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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Bank Employees, Breach of Trust, and Dismissal for Just Cause in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that bank employees who divert depositor funds may be dismissed for loss of trust and confidence, even if the bank suffered no proven loss.
Preliminary Injunction Against MMDA Billboards: Protecting Contractual Rights Pending Trial
Supreme Court affirms preliminary injunction stopping MMDA from dismantling MRT 3 billboards, protecting Trackworks' contractual advertising rights pending trial.
Proving Loss of Trust and Confidence in Illegal Dismissal Cases in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when loss of trust and confidence justifies employee dismissal, and what employers must prove.
Tax Assessment and Collection: Understanding the 10-Year Rule in the Philippines
Learn when the 10-year prescriptive period applies to tax assessment and collection in the Philippines, explained through the Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Tulio case.
Third-Party Claims in Attachment: Following Rule 57’s Prescribed Remedies
A third-party claimant cannot shortcut attachment rules. The Supreme Court in Florido v. Shemberg clarifies the proper remedy under Rule 57.
Tax Credit Claims: Time Limits and Exceptions for Advance Payments
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax credit claims for advance income tax payments, and when the two-year prescriptive period may not apply.
Res Ipsa Loquitur in Property Damage: Employer Liability for Employee Negligence
When a car fire destroys property, res ipsa loquitur may shift the burden to defendants. Learn the rule from this Philippine Supreme Court case.
When Can Unpaid Wages Be Offset Against Company Property? The Nadela Case
Philippine Supreme Court explains when legal compensation applies to offset unpaid wages against company property in employee's custody.
Correcting Court Notices: The Price of Negligence in Judicial Administration
Learn how failure to file tax returns extends the prescriptive period and why court notice errors carry serious consequences.
Corporate Residence and Venue: Where a Corporation Must Sue
The Supreme Court clarifies that a corporation's residence for venue purposes is its principal office stated in its Articles of Incorporation.
Tax Sale Invalidity: Strict Compliance With Notice Requirements Protects Property Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how failure to give proper notice in tax delinquency sales invalidates the sale and protects property owners' rights.
Foreclosure Sales and Labor Claims: When Buyers Are Not Liable for a Mortgagor's Debts
The Supreme Court clarifies that a mortgagee-creditor who buys foreclosed assets does not automatically assume the mortgagor's labor liabilities.
Judicial Restraint Maintaining Impartiality AND Temperance IN Judicial Conduct
Annulment of Judgment: Extrinsic Fraud and Timeliness in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the four-year prescriptive period and strict requirements for annulment of judgment based on extrinsic fraud under Rule 47.
Attitude Problems and Employee Termination: Defining Just Cause in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when "attitude problem" can justify employee termination and the required notices for valid dismissal.
Breach of Trust Accountability for Mismanaged Court Funds in the Philippine Judiciary
When a clerk of court mishandles fiduciary funds, the Supreme Court imposes strict accountability, even after retirement.
Motion for Reconsideration: Timelines and Finality in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts treat motions for reconsideration, annulment of judgment timelines, and the finality of judgments.
Quantum Meruit Recovery for Services Without a Formal Contract
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recovering payment for services rendered without a written contract, explained in plain language.
Prosecutor's Comment on Motion for Reconsideration After Information Filed Not Misconduct
Supreme Court rules a prosecutor who files a recommendatory comment on a motion for reconsideration after arraignment does not commit conduct prejudicial to the service.
The Weight of Witness Testimony and Identity in Homicide Convictions
How Philippine courts assess eyewitness identification and credibility in homicide cases, and why knowing a face matters more than knowing a name.
Substantial Justice vs Procedural Rules: When Courts Relax the 60-Day Rule in Labor Cases
The Supreme Court explains when a late petition for certiorari may be excused, balancing procedural rules against substantial justice in labor disputes.
Judicial Accountability: Fines for Judges Who Delay Case Resolutions
Learn how Philippine courts penalize judges for failing to decide cases on time, based on a Supreme Court ruling on judicial accountability.
Breach of Trust: Government Employees, Habitual Absenteeism, and Misuse of Public Funds
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on habitual absenteeism and AWOL in government service, explaining penalties and the public trust doctrine.
Tenancy Rights: How to Prove Agricultural Tenancy in Philippine Agrarian Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that a tenancy relationship cannot be presumed—all six elements must be proven by evidence.