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.
Conditional Satisfaction of Judgment and the Mootness Doctrine in Labor Disputes
When does paying a labor award end the case? The Supreme Court clarifies when a conditional settlement does not make an appeal moot.
Buyers Right Prevails Enforcing Title Delivery IN Subdivision Sales
Supreme Court rules subdivision buyers who fully paid can compel title delivery despite later transfers to third parties.
Joint Account Withdrawal Rights: Limits of Authority Among Co-Depositors
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on joint account, meaning either depositor could transact without the other's signature.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Limits of Personal Liability for Corporate Acts in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be held personally liable and why certiorari cannot replace a lost appeal.
Loss of Trust and Due Process: Philippine Standards for Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the standards for loss of trust and due process in employee dismissal cases under the Labor Code.
Plaintiff’s Duty to Prosecute: Pre-Trial Setting Not Solely the Court’s Burden
The Supreme Court clarifies that the guidelines on pre-trial do not remove a plaintiff’s duty to move for pre-trial; failure without justifiable cause warrants dismissal.
Real Party in Interest: When Can an Agent Sue on Behalf of a Principal?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an agent may sue in its own name and the limits of an agent's authority to file suit.
Overcoming Finality When Courts CAN Correct Void Judgments
When can a final judgment be recalled? This case explains the exceptions to the immutability rule.
Perfecting Appeals: Strict Compliance With Bond Requirements in Labor Disputes
Learn why the Supreme Court requires strict compliance with appeal bond requirements in labor cases, and how failing to post a proper surety bond can make a judgment final and executory.
BP 22 Acquittal: Why Actual Receipt of Notice of Dishonor Is Critical
In Robert Chua v. People, the Supreme Court acquitted a BP 22 accused because prosecutors failed to prove actual receipt of the notice of dishonor.
Certiorari Not a Substitute for Appeal: Lessons from Nuque v. Aquino
The Supreme Court reiterates that certiorari cannot replace a lost appeal, and a motion for reconsideration is generally required before filing one.
Upholding Client Trust: Lawyer Suspended for Mismanaging Settlement Funds and Unauthorized Agreements
A lawyer who settled a client's case without consent and kept the P100,000 proceeds was suspended for two years and ordered to return the money.
Strict Compliance Required for Serving Summons on Domestic Corporations
The Supreme Court clarifies that service of summons on domestic corporations must strictly follow Rule 14, Section 11, or the court lacks jurisdiction.
Trust or Time: Prescription in Disputes Over Inherited Shares
Supreme Court clarifies when prescription and laches may bar claims over shares held in implied trust, remanding Dy Sun-Ong v. Dy Sun for trial.
Clerk of Court Authority: The Fine Line Between Administration and Judicial Overreach
A clerk of court added a phrase to a writ beyond the judge's order. The Supreme Court explains why that was judicial overreach.
Sleeping on Your Rights: Laches and Prescription in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when a property claim fails due to laches and prescription, even for registered land.
Demolition Orders and Due Process: Key Lessons from the Alangdeo Case
The Supreme Court invalidated a demolition order in Alangdeo v. City Mayor of Baguio, reinforcing due process and legal safeguards for property owners.
Acceptance Fee vs Attorney's Fee: What Clients Should Know
The Supreme Court clarifies the difference between acceptance fee and attorney's fee in legal representation, and when a lawyer must return payments.
Protecting Public Land: The Nullity of Sales Within the Five-Year Prohibitory Period
A sale of free patent land within five years is void ab initio, imprescriptible, and cannot be cured by laches.
Mortgage Nullification and Condominium Buyer Protection: Balancing Rights and Obligations
Supreme Court clarifies that a condominium buyer can nullify a mortgage only insofar as it affects their unit, not the entire mortgage.
Upholding Finality: Supreme Court Reaffirms Requirements for Valid Motions for Reconsideration in Property Dis
Learn how the Supreme Court protected the finality of judgments and clarified the limits of appellate review in a property mortgage dispute.
Forgery vs Good Faith: Protecting Registered Land Owners in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when buyers of forged deeds can claim good faith protection and when registered owners keep their title.
Supervening Events and Restitution: When Final Judgments Can Be Overturned
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when supervening events justify setting aside final judgments and ordering restitution of executed amounts.
Falsification of Private Documents: Where Venue Lies Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that venue for falsification of private documents is where the falsification occurred, not where the document was used.