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.
Choosing the Right Appeal: Rule 41 vs. Rule 42 in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when to use an ordinary appeal versus a petition for review in property cases, emphasizing the importance of the correct mode of appeal.
Teacher Discipline and Due Process: Grave Misconduct in Philippine Schools
A teacher's physical punishment of a student constitutes grave misconduct, but mitigating factors can temper the penalty of dismissal.
Affinity and Judicial Disqualification: What the Supreme Court Clarified
The Supreme Court clarifies when family relations by affinity disqualify a judge, and why mere allegations are not enough.
Tolerance and Land Ownership: How Permissive Use Impacts Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how possession by mere tolerance cannot ripen into ownership through prescription or adverse possession.
Corporate Reorganization, Presidential Alter Ego Doctrine, and Security of Tenure Limits
Supreme Court clarifies when government corporate boards may reorganize, reassign officers, and drop employees for poor performance without violating tenure.
Judicial Accountability vs Erroneous Judgments: Protecting Judicial Independence in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judicial accountability, erroneous judgments, and the constitutional protection of judicial independence.
Entrapment vs Instigation: Defining the Boundaries of Drug Law Enforcement in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between valid entrapment and prohibited instigation in drug buy-bust operations, and why it matters.
Falsification and Probable Cause: Protecting Individuals From Baseless Criminal Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may review prosecutors' findings and what probable cause requires in falsification cases.
Reconstitution of Title: The Critical Requirements of Loss and Good Faith
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies strict requirements for judicial reconstitution of lost or destroyed Torrens titles under RA 26.
Reconveyance and Good Faith: When a Torrens Title Is Not Enough
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a Torrens title obtained in bad faith may be defeated by an action for reconveyance by one with a better right.
Self-Defense and Proximate Cause in Homicide: Lessons from Belbis v. People
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and how proximate cause links stab wounds to death in homicide cases.
Bank Liability for Altered Checks and Employee Misconduct: Lessons from Westmont Bank v. Dela Rosa-Ramos
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when banks are liable for altered checks and negligent employees, and how depositor contributory negligence affects damages.
Breach of Trust: Upholding Employers' Right to Terminate Managerial Employees in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers may validly terminate managerial employees for breach of trust, examining the legal standards and evidentiary requirements.
Contempt and Corporate Audits: The Boundaries of Court Orders and Stockholder Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when court-ordered corporate audits and contempt citations stand—and when they become moot.
Personal Liability of Corporate Officers: When Are They Responsible for Company Debts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers and directors can be held personally liable for corporate obligations and debts.
When Void Government Contracts Still Get Paid: Quantum Meruit Explained
Philippine Supreme Court explains when contractors can recover payment for void government contracts through quantum meruit, citing DPWH v. Quiwa.
Resignation and Administrative Cases in the Philippines: What Andutan Teaches Us
Can a resigned public official still face administrative cases? The Supreme Court's Andutan ruling clarifies the limits of Ombudsman jurisdiction.
Liability in Maritime Charters: Who Pays When the Ship Goes Down
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who bears liability when a chartered vessel sinks, applying the Civil Code over the Code of Commerce.
Double Land Titles in the Philippines: How to Determine Ownership and Avoid Legal Battles
Learn how Philippine courts resolve double land titles, verify true ownership, and prevent property disputes with practical legal guidance.
Custody Consequences: Understanding Failure to Return a Minor Under Philippine Law
Learn what constitutes the crime of kidnapping and failure to return a minor under Philippine law, explained through a landmark Supreme Court case.
Employer's Duty of Care: When Is a Philippine Company Liable for an Employee's Illness?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies employer liability for employee illness under Article 161 of the Labor Code in Ocean Builders v. Cubacub.
Lost Land Title Petitions: Court Limits, Due Diligence, and Protecting Property Rights
Learn how Philippine courts handle petitions for new owner's duplicate titles, including jurisdictional limits, due diligence duties, and key lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Protecting Press Freedom Understanding Libel and Fair Reporting in Philippine Media Law
Explore the boundaries of libel and fair reporting in Philippine media law through the Supreme Court's ruling in Angeles v. Gaite.
Security of Tenure, Constructive Dismissal, and Floating Status in Security Agencies
When a security guard's floating status exceeds six months, the law treats it as constructive dismissal. Learn the rules from this Supreme Court case.