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.
Protecting Marital Property: The Necessity of Spousal Consent in Property Sales
Learn how the Supreme Court protects conjugal property from unauthorized sales by one spouse, and why buyers must verify spousal consent.
Demolition Notices vs Due Process: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine law requires demolition notices to comply with due process. Learn the rules that protect property owners and occupants.
Minor Defects in Election Returns Do Not Justify Exclusion from Canvass
The Supreme Court rules that minor defects in election returns are not grounds for exclusion in a pre-proclamation controversy.
Jurisdiction in Swindling Cases: How Penalties Determine the Proper Court
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how penalties and fines determine which court hears swindling cases under the Revised Penal Code.
Tax Amnesty vs Documentary Stamp Tax: When Can a Bank Claim Immunity
Supreme Court rules on DST liability for special savings accounts and whether tax amnesty covers deficiency assessments.
Voluntary Appearance and Motion to Dismiss: When Filing Confers Jurisdiction in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when filing a motion to dismiss without raising lack of jurisdiction constitutes voluntary appearance.
Voluntary Appearance and Summons: Protecting Property Rights in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a defendant's court filings waive defective summons, protecting property rights in quieting title cases.
Age of Criminal Responsibility: Testimonial Evidence and Protecting Juvenile Offenders
How testimonial evidence can prove a juvenile offender's age for exemption from criminal liability under RA 9344.
Broken Chains: Safeguarding Drug Evidence Integrity in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction but orders return of items seized beyond the search warrant, underscoring strict limits on police discretion.
Leasehold Improvements: Understanding Reimbursement Rights and Obligations in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts handle leasehold improvement reimbursement rights, obligations, and settlement through compromise agreements.
Mootness in Election Contests: When Expiration of Term Ends the Legal Fight
Expiration of an elective office's term can render an election contest moot. Learn the rule from Baldo v. COMELEC.
Security of Tenure and Reassignment Limits for Station-Specific Appointments
Supreme Court ruling on reassignment limits for station-specific appointments and security of tenure in government corporations.
Sexual Assault Credibility and Victim Rights in Philippine Rape Cases
How Philippine courts assess victim credibility in sexual assault cases, safeguard victim rights, and determine proper charges and penalties.
Upholding Comelec Discretion in Pre-Proclamation Controversies
The Supreme Court affirms Comelec's broad discretion in dismissing pre-proclamation disputes, emphasizing limited scope of review and proper remedies.
Rehabilitation Petitions Technical Insolvency AND Creditors Rights IN Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a technically insolvent corporation may file for rehabilitation and how creditor rights are affected.
Acts of Lasciviousness vs Rape: When Touching Is Not Insertion in Sexual Assault Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when digital touching amounts to acts of lasciviousness rather than rape by sexual assault.
Perjury and Venue: Where the False Statement Truly Matters
A look at how the Supreme Court ruled that venue in perjury cases depends on where the false statement is used, not where it is notarized.
Revival of Judgment, Attorney Negligence, and Binding Effect on Heirs
Explains when a dormant judgment can be revived, and how a lawyer's failure to inform the court of a client's death binds the heirs.
Concurrent Jurisdiction and Estoppel: Ombudsman vs. DepEd in Teacher Discipline
The Supreme Court clarifies the Ombudsman's concurrent jurisdiction over public school teachers and the estoppel bar against belated jurisdictional challenges.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Emancipation Patent Cancellation in Agrarian Retention Cases
Supreme Court affirms DARAB jurisdiction to cancel emancipation patents issued over lands validly retained by landowners under agrarian reform laws.
Upholding Corporate Stability When Courts Defer to Internal Disputes
How the Supreme Court resolved a family corporate dispute by deferring to amended pleadings, docket fee rules, and the limits of injunctions.
Venue Rules in Personal Actions: Why the Principal Plaintiff's Residence Matters
Supreme Court clarifies venue rules for personal actions, emphasizing the principal plaintiff's residence determines proper venue, not nominal co-plaintiffs.
Navigating Appeals in Estate Settlements: Avoiding Forum Shopping Pitfalls
Learn when Philippine courts allow separate appeals and certiorari petitions in estate cases without committing forum shopping.
Exterior vs Interior Contract Interpretation and Obligations in Philippine Law
Supreme Court rules on contract interpretation: plain meaning controls unless ambiguity exists, and obscurity cannot favor the drafting party.