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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Certiorari Limits: When Factual Errors Do Not Justify Supreme Court Intervention
The Supreme Court clarifies that Rule 45 certiorari cannot correct mere factual errors, only grave abuse of discretion.
Timeliness Matters: Questioning Labor Execution Orders Beyond the Deadline
A Supreme Court ruling on why workers who questioned a labor execution writ beyond the 10-day period lost their claim.
Eminent Domain by LGUs: Why an Ordinance Is Required, Not Just a Resolution
Philippine Supreme Court rules a mere resolution cannot authorize a local government's expropriation; an ordinance is required under the Local Government Code.
Equitable Mortgage vs Pacto de Retro: Protecting Borrowers' Rights
When is a sale with right to repurchase actually an equitable mortgage? The Supreme Court explains the legal presumption protecting borrowers.
Torrens Title vs. Laches: When Delay Bars a Quieting of Title Claim
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether laches can bar a quieting of title action over registered land, and the limits of Torrens title protection.
Intestate Succession and Laches: Protecting Heirs' Rights to Family Property
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on heirs' rights to inherited property, extrajudicial settlement validity, and when laches cannot bar succession claims.
Sheriffs Overreach Limits To Public Service And Ethical Conduct In The Philippine Judiciary
A sheriff who prepares demand letters for private parties exceeds his authority and commits misconduct, says the Supreme Court.
Contempt of Court and Administrative Dismissals: Balancing Executive Action and Judicial Process
When can a government official be cited for contempt for implementing an administrative dismissal pending appeal? The Supreme Court explains the limits.
Dual Citizens' Right to Vote: Residency and Absentee Voting Reconciled
The Supreme Court ruled that dual citizens under RA 9225 may vote as absentee voters under RA 9189, reconciling constitutional residency with overseas voting.
Judicial Accountability: Good Faith Exception for Erroneous Judgments
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that judges cannot be disciplined for erroneous rulings made in good faith, absent fraud or malice.
Motion to Defer Arraignment Denied: Understanding Grave Abuse of Discretion in Philippine Courts
When can a judge's refusal to postpone arraignment amount to grave abuse of discretion? The Supreme Court explains the limits of judicial discretion.
Dismissal of Administrative Complaints: Insufficient Evidence and Judicial Remedies
Learn when administrative complaints against judges and court personnel fail for lack of evidence and why judicial remedies come first.
Forum Shopping and Mootness in Intra-Corporate Disputes: The Huibonhoa Case
The Supreme Court clarifies forum shopping tests and mootness doctrine in intra-corporate disputes, offering practical guidance for litigants and counsel.
Huibonhoa v. Concepcion: Forum Shopping and Moot Petitions in Philippine Litigation
The Supreme Court denied a petition as moot and academic but clarified the test for forum shopping in the 2006 case of Huibonhoa v. Concepcion.
Court System Dismissal Denials Forum Shopping and the Hierarchy of Courts
The Supreme Court explains when certiorari is proper, what forum shopping requires, and why litigants must respect judicial hierarchy.
Real Property Tax Sales: Ensuring Proper Notice to Delinquent Owners
The Supreme Court clarifies the notice requirements for tax delinquency sales under P.D. 464, emphasizing strict compliance with statutory notice rules.
Breach of Contract Upholding Rescission Rights in Land Sales
When a buyer defaults on a land sale agreement, the seller may validly rescind. The Supreme Court explains the limits of a buyer's right to demand execution of a contract.
Probable Cause in Search Warrants: Lessons from the Marlboro Counterfeit Case
When is a search warrant valid in IP cases? The Supreme Court clarifies probable cause standards in People v. Choi.
Estoppel Against the Philippine Government: When It Does Not Apply in Land Registration Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when the government cannot be estopped from challenging void land registration judgments, even after decades of delay.
Public vs Private Land in the Philippines: Lessons from a Laguna de Bay Registration Case
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when land near Laguna de Bay is public domain and what applicants must prove to register title.
Family Home Exemption: Claiming Protection Before the Execution Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when and how judgment debtors must claim the family home exemption from execution sale.
Challenging Land Titles: Understanding Extrinsic Fraud in Property Registration
The Supreme Court clarifies when fraud can void a land title—and why ordinary disputes over ownership are not enough.
Real Estate Foreclosure in the Philippines: Notice Requirements and Due Process
A look at Guanco v. Antolo and why strict notice and posting rules govern extrajudicial foreclosure sales in the Philippines.
Breach of Contract: Understanding Rescission in Real Estate Transactions
Learn how a defective foreclosure sale was voided by the Supreme Court and what it means for buyers and mortgagors.