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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Neglect of Duty in Public Service: When Personal Concerns Must Yield to Public Welfare
A Supreme Court ruling on a Davao City health officer who skipped a bombing emergency shows how gross neglect of duty can cost a public servant their job.
Conspiracy and Drug Sales: Establishing Intent and Upholding the Presumption of Regularity
A Supreme Court ruling on how concerted acts prove conspiracy in illegal drug sales and when police regularity is presumed.
Oral Partition of Land: Proving Agreements and Challenging Ownership Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving oral partition of inherited land, parol evidence rule, and where to litigate ownership claims in expropriation.
Writ of Possession: Validity of Mortgage Cannot Be Challenged in Possession Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: courts must issue writs of possession ministerially after foreclosure; mortgage validity challenges belong in separate actions.
Procedural Lapses and Contempt: Navigating Court Rules in Contract Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on procedural rules in contract disputes: motion for reconsideration, hierarchy of courts, and indirect contempt.
Tortious Interference Protecting Distributorship Rights in Philippine Commerce
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tortious interference with exclusive distributorship contracts and the liability of third parties who induce breach.
Presumption of Regularity vs. Misconduct Claims: Integrity in Court Execution
Learn how the presumption of regularity in official duty interacts with misconduct allegations in administrative cases, from a 2010 Supreme Court ruling.
Conspiracy and Kidnapping for Ransom: Defining the Boundaries of Criminal Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy in kidnapping for ransom cases, explaining when co-accused share criminal liability and how courts prove agreement.
Sale of Conjugal Property Without Spousal Consent: Void Contracts and Heirs' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void sales of conjugal property without spousal consent, heirs' rights, and prescription periods explained.
Breach of Contract: The Necessity of Specificity in Contractual Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a party terminating a contract must specify which provisions were violated, or face liability for breach.
Trademark Rights in the Philippines: Prior Use vs. Registration Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether trademark rights come from prior use or registration, and why distributors cannot own the marks they sell.
Establishing Illegal Dismissal: The Employee's Burden to Prove Dismissal First
Employees must first prove they were dismissed before employers must justify termination. A Supreme Court ruling explains the evidence required.
Proving Illegal Dismissal: The Employee's Burden to Establish Termination
Employees must first prove they were dismissed before employers must justify termination. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Agency and Authority: Why a Written Mandate Is Paramount in Real Estate Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why an agent's authority to sell land must be in writing, or the sale is void.
When Pawnshops Were Exempt From VAT: TFS, Inc. v. CIR
A 2010 Supreme Court ruling cancelled a pawnshop's deficiency VAT assessment and relaxed procedural rules to prevent unjust enrichment.
Election Integrity: The Balance Between Ballot Preservation and Voter Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC execution pending appeal, ballot appreciation, and the delicate balance between election integrity and voter rights.
Safeguarding Employee Rights: The Imperative of Due Process in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Genesis Transport clarifies preventive suspension limits, valid dismissal, and illegal wage deductions under the Labor Code.
Good Faith Prevails: Protecting Innocent Purchasers in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on innocent purchasers for value, good faith, and extinguishment of claims in property disputes.
Collective Bargaining Agreements and Voluntary Arbitration in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on CBA disputes, grievance machinery, and voluntary arbitration jurisdiction in labor cases.
Writ of Possession and Foreclosure: When a Threat to Foreclose Does Not Vitiate Consent
Supreme Court ruling on extrajudicial foreclosure, simulated contracts, and why a threat to enforce a legal claim does not vitiate consent.
Reinstatement Pending Appeal: When a Reversed Labor Arbiter Ruling Still Means No Refund
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reinstatement pending appeal, payroll reinstatement, and when reversed labor arbiter decisions require no salary refund.
Mortgage Validity and Writ of Possession: Upholding Contracts Absent Vitiated Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on writ of possession in foreclosure, contract validity, and consolidation of cases explained in plain language.
Deceptive Promises in Overseas Job Scams: Illegal Recruitment and Estafa
Supreme Court ruling explains when fake overseas job promises constitute both illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa.
Standardized Salaries vs Employee Benefits: Clarifying COLA Integration for Philippine Government Workers
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when COLA and similar allowances are deemed integrated into standardized government salaries under R.A. 6758.