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.
Overcoming Technicalities: Republic's Right to Recover Ill-Gotten Wealth
Supreme Court rules procedural lapses should not defeat the state's recovery of ill-gotten wealth, reversing Sandiganbayan dismissal.
Motion for Extension of Time: Balancing Strict Rules and Substantial Justice
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts should relax procedural rules on formal offer of evidence to serve substantial justice.
Co-Ownership and Unauthorized Sales: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court handles co-owned property disputes, redemption rights, and unauthorized sales in this Philippine civil law case analysis.
Voluntary Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Overseas Filipino Workers
When is an OFW's resignation voluntary or forced? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on quitclaims, waivers, and illegal dismissal claims.
Positive Identification and Alibi in Murder Cases: Lessons from People v. Cuesta
The Supreme Court explains when positive identification prevails over alibi and why sudden attacks do not always amount to treachery.
Seafarer Death Benefits: Proving Suicide as a Defense Against Employer Liability
The Supreme Court explains when an employer may escape liability for seafarer death benefits by proving suicide as a willful act.
Floating Status of Security Guards: When Return-to-Work Orders Defeat Claims of Constructive Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies when specific return-to-work orders prevent a finding of constructive dismissal for security guards on floating status.
Breach of Contract: Upholding Banks' Right to Set Off Loans Against Deposits
Supreme Court rules banks may set off deposits against unpaid loans when valid hold-out agreements exist, reversing lower court rulings.
How Marital Status Determines Property Ownership in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling explains how marital status affects property ownership, co-ownership rules, and the validity of selling property without spousal consent.
Perfecting Appeals and the Strict Rules on Judicial Reconstitution of Torrens Titles
The Supreme Court reminds courts that petitions for judicial reconstitution of lost Torrens titles demand strict compliance with RA 26.
Stringent Compliance is Key: Reconstitution of Torrens Title Requires Strict Adherence to Law
The Supreme Court reiterates that judicial reconstitution of lost Torrens titles demands strict compliance with RA 26, or the petition fails.
When Is Rice Smuggling SC Clarifies Forfeiture Rules FOR Vessels AND Cargoes
Supreme Court clarifies when rice shipments and vessels may be forfeited for smuggling, requiring probable cause and lawful importation proof.
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.
Res Judicata Bars Repeated Lawsuits for the Same Breach of Contract
A single breach of contract gives rise to only one cause of action. Learn how the Supreme Court applied res judicata to bar a second lawsuit.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Just Cause at the Time of Termination
When can an employer validly dismiss an employee? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on just cause, due process, and burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases.
Supreme Court Affirms Negligence Ruling in Subrogation Claim Over Vehicular Accident
SC affirms insurer's subrogation claim, holding driver negligent and owner vicariously liable for damages from a 2014 collision.
Perfecting Appeals: The Strict Requirements for Employers in Labor Disputes
Employers must strictly comply with appeal bond and deadline rules under Article 223 of the Labor Code or risk losing their appeal entirely.
Reconveyance Claims: Proving Ownership by Clear and Convincing Evidence
A look at Ibot v. Heirs of Tayco, where the Supreme Court clarified the burden of proof in reconveyance actions and the limits of Torrens title challenges.
Proving Alienable and Disposable Status in Land Registration: Republic v. Lualhati
The Supreme Court clarifies what evidence proves land is alienable and disposable for original registration under the Property Registration Decree.
COA Auditors Barred From Agency Benefits: Nacion v. COA
Supreme Court affirms COA's discipline of auditor who received bonuses, housing, and car loans from audited agency MWSS.
Land Registration Requires Impeccable Proof of Alienability
The Supreme Court nullified a land registration judgment where applicants failed to present documentary proof that the property was alienable and disposable public land.
Sheriff's Extortion and Neglect of Duty: A Supreme Court Lesson on Court Personnel Integrity
Supreme Court ruling on a sheriff's extortion and neglect of duty, reaffirming that sheriffs must execute writs with diligence and integrity.
Employer Liability for Vehicular Accidents: Proving Due Diligence in Hiring Drivers
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies employer liability for driver negligence, emphasizing documentary proof of due diligence in hiring and supervision.
When Banks Can Rely on Clean Titles: Mortgagee in Good Faith Explained
The Supreme Court explains when a bank that accepts a mortgage on a clean title becomes a mortgagee in good faith, even if the title later proves defective.