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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Mortgage Priority Good Faith Trumps Subsequent Attachment In Property Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on mortgage priority, good faith, and why unregistered attachments don't defeat prior real estate mortgages.
Contractual Obligations and Attorneys Fees: Liability in Lease Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when attorneys fees are recoverable in lease disputes and how courts determine contractual liability.
When Public Use Fails: Reclaiming Expropriated Land in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when former owners can reclaim expropriated property after the public purpose is abandoned.
Breach of Contract: When Is a Hotel Liable for Wedding Reception Mishaps
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when hotels face liability for wedding reception mishaps under Philippine contract law.
Finality of Judgment in Illegal Dismissal Cases: Solidary Liability and Employer-Employee Relationship
Explore the Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgment, solidary liability, and employer-employee relationships in illegal dismissal cases.
Currency Exchange Rates in Philippine Contracts: Avoiding Disputes and Ensuring Fair Payment
How Philippine courts determine the applicable exchange rate when contracts lack clear currency terms, and lessons from a Supreme Court ruling.
Lease Rescission Rights and Structural Defects: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lessee may rescind a lease for structural defects and when damages may be awarded.
Client Responsibility Prevails: The Binding Effect of Counsel's Negligence in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a client is bound by counsel's negligence, and the duty to monitor one's case.
When Is a Nurse's Negligence Serious Misconduct? The Medical Center Manila Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a nurse's lapse amounts to gross negligence justifying dismissal, and when suspension is the proper penalty.
Judicial Ethics: Why Judges Must Avoid Even the Appearance of Impropriety
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge soliciting donations from lawyers and prosecutors, and the duty to avoid impropriety.
Navigating Drug Sale Convictions: Evidence and Inconsistencies in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on drug sale convictions underscores the critical role of chain of custody evidence in Philippine criminal cases.
When Delaying Tactics Backfire: The Right to Present Defense Evidence in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts must allow accused persons to present defense evidence, even after prosecution rests.
Regular Employment vs Apprenticeship: Protecting Workers' Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when apprenticeship agreements cannot defeat regular employment status and workers' rights.
When Self-Defense Fails: Superior Strength in Philippine Murder Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains when self-defense fails and how abuse of superior strength qualifies a killing as murder in the Philippines.
Navigating Drug Cases: Entrapment, Possession, and Chain of Custody Explained
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish entrapment from instigation and why chain of custody matters in drug cases, based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling.
Accountability of Court Personnel Handling Judiciary Funds and Fiduciary Duties
Supreme Court ruling on clerks of court and cash clerks liable for shortages in judiciary funds, and the consequences of negligence and dishonesty.
Just Compensation in Eminent Domain: Valuing Property at the Time of Taking
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how just compensation in expropriation is determined by the property's value and character at the time of taking.
Excise Tax Refunds: Who Can Claim for Petroleum Products Sold to International Carriers
Learn who may claim excise tax refunds on petroleum products sold to international carriers under Philippine law, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Intra-Corporate vs Illegal Dismissal: Where to File Your Case
Learn when a dismissal case is intra-corporate or a labor dispute, and which forum has jurisdiction, based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling.
Judicial Ethics and Public Trust: When Government Cannot Hide Behind State Immunity
Supreme Court ruling on state immunity, quantum meruit, and why government contractors deserve payment for completed public works.
Limits of Executive Judge Authority: Avoiding Gross Ignorance of the Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judges who acted on cases outside their jurisdiction, and the limits of executive judge authority.
Breach of Trust: Dismissal for Dishonesty and Grave Misconduct in Philippine Courts
A clerk of court's falsified receipts and unreported collections led to dismissal for dishonesty and grave misconduct in this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Grave Misconduct in the Philippine Judiciary: What Court Employees Should Know
A Supreme Court ruling explains why court employees face dismissal for grave misconduct, even if criminal charges are dismissed.
Negligence and Misconduct of Court Personnel: Lessons from a Clerk of Court and Sheriff Case
A Supreme Court ruling shows how negligence by clerks of court and grave misconduct by sheriffs can derail justice and bring severe penalties.