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.
Accommodation Party Liability When Signing a Promissory Note With Assumed Responsibility
When does signing a promissory note as an accommodation party create liability? The Supreme Court explains in Co v. Admiral United Savings Bank.
Defective Summons and Corporate Rehabilitation: Voluntary Submission to Court Jurisdiction
When defective service of summons can be cured by a party's own actions, and how corporate rehabilitation stay orders affect collection suits.
Right to Counsel in Criminal Appeals: Due Process Beyond the Trial Court
The Supreme Court rules that the right to counsel extends to appeals, and gross lawyer negligence can excuse a missed appeal.
Marital Consent Is Key: Spousal Rights in Property Sales Under Article 124
Supreme Court voids a husband's sale of conjugal property without his wife's consent, explaining Article 124 of the Family Code.
Habitual Absenteeism in the Judiciary: When Health Issues Mitigate Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies when illness can mitigate the penalty for habitual absenteeism, balancing employee welfare with the public trust doctrine.
Dismissal of Appeal, Counsel's Negligence, and the Duty to Uphold Procedural Rules
The Supreme Court clarifies when a counsel's negligence may excuse a late appeal and when courts must relax procedural rules.
Proving Just Cause in Retrenchment and Redundancy: Lessons from AMA Computer College
Learn what employers must prove for valid retrenchment or redundancy dismissals, and why AMA Computer College's termination of two employees was ruled illegal.
Motion for Reconsideration: The Indispensable Step Before Certiorari in Labor Cases
Learn why exhausting remedies like a motion for reconsideration is vital before filing a certiorari petition in Philippine labor disputes.
Insufficient Notice Leads to Illegal Dismissal of Seafarer: Due Process in Maritime Employment
A seafarer's dismissal was ruled illegal because vague logbook entries and a general notice failed the due process requirements under POEA rules.
Dacion en Pago and Foreclosure: When a Debt Remains a Debt
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that an unaccepted dacion en pago does not extinguish a debt, allowing mortgage foreclosure to proceed.
Writ of Possession After Foreclosure: What Buyers at Auction Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies that a writ of possession issues as a matter of right to a foreclosure sale purchaser, even if the mortgagor files an annulment case.
Debt Default by a Court Employee: Upholding Ethical Conduct in the Judiciary
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows that a court employee's unpaid debt is not just a private matter but conduct unbecoming a public servant.
Dismissal for Dishonesty: Courts Demand Accountability in Public Funds Management
Court personnel who willfully fail to pay just debts face administrative liability, even if complainants withdraw their cases. Learn the rules.
Marijuana Transportation AND Knowledge Upholding Convictions Under THE Dangerous Drugs ACT
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Personal Jurisdiction Over Sole Proprietorships in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sole proprietorships lack juridical personality, requiring suits against the owner personally for proper jurisdiction.
Determining Heirship A Prerequisite TO Civil Actions Involving Inheritance Rights
Insurer's Inaction on Insurance Application: When Silence Means Approval
Supreme Court rules insurer's prolonged inaction on a group life insurance application amounts to approval, protecting insured parties from prejudice.
Illegal Dismissal of Seafarers: Overtime Pay and Contractual Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer illegal dismissal, salary for unexpired contract, and guaranteed overtime pay.
When Attached Property May Be Sold Before Judgment: China Banking Corp. v. Asian Construction
The Supreme Court clarifies when attached properties may be sold before final judgment under Rule 57, Section 11 of the Rules of Court.
Memorandum Decisions and Due Process: When Adopting a Lower Court's Ruling Is Constitutional
The Supreme Court explains when a memorandum decision that adopts a lower tribunal's findings satisfies constitutional due process requirements.
Neglect OF Duty Court Stenographer Dismissed FOR Failing TO Transcribe Notes Promptly
Illegal Dismissal of OFW: When Tardiness Is Not a Valid Ground for Termination
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a single act of tardiness cannot justify dismissing an overseas Filipino worker, and how illegal dismissal damages are computed.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Proper Remedy in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains why appeal and certiorari are mutually exclusive remedies, and why procedural rules matter in extraordinary actions.