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.
Appeals From the NWRB: Clarifying Jurisdiction Between the RTC and Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies that appeals from National Water Resources Board decisions go to the Court of Appeals, not the RTC.
Upholding Court Integrity: Dismissal for Grave Misconduct in Record Tampering
A clerk of court who overcharged filing fees and issued fake receipts faces dismissal, forfeiture of benefits, and criminal prosecution.
Retrenchment Validity: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection in Downturns
The Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, the role of quitclaims, and the limits of procedural due process in labor dismissals.
Toll Fee Deductions and Due Process: Protecting Employee Wages and Rights in Dismissal Cases
Supreme Court rules on illegal wage deductions from commissions and clarifies the 30-day preventive suspension rule in labor cases.
Safeguarding Employee Rights: The Imperative of Due Process in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Genesis Transport clarifies preventive suspension limits, valid dismissal, and illegal wage deductions under the Labor Code.
Reinstatement After Suspension: The Process for Lawyers to Resume Practice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the procedure for lifting a lawyer's suspension, requiring a sworn statement of compliance before resuming practice.
Upholding DUE Process THE Automatic Lifting OF Sequestration Orders FOR Unimpleaded Entities
When Safekeeping Turns Into Gross Misconduct: A Judge's Duty of Propriety
A Philippine judge kept a litigant's antique pieces for four years. The Supreme Court called it gross misconduct, not mere impropriety, and suspended him.
When an Alien Executive Is a Regular Employee, Not a Corporate Officer: The WPP v. Galera Lesson
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between a corporate officer and a regular employee, and the consequences of working without an alien employment permit.
Standardized Salaries vs Employee Benefits: Clarifying COLA Integration for Philippine Government Workers
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when COLA and similar allowances are deemed integrated into standardized government salaries under R.A. 6758.
Abandonment in Employment: The Imperative of Intent and the Employer’s Duty to Notify
Explore the Supreme Court ruling on abandonment of work, focusing on the employee's intent and the employer's responsibility to issue notices.
Bail After Conviction: Discretion vs. Right in Philippine Law
Explaining Leviste v. CA: bail after conviction is discretionary, not automatic, even without bail-negating circumstances under Rule 114.
Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide: The Unbroken Chain of Guilt
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices to convict in rape with homicide, and the penalties and damages that follow.
The High Cost of Deceit: Dismissal for Court Employees in Bigamy and Corruption Case
A look at how the Supreme Court treats dismissal of court employees involved in bigamy and corruption, and the consequences.
Attorney Suspended Two Years for Misconduct and Disrespect to the Court
Supreme Court suspends lawyer for two years for violating the Lawyer's Oath, the Code of Professional Responsibility, and for disrespecting court processes.
Due Process in Union Expulsion: Protecting Workers From Unfair Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies that employers must observe procedural due process before dismissing workers under a union security clause.
Incestuous Rape: Moral Ascendancy as Intimidation in Familial Abuse
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a father's moral ascendancy substitutes for force or intimidation in incestuous rape, affirming a conviction.
Due Process in Election Protests: The Importance of Timely Evidence Presentation
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that due process in election protests means a reasonable opportunity to be heard—not unlimited time to present evidence.
Security of Tenure: Understanding Eligibility Requirements in Philippine Public Service
The Supreme Court clarifies that security of tenure in the Career Executive Service requires full CES eligibility, not just academic credentials.
Protecting Children: Upholding the Credibility of Child Victims in Parental Abuse Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a child victim's testimony is given full weight in incestuous rape cases, and why an intact hymen does not disprove rape.
Parental Authority vs Incest: Upholding Conviction in Qualified Rape Cases
Supreme Court affirms qualified rape conviction of father, ruling that a father's moral ascendancy substitutes for force and resistance in incestuous rape.
Default Orders and Due Process: Protecting Contractors' Rights in Construction Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on default orders, due process, and corporate officer liability in construction payment disputes.
Partnership Disputes: Proving a Partnership Without a Formal Agreement
When no written partnership contract exists, courts look to conduct and circumstances. This case shows how to prove or disprove an informal partnership.
Ombudsman Cannot Probe Supreme Court Justices for Judicial Acts
Court dismisses Ombudsman complaint against retired Justices, limits Ombudsman power over judicial acts.