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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Academic Freedom vs Student Rights: Balancing Discipline and Due Process in Higher Education
The Supreme Court balances academic freedom and student rights in De La Salle University v. CA, clarifying due process and CHED jurisdiction.
Upholding Statutory Mandates Hdmfs Rule Making Limits IN Granting PAG Ibig Fund Waivers
The Supreme Court rules that only the DENR Secretary can cancel mineral agreements, not the Panel of Arbitrators, in Celestial Nickel v. Macroasia.
When Treachery Is Not Proven: How a Murder Charge Becomes Homicide
A Supreme Court ruling shows why treachery must be proven beyond reasonable doubt, and how its absence reduced a murder conviction to homicide.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: How the DAR Formula and Land Valuation Interact
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that the DAR valuation formula guides, but does not strictly bind, courts in fixing just compensation for lands taken under agrarian reform.
Absence Due to Unjustified Detention: Employee Protection Against Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's absence due to detention does not constitute abandonment, protecting workers from illegal dismissal.
HDMF Cannot Restrict Pag-IBIG Waiver Beyond What the Law Allows
Supreme Court rules HDMF cannot limit Pag-IBIG fund coverage waivers to distressed employers, as administrative rules cannot override the law.
Moral Conduct in the Judiciary: Defining Immorality and Due Process for Court Employees
The Supreme Court clarifies when giving birth out of wedlock is immoral conduct for court employees and protects due process rights.
Taxation Within Special Economic Zones Defining THE Jurisdiction Between Regular Courts AND THE Court OF TAX Appeals
Bank Negligence and Fiduciary Duty in Handling Foreign Currency Deposits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for negligence in handling foreign currency time deposit pretermination and fiduciary duty.
Can a Filipino Lawyer Who Became a Foreign Citizen Still Practice Law? The Dacanay Ruling
The Supreme Court explains when a lawyer who lost Philippine citizenship may resume law practice under RA 9225.
Credibility of Victim Testimony in Rape Cases Convicting Solely on Direct Evidence
In People v. Aguilar, the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based solely on the victim's credible testimony, ruling medical evidence is not indispensable.
Directors Personally Liable for Unremitted SSS Contributions: The Garcia Doctrine
The Supreme Court holds directors personally liable for collected but unremitted SSS contributions, piercing the corporate veil under the Social Security Law.
Forged Titles and Faulty Foundations: How Errors in Original Land Registration Undermine Property Rights in th
A Supreme Court ruling explains why the date of transcription, not decree issuance, determines a title's validity and priority.
Supreme Court Clarifies Torrens Title Date: Registration Takes Effect on Transcription, Not Decree Issuance
The Court ruled that a Torrens title takes effect only upon transcription by the Register of Deeds, resolving a decades-old land dispute.
Res Judicata and Land Ownership: When Prior Judgments Do Not Bar New Claims
The Supreme Court clarifies when res judicata bars land disputes, protecting property owners from endless litigation.
Surety Bonds and Compromise Judgments: When Payment Is Not Voluntary
A surety's payment under a writ of execution on a compromise judgment is not voluntary; reimbursement from the principal debtor is required.
When Absence Leads TO Dismissal Upholding Accountability IN Public Service
Heirs Can Invoke Imprescriptibility of Torrens Titles for Inherited Land
Supreme Court rules heirs inherit the right to claim registered land without prescription, even after long possession by another party.
Surety Bonds and Reimbursement: When Payment Under Compulsion Is Still Collectible
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a surety can recover from the principal debtor after paying a bond under threat of execution.
Protecting Consumers: Illegal Disconnection and Utility Company Liability
Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's liability for illegal disconnection without notice, and the limits of differential billing claims.
Estate Claims and Procedural Rules: Balancing Legal Technicalities With Justice
Heirs of a registered landowner can recover property despite delay; prescription and laches do not bar Torrens title claims.
Access Denied Corporate Officers AND THE Limits OF Dwelling Trespass
Delivery Order Compliance: Who Bears the Loss for Unauthorized Fertilizer Withdrawals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who bears the loss when goods are released without proper delivery order forms.
Perfecting a Contract of Sale: Price and Payment Terms in Real Estate Transactions
Learn how Philippine courts treat price and payment terms in contracts of sale, and what makes a sale perfected and binding.