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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Fatal Flaw Dismissal FOR Failure TO Specify Damages Claimed
A misjoined party plaintiff's failure to sign the verification and certification against forum-shopping is not a ground to dismiss the complaint.
NLRC vs Regular Courts: Where to File Damages Claims in Dismissal Cases
Learn when illegal dismissal damages claims belong to the NLRC labor arbiter, not regular courts, under Article 217 of the Labor Code.
Court Employee's Dismissal for Soliciting Money from Litigant Upheld
Court personnel who demand money from litigants face dismissal. The Supreme Court explains the penalties and rules in Buyag v. Caliwag.
Due Process Prevails: Dismissal Without Notice and Hearing Is Unlawful
Supreme Court rules that government employees cannot be dismissed for AWOL or poor ratings without prior notice and hearing.
Res Judicata and Dismissal With Prejudice: When a Prior Case Bars a New Lawsuit
A voluntary dismissal with prejudice bars a later suit for the same property, even if the new case is styled differently.
Reinstatement After Acquittal: Employee Rights When Dismissal Is Based on a False Cause
When an employee is dismissed for a crime they did not commit, the dismissal is illegal. Learn the rules on reinstatement and backwages.
Dismissal of Administrative Cases: Complainants Lack Standing to Appeal
A complainant in an administrative case is a mere witness with no right to appeal. The Supreme Court explains in this PNP case.
Due Process in Dismissal: Nominal Damages for Procedural Violations in Philippine Labor Law
Learn when Philippine courts award nominal damages, not backwages, for procedural due process violations in employee dismissal cases.
Breach of Trust Justifies Dismissal: Equitable PCIBank vs. Caguioa
The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a bank manager found to have secretly profited from unauthorized check discounting, citing breach of trust under the Labor Code.
Dismissal of Civil Cases: Understanding Failure to Prosecute in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when dismissal for failure to prosecute is proper, and when trial courts abuse their discretion.
Business Closure vs Retrenchment: Defining Employers' Rights in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, when it becomes illegal dismissal, and how quitclaims affect employee rights.
Constructive Dismissal and Bad Faith in Employee Transfers: The Ponce v. NLRC Case
Understand the Supreme Court's ruling on employee transfers, constructive dismissal, and bad faith in Ponce v. NLRC.
Project-Based Workers, Security of Tenure, and the Rule on Premature Appeals in Philippine Labor Cases
A look at Ponce v. NLRC on security of tenure, valid dismissal for absenteeism, and the procedural rule on premature appeals.
Due Process and Illegal Dismissal: Why Employers Bear the Burden of Proof in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies procedural rules on indispensable parties in illegal dismissal cases and the employer's burden of proof.
Forced Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Workers' Right to Security of Tenure
A look at Lotte Phil. v. Dela Cruz on labor-only contracting, security of tenure, and the procedural rules on indispensable parties.
Judicial Accountability: Dismissal of Administrative Charges for Lack of Substantial Evidence
Supreme Court clarifies that administrative complaints against judges require substantial evidence, not mere allegations or suspicion of bias.
Breach of Public Trust Dismissal for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Favorable Case Outcomes
A disbarred lawyer's failed bid to overturn his dismissal and the consequences of defying final court orders.
Upholding Integrity: Consequences of Dishonesty in Public Service
A sheriff's dismissal for grave misconduct and dishonesty, and a judge's liability for procedural lapses, explained.
Upholding Employee Rights Constructive Dismissal AND THE Duty TO Reinstate
Public Officials' Liability in Infrastructure Projects: The Brucal Case
Supreme Court clarifies when public engineers face dismissal for gross neglect in infrastructure projects, and when dishonesty charges fail.
Upholding Judicial Integrity: Dismissal of Charges Based on Insufficient Evidence of Collusion
Supreme Court denies surety's petition, ruling that procedural lapses and failure to timely challenge bail bond forfeitures bar relief.
Mutuality of Contracts: When One-Sided Termination Clauses in Employment Contracts Are Void
The Supreme Court explains when a termination clause that leaves dismissal to one party's sole judgment violates the mutuality principle under Article 1308 of the Civil Code.
When Contracting Turns Into Employment: Defining the True Employer
Learn how Philippine courts determine the real employer in contracting arrangements and what this means for liability in illegal dismissal cases.
Withdrawal of Information vs Dismissal: What the Supreme Court Said
The Supreme Court clarifies when a motion to withdraw information is final, and how prosecutors must weigh both sides in preliminary investigation.