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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When Lawyers Fall Short: Disbarment for Gross Immoral Conduct
The Supreme Court disbarred a lawyer for abandoning his wife and children to cohabit with another woman, reaffirming that good moral character is a continuing requirement for membership in the bar.
Lawyer Disbarred for Gross Immoral Conduct: Abandoning Wife and Children
Supreme Court disbars lawyer who abandoned his wife and 12 children to cohabit with another woman, ruling gross immoral conduct warrants the ultimate penalty.
Due Process Prevails: Demotion Without Notice Violates Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules on due process in employee discipline, examining demotion without notice and seafarer abandonment cases.
Abandonment of Post: Employers’ Rights and Seafarers’ Responsibilities Under Philippine Law
A seafarer who fails to rejoin his vessel after approved leave may be liable for abandonment, not illegal dismissal.
Attorney Disbarred for Abandoning Client After Receiving Full Payment for Legal Services
Supreme Court disbars lawyer who took full payment but abandoned client's case, violating the duty of fidelity and diligence.
Estranged Spouse Not Entitled to SSS Death Benefits: The Dependency Rule
An estranged wife who left her husband and remarried abroad is not a "dependent spouse" under the SSS law, so she cannot claim his death benefits.
Importation Rules on Abandonment and Duty Assessment in Customs Law
Chevron v. Commissioner of Customs clarifies when imported goods are deemed abandoned and how customs duties are assessed under the TCC.
When Mootness Ends a Case: The ZTE-NBN Project Dispute Before the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court dismissed the consolidated petitions against the ZTE-NBN project as moot after the government abandoned the deal, explaining key limits on judicial power.
When a Wife Can Challenge Her Husband's Sale of Conjugal Property
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a wife can annul her husband's sale of conjugal property without her consent, explained in plain language.
Self-Defense and Parricide: Proving Justification in Spousal Homicide
When a husband kills his wife, self-defense is hard to prove. This case explains the legal requirements and penalties.
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.
Defining Abandonment And Insubordination Employee Rights VS Employer Authority
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee abandonment and insubordination, balancing worker rights against employer authority in termination disputes.
Abandonment in Agricultural Tenancy: When Hiring Help Costs Cultivation Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a tenant's surrender of cultivation to another amounts to abandonment and loss of tenancy rights.
Lease Termination: Lessors Can Still Collect Rent After Lessee Default and Abandonment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessor rights when lessee defaults and abandons leased property, clarifying remedies for unpaid rent.
Abandonment in Election Protests: Legarda v. De Castro and the Effect of Subsequent Candidacy
PET dismisses Legarda's VP protest against De Castro on abandonment and evidentiary grounds, clarifying election protest rules.
Detention and Absences: When Prolonged AWOL Is Not Abandonment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's prolonged absence due to detention does not constitute abandonment, and the limits of dismissal.
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.
Abandonment vs Constructive Dismissal: Protecting Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the fine line between abandonment and constructive dismissal, and what employers must prove to justify termination.
When Property Is Conjugal: Support Debts and the Right Appeal Route
A wife's attempt to shield a titled lot from execution for her husband's child support debt fails on procedure and property law.
Judicial Due Process When Haste Makes Waste in Nullity Cases
Two judges fined for gross ignorance of procedure after rushing a marriage nullity case, depriving the husband of due process.
The Indispensable Appeal Bond in Illegal Dismissal Cases: A Lesson from Forever Security
Why failing to post an appeal bond in illegal dismissal cases is fatal, and what abandonment really requires under Philippine labor law.
Marital Violence Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt IN Parricide Cases
A husband who stabbed his sleeping wife was convicted of parricide. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and clarified the rules on child testimony, treachery, and damages.
Treachery Defined: The Element of Surprise in Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains treachery as a sudden, unexpected attack, using a husband stabbing his sleeping wife as the defining example.
Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Workers' Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between abandonment and illegal dismissal, protecting workers who file complaints after being reprimanded.