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.
Sheriff’s Fees in the Philippines: Rules, Limits, and the Abellera Case
Learn the legal limits on sheriff’s fees in the Philippines, the Abellera ruling on excessive charges, and practical safeguards for litigants.
Election Protests and Succession: Ensuring Electoral Integrity After a Candidate's Death
The Supreme Court rules that election protests survive a candidate's death, ensuring the people's true choice prevails.
Judicial Recusal: Understanding Bias and Impartiality in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies when judges must inhibit and why late motions to disqualify are frowned upon.
Untimely Appeal Understanding Finality of NLRC Decisions in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court affirmed NLRC finality on retrenchment rulings and why untimely appeals fail in Philippine labor cases.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: Control Test in Philippine Labor Law
Supreme Court clarifies the control test distinguishing independent contractors from employees in Philippine labor law, using an insurance agent case.
Land Ownership Disputes: How Government Reservations Affect Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how government reservations like national parks affect land ownership rights in the Philippines, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Quantum Meruit: When a Contractor Can Recover Payment Without a Formal Contract
Philippine Supreme Court explains when contractors can recover payment on a quantum meruit basis even without a written contract.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: When Can You Skip the Line to Court?
Learn when the exhaustion rule applies, its exceptions, and why a replevin suit failed against DENR forfeiture.
Understanding the Scope of Appeals in Philippine Labor Law: A Case on 13th Month Pay
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that the NLRC can only review issues raised on appeal, using a 13th month pay case as an example.
Robbery With Homicide: Conspiracy and Constitutional Rights in Philippine Law
A Philippine Supreme Court case explains conspiracy in robbery with homicide and the exclusionary rule for evidence from illegal arrests.
Successor Liability in Philippine Labor Law: When New Owners Inherit Labor Obligations
Learn when a successor company inherits a predecessor's labor obligations under Philippine law, based on the Caliguia ruling.
When Can a Company Terminate an Employee Due to Illness? Philippine Law Guide
Philippine law sets strict rules for terminating employees due to illness. Learn the requirements, including the six-month cure rule and medical certification.
Understanding Conspiracy and Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: A Case Study
How the Supreme Court applied conspiracy and treachery in a murder case, explained in plain language for everyday readers.
Government Immunity vs Corporate Liability: When Can Government Assets Be Garnished
The Supreme Court clarifies when government agencies can be sued and when their funds are protected from garnishment in this labor law case.
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Fail to Follow Basic Legal Procedures
A judge who issued a warrant of arrest in a summary procedure case was fined for gross ignorance of the law. Learn the rules.
Initiative vs Referendum: Understanding Direct Democracy in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains the difference between initiative and referendum, and how Filipinos can directly propose or reject laws.
Diplomatic Immunity in the Philippines: Protecting International Organizations From Legal Suits
The Supreme Court explains how diplomatic immunity shields international organizations like the Asian Development Bank from local lawsuits, and why courts must respect it.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Understanding Intent and Circumstances
The Supreme Court explains how treachery qualifies killing to murder, using a 1996 case as a clear example.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Navigating Layoffs Legally
Understand the legal requirements for valid retrenchment in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Guerrero v. NLRC.
Jurisdiction Over Maritime Crimes: Where Can You Be Tried?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on venue for crimes committed on board vessels in transit, explained in plain language.
Implied Conspiracy When Collective Actions Lead to Criminal Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how implied conspiracy can hold multiple offenders liable for crimes committed during a collective action, using the Escalante massacre case.
Navigating Appeals in Philippine Administrative Law: Jurisdiction and Exhaustion of Remedies
The Supreme Court clarifies appellate jurisdiction over PNP disciplinary cases, exhaustion of remedies, and administrative law principles in Cabada v. Alunan.
When Does a Brawl Become Murder? Understanding Conspiracy and Homicide in the Philippines
Philippine law on conspiracy and homicide explained through a landmark Supreme Court case on robbery with homicide.
Buy-Bust Operations: When Is a Warrantless Arrest Valid in Drug Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains why buy-bust arrests are valid warrantless arrests in drug cases, and clarifies the rules on entrapment and searches.