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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Writ of Possession After Foreclosure: When It Becomes a Ministerial Duty
Learn when a writ of possession after extrajudicial foreclosure becomes a ministerial duty of the court, and why pending cases do not stop it.
Judicial Independence vs Ethical Boundaries: The Meralco-GSIS Case
The Supreme Court's ruling on CA justices in the Meralco-GSIS case clarifies the ethical limits of judicial independence and propriety.
Circumstantial Evidence in Arson with Homicide: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
How Philippine courts use circumstantial evidence to convict in arson with homicide cases, explained through People v. Gil.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: Why Courts Defer to Agency Expertise
Philippine Supreme Court explains why courts dismiss cases filed before administrative appeals are exhausted, using Oporto v. NPC.
Navigating Corporate Disputes THE Interplay OF Contract Crime AND Corporate Sequestration
Peace vs. the Constitution: Delineating Executive Power in Ancestral Domain Agreements
The Supreme Court ruled the MOA-AD unconstitutional, limiting the executive's power to bind the state in peace agreements.
Breach of Trust: Attorney's Ethical Duty to Account for Client Funds
A disbarred lawyer's failure to return client funds leads to indirect contempt and a writ of execution, underscoring lawyers' duty to account.
Automatic Lease Cancellation: Non-Payment of Rent Triggers Termination
A Supreme Court ruling confirms that a lease clause allowing automatic cancellation for unpaid rent takes effect by itself, leaving the lessee without any right to damages.
When the Ombudsman Must Yield to School Superintendents in Teacher Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies overlapping jurisdiction over administrative cases against public school teachers, and when the Ombudsman may still act.
Grave Misconduct and Dismissal of Court Personnel: Acquittal in Criminal Case Does Not Bar Administrative Liab
The Supreme Court explains why a court aide's acquittal in a rape case did not prevent his dismissal for grave misconduct from judicial service.
Perfecting Appeals in Labor Cases: Strict Compliance With Appeal Bonds Required
Learn why posting an appeal bond is jurisdictional in labor cases, and how failure to do so makes a labor arbiter's decision final.
Unconscionable Interest Rates THE Supreme Courts Intervention IN Equitable Mortgages
Water District Directors' Per Diems Are Their Only Compensation
The Supreme Court ruled that water district directors may receive only per diems under PD 198, but those who acted in good faith need not refund disallowed benefits.
Regular Employment vs Fixed-Term Contracts: Security of Tenure for Electric Cooperative Linemen
When do fixed-term contracts mask regular employment? The Supreme Court clarifies security of tenure rules for linemen in Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative v. Cagampang.
Government Immunity VS Erroneous Cost Assessment Clarifying THE States Protection IN Legal Disputes
Due Process and Public Interest: When Technicalities Yield in Land Disputes
A disbarment case clarifies when a lawyer's honest errors in land reconstitution cases are not professional misconduct.
Accountability for Kidnapping: Conspiracy, Confessions, and Justice in People v. Muit
Supreme Court affirms convictions for kidnapping and carnapping, explaining conspiracy, interlocking confessions, and penalties.
Due Process and Fair Play: When a Lawyer's Oversight Is Not Malice
When can a lawyer be disciplined for lapses in court? The Supreme Court explains the line between honest error and misconduct.
Project Employee or Regular Employee? Court Rules on Repeated Rehiring and Termination Reports
Supreme Court clarifies when project employees become regular employees, emphasizing employer burden to prove project status and file termination reports.
Rape and the Sweetheart Defense: Consent and Force in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains why the "sweetheart defense" fails in rape cases and what force and consent truly mean under the law.
Court Stenographers' Duty of Diligence: Lessons from a One-Year Suspension
A Supreme Court ruling on a stenographer's suspension for inefficiency, loafing, and false logbook entries underscores accountability in the judiciary.
Ministerial Duty vs Discretion: When Clerks of Court Must Obey Orders
A clerk of court cannot refuse to issue a writ of execution based on personal doubts about a judge's order. The Supreme Court explains why.
Security of Person: The State's Duty to Protect Against Extralegal Killings and Enforced Disappearances
The Manalo ruling defines the constitutional right to security of person and the State's duty to protect citizens from enforced disappearances.
Strict Compliance in Election Protests: When a Technicality Can Decide the Victor
A flawed preliminary conference brief ended an election protest. Learn the strict rules and practical lessons from Cabrera v. COMELEC.