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.
Administrative Absolution Does NOT BAR Criminal Prosecution Ensuring Accountability IN Public Office
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: dismissal of an administrative case does not bar criminal prosecution for the same acts against public officials.
Timely Notice of Appeal Protects Right to Appeal Modified Judgment
Supreme Court ruling on when a notice of appeal perfects an appeal and protects a party's right to challenge a modified judgment.
Land Title Registration: Proving Open Continuous Possession Since June 12, 1945
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on what evidence is needed to register land title based on possession since June 12, 1945.
Pilotage Fees and Government Share: PPA Can Collect Directly from Shipping Lines
Supreme Court ruling on PPA's authority to collect the 10% government share on pilotage fees directly from shipping companies.
Defining Abandonment And Insubordination Employee Rights VS Employer Authority
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee abandonment and insubordination, balancing worker rights against employer authority in termination disputes.
Abandonment in Agricultural Tenancy: When Hiring Help Costs Cultivation Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a tenant's surrender of cultivation to another amounts to abandonment and loss of tenancy rights.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: The Binding Force of Agreed Interest Rates in Credit Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on agreed interest rates in credit sales, party autonomy, and limits on unconscionable charges.
Dividing Assets After Annulment: Mortgage Validity and Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conjugal property division after annulment, mortgage validity, and the effect of compromise agreements on asset distribution.
Integrity in Public Service: Due Process in Administrative Misconduct Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on grave misconduct clarifies due process, family interests, and compromise authority in administrative cases.
Burden of Proof in Tax Refund Claims: Taxpayers Must Provide Sufficient Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Atlas Consolidated Mining clarifies that taxpayers claiming VAT refunds must present complete documentary evidence.
Jurisdiction Over Labor Disputes: The Decisive Moment of Filing Claims
A Supreme Court ruling on why filing the wrong remedy — or the right one too late — can end a labor case before the merits are ever reached.
Tax Declarations as Indicia of Possession: Lessons from Leoncio v. De Vera
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax declarations as evidence of possession and ownership in land reconveyance cases.
Employer's Vicarious Liability for Employee Negligence in Quasi-Delict Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability for driver negligence under quasi-delict, explained in plain language.
Union Security vs Due Process: Balancing Rights in Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a union security clause justifies dismissal and what due process employers must observe.
Corporate Rehabilitation, Foreclosure, and Judicial Independence: Key Lessons from Rombe Eximtrade
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when courts may issue injunctions against foreclosure after a rehabilitation case is dismissed.
Habitual Tardiness and Overtime Refusal: When Dismissal Is Valid but Due Process Still Matters
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on valid dismissal for habitual tardiness and overtime refusal, and the price of skipping procedural due process.
Breach of Trust: When Workplace Conduct Undermines Employer Confidence
Supreme Court ruling on when managerial employees may be validly dismissed for breach of trust and loss of confidence.
Finality of Judgments, Due Process, and Counsel's Negligence in Contract Rescission
A Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments, due process, and counsel's negligence in a construction contract rescission case.
Health Care Agreements: Insurers Must Prove Pre-Existing Conditions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who bears the burden of proving pre-existing conditions in health care agreements, and insurer liability for damages.
Ejectment and the Torrens Title: Why a Church's Title Prevailed Over a Former Pastor's Claim
A Supreme Court ruling on ejectment, Torrens titles, and why procedural lapses may be excused to serve substantial justice.
Hospital Liability for Consultant Doctors: The Doctrine of Apparent Authority
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on hospital liability for consultant physicians' negligence under apparent authority and corporate negligence doctrines.
Teachers Reassignment Balancing Rights AND Educational Needs
Explains when public school teachers may be validly transferred or reassigned, citing the Supreme Court ruling in Superintendent of City Schools v. Azarcon.
Credibility of Witness Testimony in Rape Cases: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how victim credibility determines guilt beyond reasonable doubt in statutory rape cases.
Burden of Proof: Uncorroborated Testimony Insufficient to Establish Liability in Damages Claim
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a plaintiff's sole, uncorroborated testimony cannot establish liability in a damages claim.