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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Protecting Your Property From Fraudulent Land Titles: Key Lessons From Arriola vs. Mahilum
Learn how the Supreme Court nullified fraudulent land titles in Arriola vs. Mahilum and what property owners must know to protect their rights.
Supervisory Failures in the Judiciary: Holding Clerks of Court Accountable for Negligence
A clerk of court's duty to supervise subordinates is non-negotiable. This case explains liability for neglect of duty.
Positive Identification in Philippine Courts: Why Eyewitness Testimony Matters in Criminal Convictions
The Supreme Court explains why positive identification by a credible witness outweighs alibi and denial in Philippine criminal cases.
Workplace Sexual Harassment in the Philippines: Substantial Evidence and Employee Rights
Understand how the Supreme Court protects employees in sexual harassment cases, applying substantial evidence in administrative proceedings.
National vs Local Amusement Tax: Who Taxes PBA Games in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that amusement tax on PBA games is a national tax, not a local one. Learn the legal basis.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When Facebook Posts Lead to Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies how social media posts can prove psychological abuse under RA 9262 and why using Facebook raises the penalty.
Contracts Under Martial Law: When Government Regulations Don't Mean Void Ab Initio
Supreme Court clarifies that regulated goods under martial law orders remain valid contract objects, distinguishing prohibition from regulation.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Workers Should Know
The Supreme Court clarifies what procedural due process really means in employee dismissals, using a Philippine Airlines case as a guide.
Judicial Misconduct and Disbarment: Upholding Integrity in the Philippine Legal System
A retired judge's antedated decision led to his disbarment, reaffirming that lawyers must uphold integrity and the rule of law at all times.
Independent Judgment Prevails: Why Acquittal of Co-Accused Doesn't Guarantee Your Freedom
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a judge's acquittal of one co-accused does not bind another judge in separate trials. Learn the rule.
Unbroken Chains: How Circumstantial Evidence Proves Guilt in Philippine Robbery Homicide Cases
A robbery-homicide conviction upheld on circumstantial evidence alone. Learn the rules of proof and what constitutes an unbroken chain of circumstances.
Execution of Judgment in Ejectment Cases: Why the Court of Origin Matters
In ejectment cases, execution of an affirmed judgment generally belongs to the trial court of origin, not the appellate court. A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why.
Assurance Fund Claims in Philippine Property Law: Protecting Against Land Title Fraud
When can victims of land title fraud recover from the Assurance Fund? The Supreme Court explains the limits.
Justice Delayed IS Justice Denied Understanding Judicial Efficiency IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for failing to decide a case within the 90-day constitutional period.
Upholding Judicial Impartiality: Lessons from Judge Luzano's Ex Parte Inspection
A judge's ex parte ocular inspection after trial violates due process and the appearance of impartiality, as shown in this administrative case.
Public Officials Beware: Good Faith Reliance on Subordinates Is No Shield Against Graft Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies that public officials cannot evade graft liability by claiming reliance on subordinates, especially when approving large transactions.
Upholding Judicial Impartiality: Why Private Judge-Litigant Communication Is Unacceptable in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court admonishes a judge for private calls to a litigant, reaffirming that judges must not only be impartial but also appear impartial.
Contract of Sale vs. Contract to Sell: Key Differences in Philippine Real Estate Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial distinction between a contract of sale and a contract to sell, and why it matters in property disputes.
Unconscious Victim Rape Conviction and Witness Credibility in Philippine Law
Explaining People v. Villanos, where the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based on an unconscious victim's testimony and credibility findings.
When Presence at the Scene of an Illegal Act Becomes Misconduct: A Philippine Legal Guide
Explore how Philippine law treats presence at an illegal act as misconduct, using the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Casingal as a guide.
Ensuring Impartiality: Why Proper Case Raffling Is Crucial in Philippine Courts
A look at how the Supreme Court treats compromise agreements and why proper case raffling remains vital to judicial impartiality.
Bigamy in the Philippines: Why a Court Declaration Is Needed Even for Void Marriages
The Supreme Court explains why a judicial declaration of nullity is required before remarriage, even if the first marriage is void.
Pakikisama vs Public Duty: When Court Employees Cross the Line
Supreme Court censures court employees who left posts for a birthday party, ruling pakikisama cannot excuse neglect of public duty.
Beyond Eyewitnesses: Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based on circumstantial evidence, explaining what this means for criminal prosecutions in the Philippines.