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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Sufficiency of Information Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Imprecise Dates
Supreme Court affirms statutory rape conviction, ruling that an Information need not state the exact date of the offense.
Protecting Public Funds Supreme Court Voids Illegal Government Contracts AND Compromises
Learn how the Supreme Court protects public funds by voiding illegal government contracts and compromises, safeguarding taxpayer money.
Court Clerk Dismissed for Certifying Spurious Decision: Gross Neglect of Duty
Philippine Supreme Court holds court clerk liable for gross neglect after certifying a fake decision without verifying records, resulting in dismissal.
Speedy Trial Rights Balancing Justice AND Practicality IN Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies that the right to speedy trial is relative and flexible, not a rigid counting of days.
Breach of Public Trust: Dismissal for Gross Neglect in Certifying Spurious Court Document
Clerk of court dismissed for gross neglect after certifying a spurious 1974 decision without verifying records, underscoring public trust in the judiciary.
Perfecting Appeals: The Jurisdictional Requirement in Estate Proceedings
Why filing both a notice of appeal and record on appeal is jurisdictional in estate cases, and what happens when a party fails to perfect an appeal.
Rule 108 Limits: When Civil Registry Corrections Need Full Legal Action
Supreme Court clarifies when civil registry corrections exceed Rule 108 and require a full legal action to protect property rights.
Protecting Minority Shareholders When CAN A Derivative Suit BE Dismissed
Learn when Philippine courts may dismiss a derivative suit, the strict rules on service of summons, and how jurisdiction protects minority shareholders.
Navigating Drug Possession Laws: Evidence and Credibility in Shabu Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on drug possession explains why minor witness inconsistencies and the defense of frame-up often fail against credible police testimony.
Protecting Public Funds Supreme Court Invalidates Compromise Agreement Involving Government Assets
Supreme Court voids PNCC-Radstock compromise that would have transferred P6.185 billion in public assets to a private foreign firm.
Seafarers Disability: When Permanent Unfitness Means Full CBA Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a seafarer's disability is permanent and total, entitling full CBA compensation despite partial impediment grade.
Protecting Childhood Statutory Rape AND THE Presumption OF Incapacity IN THE Philippines
Prescription in Annulment Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
Philippine law on prescription periods for annulment of marriage explained, including when the prescriptive period begins and key rules.
Drug Testing in the Workplace: Ensuring Procedural Rigor and Employee Rights
The Supreme Court ruled that employers must ensure drug tests are properly administered, or face liability for illegal dismissal.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies and the Finality of COA Decisions
Court personnel who certify documents without verifying records face dismissal for gross neglect of duty, as this ruling shows.
Enforced Disappearance and Government Accountability: The Writ of Amparo Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies the writ of amparo as a protective remedy against enforced disappearance, distinguishing responsibility from accountability.
Untangling Rescission: Prescription Periods in Philippine Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the four-year prescriptive period for rescission of a sale starts, using the Quirong v. DBP case.
Right to Travel vs Public Interest: Examining the Scope of the Writ of Amparo
The Supreme Court explains why the writ of amparo cannot question travel restrictions such as hold departure orders issued in pending criminal cases.
Contempt of the COMELEC: Scope of Power and Due Process in Election Investigations
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's power to initiate contempt proceedings motu proprio during fact-finding investigations, clarifying due process requirements.
Presidential Warranty vs Constitutional Limits: Timber License Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that timber licenses and presidential warranties are not contracts protected by the non-impairment clause, upholding constitutional limits on natural resource exploitation.
COMELEC Contempt Power Upholds Investigative Authority for Fair Elections
Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's power to punish contempt during fact-finding investigations, reinforcing its constitutional mandate to ensure honest elections.
Contempt of the COMELEC: The Scope of Its Quasi-Judicial Power Explained
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's power to cite for contempt even when acting through fact-finding task forces, clarifying the scope of its quasi-judicial authority.
Presidential Warranties vs. State Sovereignty: The PICOP Timber License Case
The Supreme Court ruled presidential warranties on timber licenses are not contracts, and state sovereignty over natural resources prevails.
Reinstatement vs Restructuring: Employee Rights in Corporate Changes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee rights when corporate restructuring invalidates termination—reinstatement, backwages, and separation pay explained.