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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Binding Counsel When Attorney Negligence Impacts A Clients Appeal IN Philippine LAW
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a client is bound by counsel's negligence in failing to file an appeal brief, and limits of certiorari.
Estate Administration: The Administrator's Right to Examine Documents for Estate Properties
A Supreme Court ruling on an estate administrator's power to compel production of documents believed to reveal properties belonging to the decedent's estate.
Liquidation vs Length of Service: Defining Retirement Benefits in Philippine Banking
Supreme Court ruling on whether bank liquidation periods count in computing retirement benefits for Philippine bank employees.
Probable Cause and Estafa: When Failed Corporate Investments Stay Civil, Not Criminal
Supreme Court ruling on when failed corporate investments amount to estafa, and why probable cause findings by prosecutors are rarely disturbed.
Shifting Legal Theories in Employer-Employee Disputes: Lessons from Duty Free Philippines v. Tria
Supreme Court ruling on when employers can change legal theories in illegal dismissal cases and the burden of proof for just cause.
Tenant Estoppel and Tacita Reconduccion in Unlawful Detainer: Samelo v. Manotok Services
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tenant estoppel, implied lease renewal, and interest in unlawful detainer cases.
Admissions in Pleadings: How Statements in Answers Can Determine Court Judgments
A Supreme Court ruling explains how admissions in answers can justify summary judgment and shape the final amount awarded.
Failure to Account for Trust Property as Evidence of Estafa
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how failure to return property held in trust can prove estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.
Expropriation for Socialized Housing: Balancing Public Need and Private Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on City of Manila's failed expropriation for socialized housing, highlighting strict rules on eminent domain.
Upholding Public Trust: Dishonesty Leads to Dismissal Despite Mitigating Factors
Supreme Court ruling shows falsifying a Daily Time Record is grave dishonesty warranting forfeiture of retirement benefits, even after resignation.
Falsification of Official Documents: Upholding Integrity in Public Service
Supreme Court ruling on sheriff's DTR falsification underscores that public office is a public trust and dishonesty merits severe penalties.
Finality of Judgments and Why Proper Appeals Matter in Philippine Law
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on bid price inadequacy, deficiency recovery, and why timely appeals protect final judgments.
When a Lease Isn't a Lease: Clarifying Rights in Market Stall Agreements
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the distinction between leasehold rights and ownership of improvements in market stall transactions under Philippine law.
Court Employee Reprimanded for Disrespectful Conduct Toward a Judge
A Supreme Court ruling reminds court personnel that discourtesy toward judges violates the Code of Conduct and diminishes public trust.
Navigating Land Disputes When Unproven Sales Fail Against Registered Titles
A Supreme Court ruling on why unproven deeds of sale cannot defeat registered land titles, and the limits of prescription in land disputes.
Navigating Overlapping Lawsuits: Forum Shopping and Litis Pendentia in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts penalize forum shopping and litis pendentia through the Supreme Court ruling in Yap v. Court of Appeals.
Sheriffs Duty Balancing Execution Of Writs With Due Diligence And Impartiality
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judges' duty to decide cases within 90 days, and the consequences of delay.
Foreshore Land and Private Ownership: Clarifying Property Rights in the Philippines
A 2012 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that foreshore land belongs to the State, not private owners, and explains why the petition failed.
When Banks and Depositors Share the Blame: PNB v. Spouses Cheah on Negligence
A rubber check, a premature release of funds, and a Supreme Court ruling that split the loss equally between a bank and its depositors.
Negligence Beyond Contract: Recovering Damages From Third Parties in Philippine Carriage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how passengers can recover damages from third-party tortfeasors in breach of carriage cases.
Drug Testing in the Workplace: Employer Rights vs Employee Rights and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on drug testing in the workplace, balancing employer rights, employee rights, and due process in dismissal cases.
Court Employees and Financial Obligations: Ethics Beyond the Courtroom
A Supreme Court ruling reminds court employees that personal debts and conduct reflect on the judiciary's integrity and honor.
Probationary Employment: Employers Must Inform Employees of Regularization Standards
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on probationary employment: employers must inform employees of regularization standards at the time of engagement.
Corporate Veil Piercing: Directors Held Liable for Fraudulent Misrepresentation in Syndicated Estafa
Supreme Court ruling on when corporate directors can be held criminally liable for estafa despite the separate juridical personality of corporations.