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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Contracting OUT AND Unfair Labor Practice Protecting Workers Rights TO Self Organization
Construction Disputes THE Role OF Independent Experts IN Resolving Deductive Cost Disagreements
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer
Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting and when a principal becomes the true employer of contractual workers.
Certiorari and Summary Procedure: When Dismissal for Failure to Prosecute Is Too Harsh
A look at when Philippine courts may relax procedural rules on dismissal for failure to prosecute, based on a 2009 Supreme Court ruling.
Upholding Ethical Conduct: Disciplining Court Employees for Unprofessional Behavior
The Supreme Court reminds court employees that courtesy and self-restraint are duties of public service, disciplining two sheriffs for verbal abuse of a litigant.
Redundancy Programs Upholding Employer Rights IN Employee Dismissal
Supreme Court affirms employer's right to contract out work during business exigencies, clarifying limits of unfair labor practice claims.
Enforcing Final Judgments: Accounting for Unlawful Rental Collection After Foreclosure
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that final judgments may be executed even if the exact amount is unstated, allowing courts to conduct hearings for accounting.
Upholding Jurisdictional Limits THE Finality OF Reconstitution Proceedings AND Title Cancellations
Bouncing Checks AND Broken Promises When IS A Debt A Crime
Failure to Prosecute: When Dismissal Is Too Severe a Sanction
Explaining when courts may relax procedural rules on failure to prosecute, based on a 2009 Supreme Court ruling.
Upholding Contingent Attorneys Fees When ARE They Enforceable
When are contingent attorney's fees enforceable in Philippine labor cases? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules in Masmud v. NLRC.
Senate Authority vs Individual Rights: Defining Limits of Legislative Inquiries in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the scope of Senate inquiry powers in Dela Paz v. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, balancing legislative authority with individual rights.
Defining the Employer: Coca-Cola's Control Over Contracted Salesmen
When is a contractor a labor-only contractor? The Supreme Court clarifies employer liability and control over contracted salesmen.
Res Judicata and Forum Shopping: When Repeated Lawsuits Over the Same Land Dispute Are Barred
Philippine Supreme Court explains forum shopping rules and when dismissal for failure to prosecute is too severe a sanction.
When Courts Can Deny a Prosecutor's Motion to Withdraw Information
Learn when Philippine courts may deny a prosecutor's motion to withdraw a criminal information and why certiorari is barred in summary procedure cases.
Probationary Employment for Teachers: Rights, Limits, and the Manalo Ruling
Learn the rules on probationary employment for private school teachers, including tenure rights, dismissal standards, and the landmark Manalo case.
Land Registration Court Authority Overlapping Property Claims
When a court executes a final judgment, it cannot add reliefs—like possession—that the appellate court never awarded.
Perfected Sales Obligations Arise Upon Delivery Despite Documentation Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that delivery of goods perfects a sale, making payment due even if invoices and purchase orders are disputed.
Pawnshops VS Lending Investors Clarifying TAX Obligations IN THE Philippines
Sheriffs' Duty to Execute Writs Promptly: Lessons from Domingo v. Malana
A sheriff's delay in executing a writ of demolition is administrative misconduct. Learn the rules and accountability standards from this Philippine Supreme Court case.
Horse Racing Regulation: Philracom's Power to Ensure Fair and Safe Races
The Supreme Court upholds Philracom's authority to issue rules and directives for the horse racing industry, including measures to eradicate Equine Infectious Anemia.
Due Process in Electricity Disconnection: Why Law Enforcement Presence Matters
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on RA 7832: electricity disconnection for meter tampering requires law enforcement or ERB representative presence.
Sheriffs Must Execute Court Orders Promptly: Accountability in the Judiciary
A sheriff's delay in implementing a writ of demolition leads to suspension, underscoring the duty to execute court orders promptly and efficiently.
Deceptive Recruitment Liability FOR Illegal Recruitment AND Estafa
Learn how a fake overseas job scheme triggered both illegal recruitment and estafa charges, and the penalties imposed.