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 Your Inheritance: Why Heirs' Consent Matters in Estate Partition
Learn how the Supreme Court protects heirs' inheritance rights in estate partition, and why an administrator's failure to follow the decedent's will amounts to extrinsic fraud.
Proving Land Ownership in the Philippines: Tax Declarations and Cadastral Surveys in Quieting Title Cases
Learn how tax declarations, cadastral surveys, and possession determine ownership in Philippine land disputes, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Interest on Maritime Liens in the Philippines: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when legal interest on a maritime lien begins to accrue—from extrajudicial demand, not from foreclosure sale.
Protecting Landowner Rights Due Process and Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform
Learn how the Supreme Court balanced landowner due process rights with farmer-beneficiary qualifications in agrarian reform cases under RA 6657.
Regular Employment Status: When a Probationary Employee Becomes Regular
Understand when a probationary employee becomes regular under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Dusit Hotel Nikko v. Gatbonton.
Exhausting Administrative Remedies with the COA: A Prerequisite for Money Claims Against Government Agencies
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that money claims against government agencies must first be filed with the COA before going to court.
Counterclaims and Forum Shopping: Why No Certification Is Needed for Defenses
Learn when a forum shopping certification is required in Philippine civil cases—and why counterclaims and defenses are exempt under the rules.
When a Lawyer's Negligence Leads to Suspension: The Adecer v. Akut Case
A lawyer who misses the deadline for filing a client's petition for probation faces administrative liability, even if the client was also negligent.
DARAB Jurisdiction Covers Agrarian Disputes Beyond Landlord-Tenant Relationships
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction extends to all agrarian disputes, including joint production agreements under CARP, not just traditional landlord-tenant cases.
Documentary Stamp Tax on Pawnshop Pledges: A Clear Guide
The Supreme Court confirms pawnshop pledges are subject to documentary stamp tax under the National Internal Revenue Code. Learn the rules.
Attorney's Fees in Estate Settlement: When Can Lawyers Directly Claim From the Estate?
Learn when lawyers may directly claim attorney's fees from an estate in the Philippines, based on Supreme Court rulings and estate settlement rules.
Attorney Negligence in the Philippines: Upholding Client Trust and Diligence
A lawyer's failure to file a memorandum and return a client's money order leads to reprimand, reaffirming duties of diligence and fidelity.
Peaceful Assembly in the Philippines: Know Your Rights and Permit Requirements After Bayan v. Ermita
The Supreme Court upheld the permit requirement for rallies but struck down the Calibrated Preemptive Response policy. Learn your rights.
Malversation of Public Funds in the Philippines: When Reimbursement Does Not Erase Liability
Failure to liquidate public funds can lead to malversation conviction even if the amount is later reimbursed. Learn the rules and key lessons from a Supreme Court case.
When Courts Deny Postponements: Due Process in Philippine Litigation
A Supreme Court ruling on when denying a motion for postponement violates due process, and what parties must show to get a resetting.
Boundary-Hulog Agreements and Employer-Employee Relations: What Drivers Should Know
A boundary-hulog agreement does not automatically erase the employer-employee relationship. Control over the driver remains the key test.
Docket Fees and Court Jurisdiction: The Sun Insurance Doctrine Explained
Learn how the Sun Insurance doctrine clarifies when deficient docket fees affect court jurisdiction, and when they merely create a lien on the judgment.
Possession vs. Paper Title: When Long-Term Possession Trumps a Certificate of Title
The Supreme Court explains when decades of open, exclusive possession can defeat a registered title in Philippine property disputes.
Fatal Flaws in Philippine Wills: Why Proper Attestation and Acknowledgment Are Non-Negotiable
Learn why the Supreme Court denied probate of a notarial will with three fatal defects under the Civil Code's formal requirements for wills.
Jumping Bail in the Philippines: Why Absconding Can Cost You Your Appeal — Lessons from Alva v. Court of Appea
Can fleeing while on bail kill your appeal? The Supreme Court says yes. Learn the rules from Alva v. Court of Appeals.
Demolition of Illegal Structures: When a Court Order Is Required in the Philippines
Philippine law generally requires a special court order before a city may demolish existing structures, even those built without permits. Learn the rules.
No-Spouse Policies in the Philippines: What the Star Paper Ruling Means
Philippine employers cannot enforce no-spouse rules without clear business necessity. The Star Paper ruling explains why.
Private Land vs Public Grant: Understanding Property Rights and Free Patents in the Philippines
When a court decree vests private ownership, the land leaves the public domain and cannot be subjected to a free patent. This case explains why.
Upholding Integrity: Public Officials Held Accountable for Dishonesty and Misconduct
The Supreme Court reinstates the Ombudsman's ruling against a school principal for dishonesty, grave misconduct, and prohibited private practice under R.A. 6713.