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.
Proving Foreign Law in Philippine Courts: Divorce, Property Rights, and the Keppel Case
Philippine courts don't take judicial notice of foreign laws. Learn the proof requirements from the Supreme Court's Keppel ruling on divorce and property.
Foreign Nationals and Land Ownership: Constitutional Limits on Succession Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that foreign nationals cannot own land or transmit rights through succession, affecting heirs' claims.
Broken Chains: Safeguarding Rights in Drug Cases Through Strict Chain of Custody
The Supreme Court acquits an inmate in a drug possession case, stressing the mandatory witness requirements in the chain of custody rule under RA 9165.
Upholding Judicial Integrity: Consequences for Disregarding Court Directives
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on the unconstitutionality of the overseas partisan political activity ban and its implications for free speech.
Disbarment Case: Reprimand for Lawyer's False Statements and Court Disrespect
Supreme Court reprimands lawyer for discourteous language and unfounded accusations against judges and prosecutors in administrative case.
Death of the Accused Before Final Judgment Extinguishes Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies that an accused's death pending appeal extinguishes criminal liability and civil liability ex delicto, but not other civil claims.
Land Registration: Proving Land Is Alienable and Disposable Under Philippine Law
Learn the strict proof required to register land in the Philippines, including DENR certifications, and why possession alone is not enough.
Broken Chains: Why Strict Drug Evidence Procedures Protect the Accused
A Supreme Court ruling acquits a drug suspect because police failed to follow Section 21's chain of custody rules. Learn the legal standards.
Ombudsman's Power to Reopen Cases and Due Process in Preliminary Investigations
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on the Ombudsman's authority to reverse a predecessor's findings and due process limits in preliminary investigations.
COA Must Follow Its Own Rules to Ensure Due Process in Reopening Audits
Court ruling on COA's obligation to observe its own rules when reopening audits, ensuring due process for audited agencies.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Missing Witnesses Led to Acquittal
The Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect because police failed to secure required third-party witnesses during evidence inventory, stressing strict chain of custody compliance.
Conditional Settlements and Seafarer Rights: Protecting Vulnerable Workers in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court protects seafarers from unfair conditional settlements, treating them as full satisfaction of disability awards.
Conspiracy and Overt Acts in Group Offenses: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mere presence at a crime scene does not establish conspiracy; an overt act is required for criminal liability.
Reasonable Doubt Acquittal Despite Presence at Crime Scene
A buy-bust conviction reversed because broken chain of custody created reasonable doubt on the seized drug's identity.
Torrens Title vs. Possession: When a Registered Owner Prevails in Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a Torrens title prevails over possession claims in accion publiciana cases, reaffirming the indefeasibility of registered land titles.
Holding Company vs Financial Intermediary: Local Business Tax on Dividends
Supreme Court clarifies that holding companies receiving dividends are not non-bank financial intermediaries subject to local business tax under the Local Government Code.
Falsification of Public Documents: Intent to Injure Not Required for Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that intent to injure is not an element of falsification of public documents under the Revised Penal Code.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Accident vs Illness in Philippine Maritime Law
Learn how the Supreme Court distinguishes accident-based from illness-based seafarer disability claims, and why the third-doctor rule matters.
Regular vs Project Employment: What the Supreme Court Requires of Employers
A 2019 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when construction workers are regular employees, not project employees, and what employers must prove.
Public Bidding and Travel Permits: When Mayors Fall Under Anti-Graft Law
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of two mayors for violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft Law over irregular medicine purchases and unauthorized travel reimbursements.
Safeguarding Rights: The Critical Role of Witness Presence in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect because police failed to secure required witnesses during inventory, underscoring strict chain of custody rules.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Corporate Officers Personally Liable in Labor Cases?
The Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers can be held personally liable for labor claims, emphasizing the need for clear allegations and proof of bad faith.
Land Rights and Oral Sales: Understanding Property Disputes in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when oral sales of land are valid, and why the five-year free patent ban on alienation matters.
Finality of Settlement Agreements Barring Future Claims Despite Quasi-Delict Allegations in Seafarer Death Cas
SC rules valid settlement agreements bar seafarers' heirs from filing quasi-delict claims after accepting death benefits.