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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Supreme Court on Actual Damages: Proving Loss in Maritime Collision Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies actual damages rules: hearsay price quotations lack probative value, nominal damages may apply when loss unproven.
Missed Deadlines Lost Rights Understanding Prescription AND Laches IN Philippine Property Disputes
Learn how prescription and laches bar stale property claims in the Philippines, with key rules and practical guidance.
Quasi-Delict Liability in Vehicular Accidents: Lessons from a 2026 Supreme Court Ruling
A 2026 Supreme Court ruling clarifies negligence, proximate cause, and vicarious liability in Philippine vehicular accident claims.
Retrenchment Rules in the Philippines: Proving Business Losses and the Limits of Quitclaims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, what evidence employers must show, and when quitclaims do not bar illegal dismissal claims.
Jurisdictional Challenges in Philippine Courts: Why Timing and Precision Matter in Tax Refund Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax refund computation under RA 1435, explaining why strict interpretation and timing determine success in tax claims.
Proving Overtime in Philippine Labor Cases: Why Daily Time Records Matter and When They Don't
Daily time records aren't always conclusive in overtime claims. Learn when Philippine courts disregard them and how the doubt rule favors employees.
How Presidential Proclamations Affect Imperfect Land Titles in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when presidential proclamations can defeat claims to public land by long-time occupants.
Lost Property Claims: Why Delay Can Cost You Everything in the Philippines
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows how delay, laches, and prescription can bar property recovery claims. Learn the legal lessons.
Use It or Lose It: Understanding Abandonment of Mining Claims in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court defines abandonment of mining claims, including annual work obligations, tax payments, and the consequences of non-compliance.
When Courts Review Mining Disputes: The Pearson Doctrine on Abandoned Claims
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling in Pearson on abandoned mining claims, administrative adjudication, and when courts may review interlocutory orders.
Labor-Only Contracting vs. Legitimate Job Contracting: Supreme Court Clarifies Employer Liability
The Supreme Court explains the difference between labor-only contracting and legitimate job contracting, and who bears liability for workers' claims.
Retirement Benefit Claims Under CBAs: Who Has Jurisdiction in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction over retirement benefit claims arising from collective bargaining agreements, distinguishing Labor Arbiter and Voluntary Arbitrator authority.
Solidary Liability in Overseas Employment: How Surety Bonds Protect Filipino Workers
Learn how surety bonds make recruitment agencies and their sureties solidarily liable for overseas workers' monetary claims.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Avoiding Illegal Dismissal Claims
The Supreme Court explains the substantive and procedural requirements for valid retrenchment in the Philippines, and why weak evidence leads to illegal dismissal.
When Self-Defense Fails: Understanding Burden of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law
A Supreme Court ruling explains why accused persons claiming self-defense must prove it, and how courts assess such claims.
Voluntary Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: Supreme Court on Valid Business Closure
When is a company shutdown a valid closure, not illegal dismissal? The Supreme Court explains the rules on business closure and quitclaims.
Premature Foreclosure and Damages Claims: What Happens After the Auction Sale
Philippine Supreme Court rules foreclosure sale does not moot a damages claim for premature foreclosure. Know the legal implications.
How Philippine Courts Assess Witness Credibility and Nighttime Aggravation
A 1998 Supreme Court ruling explains how trial courts weigh witness credibility, self-defense claims, and when nighttime aggravates a crime.
Night Shift Differential Pay in the Philippines: Who Bears the Burden of Proof?
In claims for night shift differential pay, the employer bears the burden of proving payment, not the worker. Learn the rule from this Supreme Court case.
Understanding Easements of Right of Way in Philippine Property Law
Learn how Philippine courts treat right of way claims, easement requirements, and what property owners should know before demanding access.
Philippine Retrenchment Rules: When Job Cuts Are Illegal — Anino v. NLRC Case Analysis
The Supreme Court in Anino v. NLRC clarifies when retrenchment is illegal, what employers must prove, and why quitclaims don't bar dismissal claims.
When Loss of Trust Fails: Understanding Illegal Dismissal in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers face liability for illegal dismissal and wage claims of security guards under labor law.
Protecting Loan Security: How Mortgagees Can Secure Insurance Claims in the Philippines
Learn how mortgagees can secure insurance proceeds under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. v. Goyu & Sons.
Counterclaims After Complaint Dismissal: Philippine Rules Explained
Learn when counterclaims survive dismissal of the main complaint under Philippine civil procedure, based on the Fletcher Challenge case.