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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Civil Liability Despite Acquittal: Quasi-Contracts and Unjust Enrichment in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when an acquittal in a criminal case does not erase civil liability, citing quasi-contracts and solutio indebiti.
Falsification vs Misappropriation: When Paper Renewal Justifies Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a salesman's "paper renewal" amounts to falsification warranting dismissal, and when it does not.
Resolving Jurisdictional Conflicts Concurrent Jurisdiction VS Forum Shopping IN Intra Corporate Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts handle overlapping jurisdiction and forum shopping in intra-corporate disputes, based on a 2009 Supreme Court ruling.
Sellers Obligation Delivering Titles Despite Encumbrances IN Philippine Property LAW
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on subdivision sellers' duty to deliver clean titles despite encumbrances, and buyer remedies.
Novation Must Be Clear: Restructuring Agreements Do Not Automatically Extinguish Prior Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when debt restructuring novates an obligation and when it merely modifies the original agreement.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer Bears Burden of Proving Just Cause and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer's burden to prove just cause and due process in illegal dismissal cases.
Just Cause vs Due Process: What Bacolod-Talisay Realty Teaches About Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on dismissal with just cause but defective procedure, explaining nominal damages for employees.
MTRCB Power to Regulate TV Broadcasts: Free Speech vs Public Welfare
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling in Soriano v. Laguardia on MTRCB regulatory powers over television broadcasts and free speech limits.
Good Faith and the Lis Pendens Rule: Lessons from Cunanan v. Jumping Jap Trading
A Supreme Court ruling shows why a cancelled notice of lis pendens does not always protect a mortgagee, and how bad faith can void a real estate mortgage.
Reconstitution of Title: Why Primary Evidence Matters in Land Registration
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why reconstitution of a lost title requires primary evidence, not mere certifications.
Homestead Patent Validity Prevails Clarifying Land Ownership Rights And Restrictions
Supreme Court ruling on homestead patents, quitclaims, and land ownership rights under the Public Land Act.
Speedy Trial Rights When Agreement Nullifies Delay In Securities Act Cases
Supreme Court ruling on when an accused's agreement to defer trial negates claims of speedy trial violation in securities cases.
When Club By-Laws Fail: Protecting Membership Shares from Unjust Seizure
A Supreme Court ruling on when a non-stock corporation may validly dispose of a member's share for unpaid dues, and the limits of by-law authority.
Accretion Rights and Innocent Purchasers: Resolving Land Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on accretion rights, reconveyance actions, and the protection of innocent purchasers for value in land disputes.
Fraudulent Assurances in Easement Contracts: Upholding Freedom From Misrepresentation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on pleading fraud with particularity in easement contracts and the requirements for a valid cause of action.
Truthfulness in Personal Data Sheets: Consequences of Dishonesty in Government Employment
A Supreme Court ruling on a court employee's dishonest PDS shows how concealment of past administrative offenses can end a government career.
Voluntary Resignation Bars Seafarers Claims Understanding Contractual Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how voluntary resignation affects seafarers' claims for sickness allowance and disability benefits under POEA contracts.
Shared Intent, Shared Liability: Understanding Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on murder, treachery, and voluntary surrender shows how intent and circumstance shape criminal liability and damages.
Hierarchy of Courts and the Right Venue for Legal Recourse: Lessons on Resolving Moot Issues
A Supreme Court ruling on the hierarchy of courts, proper venue for legal recourse, and how courts resolve issues that have become moot.
Due Process in Dismissal: What the Supreme Court Really Requires
A 2009 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a formal hearing is not always required before an employee is dismissed — only a genuine chance to be heard.
OFW Death Liability: Protecting Overseas Workers and Ensuring Accountability
Supreme Court ruling holds recruitment agencies solidarily liable for OFW deaths, imposing moral and exemplary damages for abandoning workers in distress.
Upholding Ethical Conduct When Court Employees Lie, Cheat, or Defraud
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on dismissing employees for dishonesty and loss of trust, and what it means for due process in termination cases.
Sugar Mill Loans: When Contract Terms Define Government's Right to Recover Funds
Supreme Court ruling on condonation scope in sugar mill loans, clarifying when banks and government can apply deposits to unpaid obligations.
Forum Shopping AND Security OF Tenure Balancing Equity IN Public Service
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies security of tenure for government executives, distinguishing third-level positions and reassignment rules.