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.
Backwages Despite Just Cause Dismissal: When Procedure Matters in Labor Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on backwages for employees dismissed for just cause but denied due process, and the limits of certiorari.
Res Judicata in Labor Disputes: Final NLRC Decisions Cannot Be Relitigated
Final and executory NLRC decisions bar relitigation. The Supreme Court explains res judicata in labor cases.
Annulment of NLRC Judgments: Why the Court of Appeals Lacks Jurisdiction
Explore why the Court of Appeals cannot annul NLRC decisions and the risks of forum shopping in labor cases.
Upholding Termination: The Standard of Proof in Labor Cases Involving Employee Misconduct
Philippine Airlines vs. Tongson clarifies the substantial evidence standard employers must meet when dismissing employees for misconduct.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on liberal construction of verification and non-forum shopping rules in labor cases.
Perfecting Labor Appeals: The Jurisdictional Requirement of Appeal Bonds in the Philippines
Learn the mandatory appeal bond requirement in Philippine labor cases and why failure to perfect an appeal on time is fatal.
When Final Judgments Can Be Modified: Supervening Events in Labor Cases
The Supreme Court explains when a final and executory reinstatement order may still be modified due to supervening events.
Regular Employment Status and the Limits of Prior Judgments in Labor Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a prior money claim judgment bars a later case for confirmation of regular employment status.
Dismissed for Delay? Understanding Due Diligence in Philippine Court Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court handles procedural delays and due diligence in labor cases, using a recent illegal dismissal ruling as a guide.
Protecting Third-Party Property Rights Against Erroneous Execution Levy
When a sheriff levies property belonging to a non-party to a labor case, the owner may file a separate recovery action without being guilty of forum shopping.
Relaxing Procedural Rules in Labor Disputes: Substantial Justice Prevails
The Supreme Court reminds litigants that procedural rules yield to substantial justice in labor cases, as shown in this disability claim dispute.
Finality of Labor Rulings: Appeal Limits in Union Registration Cases
Understand the Supreme Court's ruling on appeal limits and finality in labor cases, clarifying jurisdictional boundaries and procedural rules.
Forum Shopping Certification Rules in Labor Appeals: MC Engineering v. NLRC
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on forum shopping certifications and service rules in labor case appeals under MC Engineering v. NLRC.
Upholding Timeliness and Proper Verification in Labor Disputes: The Pfizer Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the 60-day rule for certiorari petitions and the standards for verification in labor cases.
Dismissal Based on Procedural Technicalities Ensuring Compliance With Court Rules
When the Court of Appeals dismisses a petition for technical deficiencies, the Supreme Court may uphold it. Learn the rules from this labor case.
Judicial Overreach: When Regular Courts Overstep Labor Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on when regional trial courts overstep jurisdiction by issuing TROs in labor cases, explained for lay readers.
Certiorari's Reach When Appellate Courts Overstep in Injunction Cases
Learn how certiorari limits appellate courts from issuing injunctions in labor cases, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Retroactive Application of Procedural Rules: Timely Filing of Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied A.M. No. 00-2-03-SC retroactively, allowing a late certiorari petition in a labor case to proceed.
Final Judgments in Labor Cases: Why Courts Cannot Modify Executory Rulings
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that final and executory labor judgments cannot be modified, even for separation pay, after five years.
Compromise Agreements in Philippine Labor Disputes: Swift and Amicable Settlements
The Supreme Court approves a compromise agreement in a labor case, showing how parties can settle disputes amicably and avoid prolonged litigation.
How Corporate Rehabilitation Suspends Labor Disputes: The Rubberworld Case
When a company under rehabilitation faces labor claims, the SEC's automatic stay suspends all actions—including labor cases before the NLRC.
Wage Differentials and Employee Waivers: Labor Rights in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on wage differentials, employee waivers, and the strict rules on appeals in Philippine labor cases.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: Key Distinctions in Philippine Labor Law
When is a worker an employee, not an independent contractor? The Supreme Court explains the tests in this Philippine labor case.
Falsification of Time Records: When Is Dismissal Too Harsh a Penalty?
Explore when Philippine courts consider dismissal too harsh for falsifying time records, and the rules on proportional justice in labor cases.