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.
Judicial Accountability: Upholding Integrity and Efficiency in the Philippine Judiciary
The Supreme Court suspends a judge for gross misconduct, undue delay, and falsified certificates of service, reaffirming judicial accountability standards.
Optional Retirement and Illegal Dismissal: The Ondevilla Case on Security of Tenure
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's early retirement is voluntary, and the rights of illegally dismissed employees who reach compulsory retirement age.
When Do Labor Tribunals Have Jurisdiction Over Employer Claims? Esico v. Alphaland
The Supreme Court clarifies when labor tribunals, not regular courts, hear employer claims for damages arising from an employee's resignation.
Online Posts as VAWC Abuse: When Social Media Use Raises the Penalty
The Supreme Court clarifies how Facebook posts can prove psychological abuse under RA 9262 and why ICT use raises penalties.
Missed Your Appeal Deadline Philippine Supreme Court ON Finality OF Judgments 2
Learn how the Supreme Court protected a litigant's right to document production in Santos v. PNB, clarifying trial court discretion and NBI examination requirements.
Unveiling Forgery: Securing Document Examination in Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts handle forgery claims, document production, and NBI examination under Rule 27, based on a 2002 Supreme Court ruling.
Forgery Claims and Document Production: The Right to Examine Evidence in Court
When can a court deny a motion to examine documents for forgery? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of judicial discretion.
Proving Simulation of Property Sales: The Burden on Those Who Impugn a Deed
The Supreme Court clarifies when a notarized deed of sale may be declared simulated and who bears the burden of proof.
Corporate Authority vs Surety: When Board Resolutions and Personal Guarantees Collide
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on corporate authority, board resolutions, and surety liability in a discounting transaction.
Challenging Contract Validity: Proving Simulation in Property Sales Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proving simulated contracts in property sales, emphasizing that mere family relations do not prove simulation.
Judicial Accountability: Fines for Sheriffs Who Skip Raffle in Foreclosure Cases
Supreme Court fines sheriffs P1,000 each for failing to raffle an extrajudicial foreclosure petition, underscoring strict compliance with court procedure.
Cultivation Counts Upholding Land Rights in Agrarian Disputes
The Supreme Court ruled that personal cultivation is essential to establish agricultural leasehold rights, affirming that mere possession or documents do not suffice.
Protecting Children Statutory Rape AND THE Limits OF Parental Authority IN THE Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that parental authority does not allow a father to commit statutory rape against his own child.
Premature Proclamation and Due Process in Election Contests: Abinal v. COMELEC
The Supreme Court clarifies when COMELEC may order a proclamation while a pre-proclamation appeal is pending, and the limits of due process claims.
Homicide or Murder: Proving Intent and the Weight of Dying Declarations
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how dying declarations identify an assailant.
Homicide vs Murder: The Fine Line in Criminal Intent Under Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a killing is homicide, not murder, by examining treachery and evident premeditation.
Treachery and Self-Defense: Defining the Boundaries of Criminal Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when treachery qualifies killing as murder and when self-defense fails, in People v. Enfectana.
Succession to Tenancy Rights: Surviving Spouse Takes Priority Under Agrarian Reform
When a tenant dies, who inherits the tenancy? The Supreme Court clarifies the order of preference under Section 9 of RA 3844.
Lawyer Suspended for Misappropriating Client Funds in Fake PNB Fixer Scheme
A Supreme Court ruling suspends a lawyer for six months for misappropriating P60,000 from a client through false claims of bank connections.
Self-Defense, Conspiracy, and Murder: Lessons from People v. Enfectana
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails, how conspiracy is proven, and what makes a killing treacherous murder.
The Testimony of the Victim and the Crime of Rape: Assessing Credibility and Impact on Conviction
A look at how the Supreme Court weighs a rape victim's testimony against alibi and denial, affirming conviction based on credibility.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim Testimony and Use of Force in Philippine Rape Cases
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining why a victim's testimony can stand even without physical injuries or fresh lacerations.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Why Victim Testimony Carries Decisive Weight
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, underscoring that a victim's credible, positive testimony outweighs alibi and improbable claims.
Succession to Tenancy Rights: Surviving Spouse's Priority Under Agrarian Reform
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a tenant's surviving spouse has priority to succeed to tenancy rights when the landowner fails to choose a successor within one month.