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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Credit Card Liability: Gross Negligence and Moral Damages in the Philippines
When can a credit card issuer be liable for moral damages? The Supreme Court explains gross negligence in Bankard v. Feliciano.
VAT on Sale of Assets: When Is It "In the Course of Trade or Business"?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale of company assets is subject to VAT, requiring that the sale occur in the course of trade or business.
Justice Delayed Judges Duty TO Ensure Speedy Case Resolution
Credit Card Debt Understanding Interest Terms AND Consumer Rights IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts protect creditors from fraudulent schemes by banks and directors, and what this means for consumer rights.
When Can a Sale Be Annulled? Lessons from Ishida v. De Mesa-Magno
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a sale can be annulled, and why courts cannot grant reliefs not prayed for in a complaint.
Judicial Approval of Compromise Agreements: Enforcement and Jurisdiction
When a court approves a compromise agreement, it becomes a judgment enforceable by execution in the same case, not by a new lawsuit.
Mayor's Personal Deposit of Municipal Checks: Official Misconduct and Probable Cause
Supreme Court ruling on when a mayor's deposit of municipal checks into a personal account constitutes probable cause for graft under RA 3019.
Documentary Stamp Tax on Foreign Exchange Sales: Who Pays
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on documentary stamp tax liability for foreign exchange sales to the Central Bank.
Foreshore Rights in the Philippines: When Private Land Meets Public Domain
Philippine foreshore areas are public domain, but private rights can exist. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Upholding Ethical Standards: Disbarment Case Dismissed for Lack of Clear Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court affirms dismissal of disbarment case against Atty. Teodorico Diesmos, emphasizing the need for clear and convincing evidence in disciplinary proceedings.
When Judges May Conduct Preliminary Investigation and Issue Warrants: Lessons from Lumbos v. Baliguat
A judge's authority to conduct preliminary investigation and issue warrants, explained through an administrative case dismissed for good faith.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Understanding Abandonment and the Employer's Burden of Proof
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal dismissal cases involving abandonment, and why employers must prove just cause and observe due process.
Procedural Compliance in Philippine Litigation: The PPSTA Case on Court Rules
A Supreme Court ruling shows why procedural rules matter—and when courts may relax them for substantial justice.
Substantial Justice Prevails When Philippine Courts Relax Procedural Rules IN Labor Disputes
Philippine courts may relax procedural rules to achieve substantial justice, as shown in this administrative case against a judge.
Co-Ownership Lost by Sale: Acquired Title Prevails Over Unasserted Heirship
When siblings sell inherited land without one heir, the buyer's 30-year possession can defeat the omitted heir's claim. Here's why.
Preliminary Injunctions and Grave Abuse of Discretion: What Philippine Courts Require
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's error becomes grave abuse of discretion, using a preliminary investigation case as guide.
Lawyer Suspended for Dishonoring Debt and Issuing Worthless Checks
Supreme Court suspends lawyer for six months for failing to pay debt and issuing checks drawn against a closed account.
When Can a Judge Issue an Arrest Warrant: Limits of Judicial Authority in Preliminary Investigation
Explains when judges may issue arrest warrants during preliminary investigation, citing a 2006 administrative case on judicial authority.
Contempt of Court: Ensuring Due Process and Avoiding Abuse of Judicial Authority
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when judges may issue arrest warrants in preliminary investigations and why good faith shields them from administrative liability.
Navigating Corporate Disputes Jurisdiction AND Procedural Pitfalls IN Philippine LAW
Learn how Philippine courts handle jurisdiction and procedural errors in corporate disputes, with key takeaways from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Dismissal of Action: When Certiorari Is the Proper Remedy in Philippine Courts
Learn when certiorari is the proper remedy in Philippine courts, and why the Ombudsman cannot dismiss a complaint based on a prejudicial question.
Substantial Compliance in Procedure and Jurisdiction Shifts in Intra-Corporate Disputes
Explaining Suzuki v. De Guzman on procedural rules, substantial compliance, and the transfer of intra-corporate jurisdiction from SEC to RTCs.
Prejudicial Question in Philippine Criminal Procedure: Suspends, Not Dismisses, Criminal Cases
Understand the prejudicial question doctrine in Philippine criminal procedure—how it suspends rather than dismisses criminal cases, with key rules.
Electoral Quorum Rules and Grounds for Challenging Election Results
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC quorum requirements, ballot appreciation rules, and grounds for challenging election results explained.