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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Navigating Mining Disputes When Courts NOT Arbitrators Decide Contract Validity
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when regular courts, not the Panel of Arbitrators, have jurisdiction over mining contract disputes.
When Heated Words Lead to Illegal Strikes: Balancing Free Speech and Order in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on gross negligence, serious misconduct, and due process in employee dismissal cases under the Labor Code.
Court Personnel Extortion: Proving Guilt in Administrative Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on extortion by court personnel, explaining how guilt is proven in administrative cases and penalties.
Court Personnel and Immoral Conduct: When Private Acts Become Administrative Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how court employees' private immoral conduct can lead to administrative sanctions and suspension.
Retention Rights Under Agrarian Reform: Landowner's Duty of Full Disclosure
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on agrarian retention rights, emphasizing a landowner's duty of full disclosure in retention applications.
Letters of Intent: When a Preliminary Document Is Not a Contract of Sale in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a Letter of Intent remains a mere declaration of intention, not a binding contract to sell or conditional sale.
Breach of Trust and Confidence: Upholding Termination of Supervisory Employees in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on valid dismissal of supervisory employees for breach of trust and confidence in Coca-Cola Bottlers case.
Death and Legal Representation: How Estate Claims Proceed in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on estate claims, probate jurisdiction, and why the value of the decedent's estate determines which court hears the case.
Voluntary Appearance and Motion to Dismiss: When Filing Confers Jurisdiction in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when filing a motion to dismiss without raising lack of jurisdiction constitutes voluntary appearance.
Solidary vs Joint Obligations: When Liability Is Not Presumed in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that solidary obligations are not presumed; joint debtors are liable only for their proportionate shares.
Voluntary Appearance and Summons: Protecting Property Rights in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a defendant's court filings waive defective summons, protecting property rights in quieting title cases.
Due Process vs Abandonment: Balancing Employee Rights in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that valid dismissal for abandonment still requires due process; employers must pay nominal damages for notice violations.
Abandonment of Work and Due Process: When Dismissal Is Valid but Still Costs the Employer
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that abandoning work is a just cause for dismissal, but employers who skip the two-notice rule still pay nominal damages.
Retirement Rights Prevail Resolving Appointment Disputes IN Philippine Civil Service
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how retirement moots appointment disputes in civil service reorganization cases.
Stipulation Pour Autrui: The Beneficiary's Right and Timely Acceptance
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies stipulation pour autrui requisites, acceptance timing, and repurchase rights under Article 1606 in Narvaez v. Alciso.
Robbery With Homicide: When the Killing Lacks the Required Connection to the Robbery
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a killing is "by reason or on the occasion" of robbery, and when separate crimes result instead.
Lost Appeal Timeliness Rules in Expropriation Cases in the Philippines
When must an expropriation appeal be filed? Philippine Supreme Court clarifies appeal timeliness rules in land compensation cases.
Spousal Consent in Real Estate Sales: When a Sale Without It Is Void
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why selling conjugal property without the wife's consent makes the sale void, explained in plain language.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim's Credibility and Immediate Reporting Key in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, emphasizing victim credibility, immediate reporting, and trial court deference in assessing witness testimony.
Chain of Custody Imperative Safeguarding Drug Evidence for Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug suspect when prosecution fails to prove unbroken chain of custody of seized shabu.
When Is a Board Resolution Required for a Corporate Loan? Key Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate by-laws can authorize a president to borrow money without a board resolution.
Civil Liability Survives Acquittal: Negligence by Preponderance of Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: an acquittal in a criminal case does not automatically erase civil liability if negligence is proven by preponderance of evidence.
Possession Is Nine Tenths of the Law: Enforceability of a Writ of Possession During Appeal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a writ of possession in extrajudicial foreclosures can be enforced even while an appeal is pending.
Habeas Corpus and Valid Court Judgments: When the Writ Is Denied in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when habeas corpus petitions are denied despite procedural leniency, emphasizing valid judgments and pending cases.