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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Dismissal for Loss of Confidence: When a Validly Dismissed Employee Cannot Claim Retirement Pay
The Supreme Court ruled that an employee lawfully dismissed for serious misconduct and loss of confidence cannot be awarded retirement benefits as a measure of social justice.
Delayed Justice Determining Fair Compensation FOR Government Land Seizure
When the government takes property without expropriation, what value controls? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on just compensation.
Judicial Accountability THE Price OF Delay AND Disobedience IN THE Philippine Justice System
Separation Pay After Valid Dismissal: When Social Justice Does Not Apply
The Supreme Court clarifies when a validly dismissed employee may still receive separation pay, and when social justice arguments fail.
Balancing Technical Rules and Justice When the Court of Appeals Must Review Cases on Merit
The Supreme Court clarifies that failure to attach all pleadings to a Rule 42 petition should not automatically result in outright dismissal.
Liberal Interpretation of Procedural Rules Ensures Substantive Justice in Administrative Appeals
The Supreme Court reminds courts that procedural rules serve justice, not defeat it, in administrative appeals.
Judgment in Absentia: Balancing Due Process and Timely Justice in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when judgment in absentia is valid, the limits of appeal, and how courts correct illegal penalties despite finality.
Dismissal for Misconduct When Neglect and Delay Cost Judicial Positions
A municipal treasurer's dismissal for serious dishonesty and grave misconduct was upheld despite procedural lapses, as the Supreme Court ruled on appeal rules and substantial justice.
Treachery in Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Unexpected Attacks
The Supreme Court explains treachery as a qualifying circumstance in murder, using a 2013 case to clarify sudden, unprovoked attacks.
Judicial Delay in Ejectment Cases: When Slow Justice Becomes a Sanctionable Offense
The Supreme Court fined a judge P10,000 for delaying an ejectment ruling beyond the mandatory 30-day period under the Rules on Summary Procedure.
Creditable Government Service: When Consultancy Work Counts for Justice Retirement Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on crediting consultancy work as government service for retirement benefits of justices under RA 9946.
Protecting Children Upholding Justice IN Child Abuse AND Rape Cases Under Philippine LAW
A look at how Philippine courts decide rape cases, the weight given to credible victim testimony, and the rules on force, intimidation, and delay in reporting.
Admonishing Delay in Executing Final Judgments: A Lesson for Judges
Sandiganbayan justices admonished for delaying execution of a final conviction, highlighting the ministerial duty to implement judgments promptly.
Building Care v. Macaraeg: When Late Appeals and Counsel's Negligence Are Not Excused
The Supreme Court ruled that a late appeal cannot be excused by invoking substantial justice alone, and that a client is bound by the negligence of counsel.
Judicial Efficiency: The Consequences of Delay in Rendering Decisions
When an appeal is dismissed for a late brief, is that the end? The Supreme Court weighs strict procedural rules against substantive justice in CMTC v. Bhagis.
Balancing Justice and Procedure When Attorney Negligence Threatens a Client's Appeal
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may relax procedural rules, holding that a counsel's ordinary negligence binds the client and cannot justify a late appeal.
Finality vs Justice: Reconciling Immutability of Judgments With Equitable Labor Standards
The Supreme Court clarifies when a final judgment can be reconsidered, balancing the doctrine of immutability with the rights of illegally dismissed employees.
Dismissal for Lack of Pre-Trial Brief: Balancing Procedural Rules and Justice
The Supreme Court affirms dismissal of a case for failure to file a pre-trial brief, clarifying the fresh period rule and the binding effect of counsel's negligence.
Fiscal Autonomy and the Judiciary: The Supreme Court's Power to Dispose of Its Properties
The Supreme Court affirms its fiscal autonomy in property disposal, resolving a COA dispute over appraisal formulas for retired justices' purchases.
Interlocutory Orders: Why Immediate Appeals Can Derail Justice
Philippine Supreme Court explains why interlocutory orders cannot be appealed immediately, preventing delays and multiplicity of appeals in criminal cases.
Judicial Misconduct and Impeachment: When Court Review Becomes Moot
The Supreme Court explains why it dismissed Chief Justice Corona's challenge to his impeachment trial—because the case became moot after conviction.
Supreme Court Dismisses Corona Impeachment Petition on Mootness Grounds
The Supreme Court dismissed former Chief Justice Corona's petition assailing his impeachment trial, ruling the case became moot upon his conviction.
Undue Delay in Justice: A Judge's Accountability in Expediting Legal Proceedings
When a judge delays a case, justice suffers. The Supreme Court's ruling in Chu v. Capellan explains why judges must act promptly.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: Balancing Landowner Rights and Social Justice
The Supreme Court clarifies how just compensation is determined in agrarian reform cases, balancing landowner rights with the state's social justice mandate.