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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Appeal Bond in Labor Cases: Why Missing the Deadline Is Fatal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why an employer's failure to post an appeal bond within 10 days makes a Labor Arbiter's decision final and executory.
Reconstitution of Cadastral Records: Publication Requirement for Court Jurisdiction
Learn when publication in the Official Gazette is required to reconstitute cadastral records under Act 3110, and how the Supreme Court resolved this property law dispute.
Ejectment Actions Lease Contract Prerequisite For Unlawful Detainer
Learn the lease contract requirement for unlawful detainer suits and why proving the lessor-lessee relationship is crucial in Philippine ejectment cases.
Labor-Only Contracting and Illegal Dismissal: When a Principal Becomes the Employer
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a company becomes the true employer of workers supplied by a contractor, and the consequences of illegal dismissal.
Employee Theft and Just Cause for Termination Under Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court rules on when employee theft against a co-worker justifies dismissal as a cause analogous to serious misconduct.
When Lawyers Cite Cases That Do Not Exist: G.R. No. 276106 and the Duty of Candor
The Supreme Court denied a labor petition and ordered an investigation of counsel who cited eighteen decisions that were nonexistent, misquoted, or ruled against his client.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: Proving Facebook Post Authorship and Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies how to prove Facebook post authorship in VAWC cases and applies higher cybercrime penalties for online psychological abuse.
Estranged Spouse Not Entitled to SSS Death Benefits: The Dependency Rule
An estranged wife who left her husband and remarried abroad is not a "dependent spouse" under the SSS law, so she cannot claim his death benefits.
Wage Order Enforcement: Prescription Rules for Money Claims vs Final Judgments
Learn the difference between the 3-year prescription for money claims and the 5-year period to enforce final judgments in Philippine labor law.
Writ OF Possession Ministerial Duty Despite Pending Nullity Suit
Breach of Trust: Defining Grave Abuse of Confidence in Qualified Theft Cases
SC clarifies that bank employees holding deposited funds act with grave abuse of confidence, making them liable for qualified theft.
Tenant Rights VS Family Ties Establishing Valid Tenancy IN Agricultural Land Disputes
Lis Pendens and Due Process: Protecting Registered Owners in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a notice of lis pendens may be annotated, balancing a claimant's interest against a registered owner's right to due process.
Employee Dismissal: When Courts Can Look Beyond the Termination Notice
Philippine Supreme Court rules on whether courts may consider grounds beyond those stated in an employee's termination notice in illegal dismissal cases.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Circumstantial Evidence and Conviction: Rape with Homicide Requires Moral Certainty
When can circumstantial evidence convict someone of rape with homicide? The Supreme Court explains the moral certainty standard.
Constructive Dismissal VS Valid Grounds Employees Obligations AND Commission Disputes
Guarantor's Defense of Excussion: What the Supreme Court Requires
Explaining the benefit of excussion for guarantors under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Bitanga v. Pyramid Construction.
BP 22 Cases Not Suspended by Corporate Rehabilitation: Tiong Rosario v. Co
Corporate rehabilitation suspends claims against a company, but not criminal prosecution of officers for bouncing checks under BP 22.
Breach of Public Trust, Misappropriation of Funds, and the Duty of Accountable Public Servants
The Supreme Court affirms that misappropriating funds received in trust constitutes estafa, emphasizing the fiduciary duty of accountable public servants.
Authority TO Sell Written Power IS KEY To Valid Real Estate Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Estate of Lino Olaguer clarifies when a written power of attorney is required for valid real estate sales.
Breach of Trust Establishing Estafa Through Misappropriated Loan Proceeds
When does failure to turn over loan proceeds become estafa? The Supreme Court explains misappropriation under Article 315.
Good Faith and Land Titles: How Innocent Purchasers Are Protected Under Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine law protects innocent purchasers of land, the role of good faith in property transactions, and key legal safeguards.