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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INP Retirees Entitled to PNP Retirement Benefits Under R.A. 6975
Supreme Court rules INP retirees are entitled to the same retirement benefits as PNP retirees under R.A. 6975, as amended.
Three-Term Limit: Contested Elections Don't Break Consecutive Service
Philippine Supreme Court rules that serving a full term despite a voided proclamation still counts toward the three-term limit for local officials.
Election Returns Exclusion Based on Missing Pages and Evident Irregularities
When a missing page in an election return creates a prima facie irregularity, the Supreme Court explains why pre-proclamation remedies still have limits.
Electoral Mandate vs Practical Realities: When the Right to Vote Encounters Logistical Hurdles
The Supreme Court upholds COMELEC's refusal to hold a third special election, balancing constitutional duty against practical constraints.
Right to Information vs Electoral Confidentiality: Unveiling Party-List Nominees
Supreme Court rules Comelec must disclose party-list nominees' names, balancing right to information against Section 7 confidentiality limits.
Proving Negligence in Vehicular Accidents: Lessons from a Quasi-Delict Case
A look at how Philippine courts determine negligence in vehicular accidents, based on a recent Supreme Court ruling on quasi-delict claims.
Upholding Consumer Rights: Proper Procedure for Electric Service Disconnection in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that electric cooperatives cannot disconnect a customer's service without prior notice and differential billing, even when meter tampering is suspected.
Rape AND Moral Ascendancy When Trust Becomes Betrayal
Court employees who misuse judiciary funds face dismissal for dishonesty and grave misconduct, even after restitution or retirement.
Lawyer Suspended for Contracting Second Marriage While First Was Subsisting
A lawyer's second marriage while his first remained valid led to a one-year suspension, underscoring lawyers' duty to know the law.
Judicial Integrity: Misappropriation of Court Funds Leads to Dismissal and Restitution
Supreme Court dismisses two court clerks for misappropriating over P4 million in judiciary funds, ordering joint restitution and forfeiture of benefits.
Formal Offer of Evidence: Why Failure Can End a Land Ownership Case
A missed deadline to formally offer evidence can doom a land dispute. Learn the rule from Heirs of Pasag v. Parocha.
Prescription of Offenses: When Filing a Complaint Interrupts the Prescriptive Period
Learn how filing a complaint interrupts prescription of offenses in the Philippines, and when the prescriptive period resumes under Article 91 of the RPC.
Easement Reduction on Urban Land: Balancing Public Land Rules and Development
When a free-patent lot becomes urban private land, the river easement may shrink from 40 meters to 3 meters.
Law Students as Agents in Inferior Courts: The Cruz v. Mina Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a law student may appear in inferior courts without lawyer supervision, and the civil aspect of grave threats.
Challenging Alibis in Rape Cases: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
How Philippine courts weigh a rape victim's positive testimony against denial and alibi, and why delay in reporting does not defeat a conviction.
Establishing Filiation: How Informal Writings Can Prove Paternity in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how handwritten letters can establish paternity and filiation of illegitimate children under the Family Code.
Dismissal of Appeal, Untenable Excuses, and the Boundaries of Judicial Discretion
When a lawyer's mistake costs a client the case, the Supreme Court explains the limits of relief from judgment and counsel's negligence.
Independent Damage Claims in Forcible Entry: Separating Possession From Subsequent Harm
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when damages from forcible entry may be claimed in a separate ordinary action rather than the ejectment case.
Attorney Negligence and the Limits of Relief from Judgment in Philippine Courts
When a lawyer's mistake costs a client the case, relief from judgment is not always available. This decision explains the limits.
When Acquittal Doesnt Always Clear THE Debt Civil Liability AND Bouncing Checks
An acquittal in a bouncing checks case does not automatically erase civil liability. Learn the rule from Samson Ching v. Nicdao.
Dismissal for Grave Misconduct: Upholding Integrity in Court Administration
Explore how the Supreme Court upholds accountability in court administration, examining dismissal for grave misconduct and its impact on judicial integrity.
Dismissal Upheld for Incorrigible Process Server: Upholding Diligence in Court Service
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of a process server for habitual absenteeism, tardiness, and failure to serve court processes.
Medical Negligence and Res Ipsa Loquitur: Liability in Surgical Procedures
How the Supreme Court applied res ipsa loquitur to hold a surgeon liable for a patient's unexplained burn during childbirth.
Serving at the Board's Pleasure: Security of Tenure for Water District General Managers in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether water district general managers serve at the board's pleasure or enjoy security of tenure.