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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When a Single Act of Negligence Is Not Enough: Illegal Dismissal and Separation Pay
A Supreme Court ruling explains why one isolated act of negligence may not justify dismissal, and when separation pay is due.
Foreshore Land vs Private Property: Clarifying Ownership Rights in Coastal Areas
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on possession, prescription, and jurisdiction in disputes over untitled coastal and ancestral lands.
VAT Refund Denials Strict Compliance With Invoicing Rules Upheld
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on VAT refund claims, emphasizing strict compliance with invoicing and substantiation requirements.
Possession vs Ownership: When Land Status Determines Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how land classification as public domain affects possessory rights and estoppel claims.
Surety Bonds Solidary Liability Despite Contract Rescission
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety bonds: rescission of the principal contract does not automatically release the surety from liability.
Continuing Suretyship Scope and Enforceability in Loan Renewals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a continuing suretyship covers renewed credit facilities and subsequent loan availments.
Solidary Liability of Recruitment Agencies: Protecting Overseas Filipino Workers' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recruitment agencies' solidary liability with foreign principals for OFW claims, explained in plain language.
Corporate Merger vs Separate Entities: Protecting Creditor Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on invalid mergers, separate corporate personalities, and creditor rights in execution sales.
Change Orders Without Written Consent: Contractual Obligations in Construction Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on change orders, written consent, and contractual obligations in construction disputes under Article 1724.
Joint and Solidary Liability of Recruitment Agencies for OFW Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recruitment agencies' joint liability with foreign principals for overseas workers' money claims.
Navigating Appeals When Questions of Fact and Law Intertwine in Philippine Courts
Learn how Philippine courts handle appeals involving mixed questions of fact and law, based on a 2010 Supreme Court ruling.
Ensuring Corporate Authority in Legal Actions: The Importance of Board Resolutions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on ejectment jurisdiction, board resolutions, and why corporate authority matters in lawsuits.
Unlawful Detainer Jurisdiction: How Complaint Allegations Determine Ejectment Cases
Learn how complaint allegations, not defenses, determine jurisdiction in unlawful detainer cases, based on a 2010 Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Judicial Efficiency: The Duty of Judges to Decide Cases Promptly and the Consequences of Delay
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on a judge's duty to decide cases within reglementary periods, and the administrative penalties for undue delay.
Breach of Trust Dismissal for Mismanaging Court Funds in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling shows why clerks of court face dismissal for mishandling judiciary funds, with lessons for all accountable officers.
Docket Fees Are Mandatory: GSIS Must Pay for Permissive Counterclaims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: even government agencies like GSIS must pay docket fees for permissive counterclaims or lose jurisdiction over them.
Construction Defects Contractors Liability and Owners Rights Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contractor liability for construction defects, waterproofing failures, and owner rights under construction contracts.
Illegal Strike Consequences and Employee Rights: Lessons from Alcantara v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when strikes become illegal, who faces termination, and what reinstatement rights employees retain.
Illegal Strike and Backwages: What Workers Should Know Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on backwages for employees who join illegal strikes, and when separation pay may be granted instead of reinstatement.
Diminution of Benefits, Union Authority, and Validity of MOA in Financial Distress
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a Memorandum of Agreement reducing employee benefits is valid despite financial distress and union ratification issues.
Judicial Misconduct and Sexual Harassment: Violating the Code of Judicial Conduct
A Supreme Court ruling holds that a judge who sexually assaulted a litigant in his own home is guilty of gross misconduct, even after retirement from the bench.
Bank Cashier's Liability for Negligence in Approving Fraudulent Deposits
Supreme Court ruling on a government bank cashier's grave misconduct for approving fraudulent second-endorsed check deposits to a personal account.
Pollution Adjudication Board Primary Jurisdiction Over Fishermen's Damages Claims vs Industrial Operations
Supreme Court ruling on PAB primary jurisdiction over pollution-related damages claims, balancing fishermen's livelihood rights and industrial operations.
Untimely Appeal, Solidary Liability in Joint Ventures, and the Cost of Procedural Lapses
A Supreme Court ruling on the perils of an untimely appeal, solidary liability in joint ventures, and the high cost of procedural lapses in the Philippines.