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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Parental Rights vs Child’s Affidavit of Desistance: Protecting Minors in Legal Proceedings
A judge was fined for dismissing a rape case based on a minor’s affidavit of desistance without parental consent or notice. Key family law lessons.
Upholding Land Sales Good Faith Purchasers Protected Despite Family Disputes
Rape Conviction Affirmed: The Grave Consequences of Betrayal Within Family Ties
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a brother who raped his 17-year-old sister, underscoring the law's treatment of incestuous rape.
Acquisitive Prescription vs Succession: How Heirs Keep Land Ownership in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when prescription and laches cannot defeat inheritance rights over family land.
Guardianship Appointment Prioritizing Family Ties AND THE Wards Best Interests
Challenging Contract Validity: Proving Simulation in Property Sales Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proving simulated contracts in property sales, emphasizing that mere family relations do not prove simulation.
Incestuous Rape: Credibility and Delayed Reporting in Family Abuse Cases
A father's conviction for raping his daughter shows how courts weigh credibility, delayed reporting, and threats in incest cases.
Execution Pending Appeal in Legal Separation: When Urgency Must Outweigh Injustice
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a family court may order immediate execution pending appeal in a legal separation case, and why a mere bond is not enough.
Custody Rights and the Best Interest of the Child: Religious Conversion and Parental Fitness
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on child custody, religious conversion, and parental fitness under the Family Code and Muslim personal laws.
When a Donation to a Common-Law Spouse Is Void Under Article 87 of the Family Code
The Supreme Court explains when a donation to a common-law spouse is void under Article 87 of the Family Code, and what evidence proves cohabitation.
Breach of Trust and Damages for False Claims in Family Business Disputes
A family shareholder who falsely claimed full ownership of a pooled investment faced actual and moral damages after the Court found his claim breached a trust.
Redemption Rights vs Fraudulent Conveyance: Protecting Family Interests in Property Disputes
When a father assigns his right to redeem property to his son, can creditors later challenge it as fraudulent? The Supreme Court explains.
Moral Ascendancy as Substitute for Force in Incestuous and Family Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how moral ascendancy and intimidation can substitute for physical force in rape convictions.
Compromise Agreements Enforceability and Third Party Rights in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on spousal consortium, habeas corpus, and the limits of court-ordered cohabitation under the Family Code.
Upholding Judicial Integrity: Dismissal for Immoral Conduct and Breach of Ethical Standards
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows why judges can be dismissed for immoral conduct and how a family's withdrawal of a complaint does not stop disciplinary action.
Upholding Ethical Conduct Court Employee Disciplined FOR Undermining Family Harmony AND Impartiality
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Duty to Protect Children From Abuse Within the Family
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a stepfather who raped his 9-year-old stepdaughter, underscoring the duty to protect children from abuse within the family.
Void Marriages and Inheritance Rights: Determining Legal Heirs in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void marriages, death benefits, and who qualifies as legal heirs under the Family Code.
Family Compromise Rule Does Not Apply to Estate Settlement Proceedings
Supreme Court clarifies that Article 222's family compromise requirement applies only to ordinary civil actions, not special proceedings like estate settlement.
Navigating Inheritance for Distant Relatives in the Philippines: Understanding the Rule of Proximity
Learn how Philippine intestate succession works for distant relatives, including the rule of proximity and who inherits when no immediate family exists.
Unmarried Couples and Property Rights in the Philippines: Co-Ownership in Illicit Relationships
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property co-ownership for unmarried couples in adulterous relationships under Article 148 of the Family Code.
TAX Refunds AND THE Duty OF THE State BPI Family Savings Bank VS CIR
Cohabitation and Property Rights: When Co-Ownership Arises Under the Family Code
Mere cohabitation does not create co-ownership. Under Article 148 of the Family Code, actual contribution to acquisition is required.
When Family Ties Meet Election Law: Disqualification for Acts of Terrorism
A spouse can be disqualified from office for election terrorism committed by her husband when the acts enhance her candidacy.