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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Rehabilitation Proceedings and Contractual Obligations: Balancing Creditor Rights and Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on suspension of collection suits during corporate rehabilitation proceedings under PD 902-A.
Agrarian Reform: When Courts Can Interfere With DAR's Discretion
Explains when courts may review DAR decisions in agrarian reform cases, using a 2008 Supreme Court ruling on CARP exemptions.
Valid Substituted Service and Child Support Rights in Philippine Family Law
Supreme Court ruling on valid substituted service of summons for OFW parents and the right of illegitimate children to support.
Upholding Contract Validity When Signed Agreements Prevail In Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when notarized deeds of sale prevail over claims of equitable mortgage or forgery in property disputes.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Labor Disputes Involving Government Chartered Corporations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that labor disputes in government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters fall under the Civil Service Commission, not the NLRC.
Judicial Accountability: Dismissal for Undue Delay and Misconduct in Philippine Courts
Process server dismissed for grave misconduct over delayed summons service and unauthorized travel money. Philippine Supreme Court ruling explained.
Misdirected Appeals: Why Filing in the Wrong Court Can Cost You Your Case
Learn how filing an appeal in the wrong court can doom your case, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax credits.
Judiciary Employees and Private Business: Maintaining Public Trust in Philippine Courts
Why Philippine court employees cannot engage in private business, explained through a 2008 Supreme Court ruling on a clerk of court's lending venture.
Grave Misconduct and Breach of Public Trust: When a Process Server Is Dismissed
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows how a process server's unexplained delay and unauthorized acceptance of travel money led to dismissal for grave misconduct.
Cutting Trees on Private Land: When Is a Permit Required in the Philippines?
Philippine law requires a DENR permit even for cutting trees on private land. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
When a Wife Can Challenge Her Husband's Sale of Conjugal Property
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a wife can annul her husband's sale of conjugal property without her consent, explained in plain language.
Res Judicata and Illegal Dismissal: Requisites for Dismissal of Labor Disputes in the Philippines
Learn the four requisites of res judicata in illegal dismissal cases, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Balancing Efficiency and Due Process: Lessons from a Judge-Legal Researcher Dispute
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge-legal researcher dispute clarifies duties, due process, and accountability in the judiciary.
Heirs' Rights Prevail in Inheritance Disputes: Partition and Prescription Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on heirs' rights in inheritance disputes, covering partition, prescription, and validity of conveyances affecting estate property.
Defining Confidential Employees: Balancing Labor Rights and Management Prerogatives in Collective Bargaining
Supreme Court ruling on confidential employees in bargaining units and acting capacity pay, balancing labor rights with management prerogatives.
Dacion en Pago and Foreclosure: When a Debt Remains a Debt
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that an unaccepted dacion en pago does not extinguish a debt, allowing mortgage foreclosure to proceed.
Illegal Dismissal of Seafarers: Overtime Pay and Contractual Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer illegal dismissal, salary for unexpired contract, and guaranteed overtime pay.
When a Complaint Fails to State a Cause of Action: The Preliminary Hearing Remedy
Learn when a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action should be heard before trial, based on a 2008 Supreme Court ruling.
Protecting Land Titles: Limits of Agrarian Reform Jurisdiction and Ancestral Land Claims
Supreme Court ruling on DARAB jurisdiction, Torrens title protection, and ancestral land claims under RA 8371.
Striking a Balance When Employee Misconduct Doesnt Warrant Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a court employee's overstepping of duties constitutes simple misconduct, not grounds for dismissal.
Lis Pendens Cancellation: Final Judgments and Property Rights Under Biglang-Awa
Learn when a notice of lis pendens can be cancelled after a final judgment, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Biglang-Awa v. Philippine Trust Company.
Compromise Agreements Prevail Over Final Judgments in Philippine Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how compromise agreements can supersede final judgments, explained for lay readers.
Trademark License Revocation: When Unauthorized Use Justifies Termination
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a trademark owner may validly revoke a license for unauthorized use beyond the agreed scope.
Overseas Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal and Fair Compensation in Maritime Employment
Understand the Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal of overseas Filipino workers and how compensation is computed under RA 8042.