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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Payment Deadlines: Insurers Can't Deny Coverage After Granting Credit
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when insurers cannot deny coverage if they granted credit terms for premium payments.
When Counsel's Negligence Binds the Client: Due Process Limits in Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a lawyer's failure to file an appellant's brief justifies dismissal of an appeal and binds the client.
Credibility in Rape and Murder Cases: The Weight of a Witness's Testimony
In People v. Carpo, the Supreme Court upheld a conviction based on one eyewitness, showing how Philippine courts weigh testimony, alibi, and flight.
Trademark Infringement: How the Dominancy Test Protects Brand Recognition
The Supreme Court explains why the dominancy test, not the holistic test, governs confusing similarity in trademark infringement cases.
The Limits of Injunctive Relief When Enrollment Rights Meet School Policies
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when courts may issue injunctions in school enrollment disputes, requiring clear legal rights and urgent necessity.
Due Process and Notice: When Failure to Notify Voids Court Proceedings in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how defective pretrial notice violates due process and voids default judgments.
Overseas Placement Agencies: Fair Treatment of Workers and the Rule on Illegal Exactions
A look at the Supreme Court ruling on overseas placement agencies, illegal exactions, contract substitution, and the need for published rules.
Academic Freedom vs Civil Service Rules: UP Wins Faculty Retention Case
Supreme Court rules UP's academic freedom lets it retain a professor despite AWOL, overriding CSC's automatic separation directive.
Presidential Immunity vs Accountability: Limits of Power After Leaving Office
The Supreme Court clarifies that presidential immunity shields sitting presidents from suit, but accountability resumes once they leave office.
Treachery and Intent: Differentiating Murder and Homicide in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when treachery qualifies a killing as murder and when it remains homicide, in People v. Lucena.
Deportation and Habeas Corpus: The Limits of Judicial Intervention in Immigration Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may issue the writ of habeas corpus in deportation cases involving undocumented aliens.
Habeas Corpus and Deportation: What Tung Chin Hui v. Rodriguez Means for Aliens in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when habeas corpus is available to aliens facing deportation orders from the Bureau of Immigration.
When Identification Fails: The Teves Parricide Acquittal and the Limits of Circumstantial Evidence
The Supreme Court acquits a parricide convict, showing how suggestive identification and weak circumstantial evidence cannot support a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
Conditional Donations: Upholding Intent Despite Technicalities in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court ruled that substantial compliance with donation formalities and the donor's intent prevail over technical defects in accepting conditional donations.
Habeas Corpus Cannot Free Undocumented Alien with Tampered Passport
Supreme Court rules habeas corpus cannot be issued when BID has validly ordered deportation of an alien found using a tampered, cancelled passport.
Amending Informations After Arraignment: Rights of the Accused vs. Prosecutorial Efficiency
When can the prosecution amend an Information after arraignment? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on substantial vs. formal amendments.
Rape and Consent: The Threshold of Penetration in Philippine Law
A soft penis can still consummate rape. The Supreme Court explains why the slightest penetration of the labia is enough, and why consent defenses often fail.
Can One Spouse Sign for Both? Certifying Compliance in Philippine Legal Proceedings
A Supreme Court ruling shows why the certificate of non-forum shopping must be signed by the parties themselves, and what happens when a spouse signs for both.
Breach of Trust Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Lack of Witnesses
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible victim testimony, even without eyewitnesses or medical examination.
Supreme Court Fines Judge for Delay, Upholding Right to Speedy Disposition of Cases
The Supreme Court fined a judge P5,000 for deciding a summary procedure case four months late, reaffirming the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases.
The Weight of a Witness Conviction Based on Uncorroborated Testimony in Philippine Rape Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a single, credible victim testimony suffices to convict in rape cases, and why corroboration is not always required.
Reasonable Doubt and Credibility in Rape Cases: Lessons from People v. Balano
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how credible victim testimony outweighs alibi and the absence of medical examination.
Distinguishing Civil Law Lease From Agricultural Tenancy Security of Tenure in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a fishpond lease is a civil contract, not an agricultural tenancy with security of tenure.
Speedy Trial Rights: Government Delay Leads to Dismissal of Falsification Charges
Supreme Court rules Sandiganbayan must dismiss falsification cases after Ombudsman's decade-long delay violated petitioner's constitutional right to speedy disposition.