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.
Deposition Deadlines in Intra-Corporate Cases: Philippine Computer Solutions v. Hernandez
The Supreme Court clarifies the 15-day discovery period under the Interim Rules on Intra-Corporate Controversies and the rule on interlocutory orders.
Credibility of Witnesses and Inconsistencies Between Affidavits and Court Testimony in Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on witness credibility, affidavit-testimony inconsistencies, and penalties for rape by sexual intercourse and sexual assault.
Finality vs Appeal: When an Unreadable Decision Tolls the Appeal Period
The Supreme Court clarifies when an unreadable court decision interrupts the appeal period, balancing procedural rules against substantial justice.
Publication Requirement for Tax Ordinances: A Prerequisite to Enforceability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that publication of local tax ordinances is a condition precedent to their enforceability and collection.
Navigating Forum Shopping: The Consequences of Concealing Related Cases in Habeas Corpus Petitions
The Supreme Court explains why filing a habeas corpus petition while concealing a related certiorari case amounts to forum shopping, with serious consequences.
Continuing SEC Jurisdiction Resolving Corporate Liquidation Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies SEC retains jurisdiction over pending corporate suspension and liquidation cases filed before June 30, 2000.
Self-Defense and Unlawful Aggression: Burden of Proof in Philippine Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on self-defense, unlawful aggression, and the accused's burden of proof in homicide cases.
Theft Is Consummated Upon Taking: Debunking the Myth of Frustrated Theft
The Supreme Court clarifies that theft is consummated the moment the offender takes property with intent to gain, even if later apprehended.
Employer's Liability for Diligence in Employee Supervision After a Vehicular Accident
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability and the standard of diligence required in supervising employees after a vehicular accident.
Military Pension and Citizenship: The Parreño Ruling on PD 1638
Retired AFP officers who lose Filipino citizenship can have their pensions terminated under PD 1638, as upheld in Parreño v. COA.
Treachery and Witness Credibility in Philippine Murder Convictions
How credible eyewitness testimony and treachery shape murder convictions in the Philippines, with lessons from People v. Dulanas.
Easement Reduction on Urban Land: Balancing Public Land Rules and Development
When a free-patent lot becomes urban private land, the river easement may shrink from 40 meters to 3 meters.
Judicial Integrity: Misappropriation of Court Funds Leads to Dismissal and Restitution
Supreme Court dismisses two court clerks for misappropriating over P4 million in judiciary funds, ordering joint restitution and forfeiture of benefits.
Contract Rescission and RTC Jurisdiction: Lessons from Villena v. Payoyo
When rescinding a contract is the primary remedy, the case belongs in the Regional Trial Court—even if the monetary claim is small.
Notarial Wills and Territorial Limits on Notary Public Authority
A will acknowledged before a notary acting outside his commission is void. Learn the territorial limits rule from Guerrero v. Bihis.
Good Faith in Property Transactions: Protecting Innocent Purchasers Under the Torrens System
When a notarized special power of attorney turns out forged, who keeps the land? The Supreme Court explains good faith under the Torrens system.
Finality of Judgments: Why a Belated Appeal Cannot Revive a Case
The Supreme Court explains why a late motion for reconsideration makes a Court of Appeals decision final and executory, binding all parties.
Finality of Judgments: Untimely Motion for Reconsideration in Administrative Cases
An untimely motion for reconsideration makes a Court of Appeals decision final and executory, binding all parties in administrative cases.
Bare Denials Cannot Overcome Positive Testimony in Buy-Bust Drug Convictions
Explore how the Supreme Court affirmed drug convictions despite denials, emphasizing the weight of positive police testimony in buy-bust operations.
Paraphernal Property vs Conjugal: When Improvements Don't Change Ownership
When does a wife's inherited land become conjugal property? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on improvements in Heirs of Vicente Reyes.
Prescription in Mortgage Foreclosure: When the Clock Starts Ticking in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that the 10-year prescriptive period for mortgage foreclosure runs from default, not from the mortgage date.
Ballot Box Integrity is Key: Safeguarding Election Results in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Rosal v. Comelec: ballots must be proven untampered before they can overturn election returns.
Quieting of Title and Summary Judgments: What Philippine Property Owners Should Know
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified when summary judgment is proper in quieting of title cases, and what this means for property owners facing ownership disputes.
Serious Physical Injuries in the Philippines: The Pilares Case Explained
Understand serious physical injuries under Philippine law through the Pilares case, including penalties, evidence, and self-defense considerations.