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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Surety Bond Liability Limits Under Philippine Insurance Law: The R & B Surety Case
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies surety bond liability caps under Insurance Code Section 176, limiting exposure to face value plus legal interest.
Sheriffs Cannot Pierce the Corporate Veil: Levying Corporate Property for a Stockholder's Debt
A sheriff who levies on corporate property to satisfy a stockholder's personal debt acts beyond authority. The Supreme Court explains why.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Inconsistencies in Testimony Do Not Guarantee Reasonable Doubt
In People v. Caniezo, the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction despite minor inconsistencies in the victim's testimony and corrected the penalty and damages awarded.
Res Judicata and Final Judgments: Why Property Disputes Cannot Be Relitigated
The Supreme Court explains how res judicata bars relitigating property disputes, using the Avisado v. Rumbaua case as a guide.
Upholding Stockholder Rights Derivative Suits AND Corporate Governance IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies derivative suits, stockholder standing, and jurisdiction over intra-corporate disputes under RA 8799.
Boastful Rapist's Conviction Upheld: Delay in Reporting Rape Explained by Threats
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction despite a five-year delay in reporting, ruling that credible threats explain the delay.
The Line Between Consensual Act and Rape: Establishing Carnal Knowledge Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what constitutes consummated rape, the proof required for conviction, and when the death penalty applies.
Fraud in Land Acquisition: Government Can Revert Public Land Despite Title Indefeasibility
Supreme Court ruling on how fraud in free patent applications lets the government revert public land despite title indefeasibility.
Protecting the Vulnerable: A Child's Testimony Can Be Enough for Rape Conviction
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction based on a child victim's credible testimony, clarifying evidentiary rules for vulnerable witnesses.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails When Inconsistent Witness Testimony Leads to Acquittal
Inconsistent eyewitness testimony on familiarity and poor lighting created reasonable doubt, leading the Supreme Court to acquit a murder accused.
When a Child Is Taken: Proving Parentage in Habeas Corpus Cases
The Supreme Court explains how courts determine a child's identity and parentage in habeas corpus custody disputes.
Reclaiming a Child Through Habeas Corpus: The Tijing Case on Establishing Maternal Rights
The Supreme Court explains when habeas corpus is the proper remedy for parents to regain custody of a missing child, and how identity and filiation are proven.
Passion Proof and Penalties: When Jealousy Doesnt Equal Murder
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how accomplices are penalized.
Circumstantial Evidence Conviction: Murder Reduced to Homicide in Icalla Case
Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why murder was reduced to homicide in People v. Icalla.
Rape Conviction Stands But Death Penalty Reduced: Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Alleged in the Information
A rape conviction stands, but the Supreme Court reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua because minority and relationship were not alleged in the information.
Lease Extension Rights Clarifying Limits FOR Lessees Under Civil Code Article 1687
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may extend a lease under Article 1687 and why lessees who sublease lose equitable protection.
Motion for Reconsideration Exceptions in Certiorari Petitions: The Abraham Case
When is a motion for reconsideration not required before filing certiorari? The Supreme Court clarifies the exceptions in Abraham v. NLRC.
Conspiracy and Treachery in Joint Attacks: What the Supreme Court Says
A look at how the Supreme Court applies conspiracy and treachery to hold all joint attackers liable for murder.
When Injunctions Meet Supervening Events: Property Rights in Ejectment Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how supervening events affect injunctions in ejectment cases, protecting property rights.
Non-Negotiable Withdrawal Slips: Bank Liability for Delayed Dishonor Notices
When a bank delays notice of dishonor on non-negotiable withdrawal slips, is it liable for damages? The Supreme Court explains.
When Association Isnt Conspiracy Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies The Need For Concrete Proof In Criminal Co
The Supreme Court explains when mere presence becomes criminal conspiracy, requiring proof of a common design to commit a crime.
Extrajudicial Settlements and Adopted Children's Inheritance: Lessons from Pedrosa v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when extrajudicial settlements bind adopted heirs and how prescription periods apply to fraudulent partitions.
The People vs the President: Defining the Limits of People Power and Presidential Immunity in the Philippines
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Estrada v. Desierto clarifies resignation, presidential succession, and immunity from suit under the 1987 Constitution.
Accommodation Mortgages and Redemption Rights: Limits of Debtor Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accommodation mortgagors' redemption rights and liability limits under P.D. 694 and Act 3135.