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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Right to Defense: Conviction Reversed for Denial of Opportunity to Present Evidence
Supreme Court reverses murder conviction when trial court denied the accused his right to present defense evidence after a demurrer.
Falsifying Time Records: A Breach of Public Trust and Ethical Standards
The Supreme Court rules that tampering with daily time records constitutes gross dishonesty, a grave offense for court employees.
Illegal Dismissal and Employer-Employee Relationship in Philippine Labor Law
Learn how the Supreme Court protects employee rights in illegal dismissal cases, including the employer-employee relationship test and due process requirements.
Psychological Incapacity and Annulment: Abandonment Alone Is Not Enough
The Supreme Court clarifies that mere abandonment does not prove psychological incapacity for marriage annulment under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Possession After Foreclosure: Why the Buyer Wins the Writ of Possession
Buyers in extrajudicial foreclosure sales are entitled to possession of the property. The Supreme Court explains why in Samson v. Rivera.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Medico-Legal Findings: Resolving Doubt in Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a homicide accused where uncross-examined eyewitness testimony conflicted with medico-legal findings and failed the test of moral certainty.
DNA Evidence and Conviction: The Yatar Case and the Standard for Admissibility
Explaining how the Supreme Court in People v. Yatar set the standard for admitting DNA evidence in Philippine criminal cases.
Election Protests and Mootness: When Does a Senatorial Dispute End
The Supreme Court explains when an election protest becomes moot and academic, using the Enrile vs. SET case as a guide.
The Final Word: Why Timely Appeals Are Critical in Labor Disputes
Learn why meeting appeal deadlines in labor cases is crucial, and how the Supreme Court treats late appeals.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: When a Child's Testimony Convicts
In Villafuerte, the Supreme Court upheld a statutory rape conviction based largely on a child's testimony, clarifying what proof of penetration requires.
Statutory Rape Conviction Upheld: Penetration, Alibi, and the Child Victim's Word
The Supreme Court affirms a statutory rape conviction, clarifying that slight penetration suffices and a child's candid testimony prevails over alibi.
Lease Termination and Rent Increases: Lessons from Chua v. Victorio
When can a lessor rescind a lease and raise rent? The Supreme Court explains in Chua v. Victorio.
Upholding Procedural Rules: The Jurisdictional Nature of Timely Appeals in Agrarian Disputes
Timely appeals are jurisdictional, not mere technicalities. Zaragoza v. Nobleza shows why late filings in agrarian cases fail.
Retroactivity of Procedural Rules When Amended Laws Affect Pending Cases
When procedural rules change mid-case, retroactivity applies. Learn how the Supreme Court resolved this in Siena Realty.
Dismissal of Election Protests: Diligence and Avoiding Undue Delay in Electoral Disputes
The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an election protest abandoned for months, ruling that election cases must be resolved speedily and that liberal interpretation has limits.
Upholding Ethical Conduct Accountability FOR Unauthorized USE OF Government Vehicles
Graft and Corruption in the Philippines: When Court Personnel Exploit Public Office for Private Gain
A Supreme Court ruling on a court interpreter's extortion of a litigant shows how graft and corruption in the Philippines is punished.
Enforceability of Venue Stipulations in Contracts of Adhesion: Piltel v. Tecson
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when venue stipulations in contracts of adhesion bind subscribers, citing Piltel v. Tecson.
Judges Must Supervise Court Personnel and Ensure Prompt Case Resolution
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judicial responsibility, docket inventory duties, and accountability for court personnel negligence.
Settlement Trumps Appeal: The Binding Force of Compromise Agreements in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on compromise agreements, their binding effect, and limits on appeal rights.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Affirms Conviction, Raises Penalty for ICT Use
Supreme Court affirms conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262 and raises penalty when the offense is committed through social media.
Church and State: The Limits of Religious Leaders' Political Endorsements in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when religious leaders may endorse candidates and the procedural rules for declaratory relief actions.
When A Deadly Brawl Over A Fighting Cock Leads TO Murder Understanding Abuse OF Superior Strength
Incestuous Rape Credibility of Testimony and Establishing the Qualifying Circumstance
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on statutory rape, credibility of a child victim's testimony, and the need to prove qualifying circumstances for the death penalty.