidence rule to loan and mortgage agreements.
Common Carriers, Fortuitous Events, and Evidence: Lessons from Lea Mer Industries
When a barge sank with insured cargo, the Supreme Court clarified when a common carrier can invoke a fortuitous event defense.