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.
Bottle Ownership and Trademark Rights: Navigating Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who owns liquor bottles after sale and the limits of trademark protection under R.A. 623.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Understanding Unexpected Attacks
The Supreme Court explains treachery (alevosia) in murder cases, using People v. Reboltiado to show how sudden, planned attacks qualify.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine law requires both just cause and due process for valid dismissal. Learn the rules from Aquinas School v. Magnaye.
Judicial Accountability: Independent Assessment of Justice Secretary's Resolutions in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on trial courts' duty to independently assess Justice Secretary's resolutions in withdrawal of criminal informations.
Docket Fees and Venue: When Payment Must Be Made Anew on Refiling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that refiling a case in the proper venue requires new docket fees; prior payments do not transfer.
The Clerk’s Duty: Accurate Case Reporting and the Efficient Administration of Justice in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge and clerk fined for issuing a subpoena to a life-term prisoner without authority, underscoring diligence in court duties.
Docket Fees and Jurisdiction: Re-Filing a Case After Dismissal for Improper Venue
When a case is dismissed for improper venue, must new docket fees be paid upon re-filing? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule.
Attempted Kidnapping: When Does Intent Fall Short of Completion
Philippine law distinguishes attempted from frustrated kidnapping. This article explains the legal tests courts use to determine criminal liability.
Solidary Liability of Recruitment Agencies: Protecting Overseas Filipino Workers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on joint and solidary liability of recruitment agencies and foreign employers for overseas workers' claims.
The Weight of Words: Child Witness Testimony in Philippine Parricide Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a parricide conviction based on an 8-year-old eyewitness's testimony, and what this means for child witnesses in Philippine courts.
Void Sales and Repurchase Agreements: Property Rights in the Philippines
When a seller has no title, the sale is void—and so is any right to repurchase. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Criminal Conspiracy and Exempting Circumstances: Duress and Mental Capacity in Philippine Law
A look at how the Supreme Court defined conspiracy, duress, and imbecility defenses in a kidnapping and homicide case.
Employee Dismissal: Proving Just Cause and Observing Due Process in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee dismissal: employers must prove just cause with substantial evidence and observe due process.
Sheriff’s Sales in the Philippines: Notice Rules and What Torres v. Cabling Teaches
Learn the notice and payment rules for sheriff’s sales in the Philippines, explained through the landmark case of Torres v. Cabling.
Self-Defense and Voluntary Surrender: Key Lessons from a Philippine Murder Case
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies when self-defense fails and voluntary surrender mitigates murder liability. Learn the rules.
Overlapping Land Titles in the Philippines: Resolving Ownership Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve ownership disputes involving overlapping land titles, foreclosure, and tenant rights under agrarian reform laws.
Positive Identification Trumps Alibi: Lessons from People v. Balad
In People v. Balad, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that positive identification by credible witnesses prevails over the defense of alibi in Philippine criminal law.
Self Defense in the Philippines: Understanding Unlawful Aggression and Reasonable Means
Learn how Philippine courts test self defense claims through unlawful aggression, reasonable means, and provocation, as shown in People v. Artiaga.
Conditions vs. Warranties in Philippine Sales Contracts: The Power Commercial Case
Learn how Philippine law distinguishes contract conditions from warranties, and when a seller's failure to deliver possession justifies rescission.
Family Disputes and Property Rights: Extrajudicial Settlements and Reconveyance
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when family members must attempt compromise before suing and how reconveyance works for wrongfully registered property.
Lease Abandonment and Tenant Rights: The Paterno v. Court of Appeals Case
The Supreme Court's ruling in Paterno v. Court of Appeals clarifies when a tenant's departure amounts to lease abandonment and what it means for landlords and occupants.
Corporate Identity Crisis CAN A Company Sue Under AN Unregistered Name
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a company can sue under an unregistered corporate name, explained in plain language.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: When Can You Skip It?
The Supreme Court explains when exhaustion of administrative remedies is required and when courts may excuse it.
Medical Malpractice Proving Negligence and the Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts apply res ipsa loquitur in medical malpractice cases and what patients must prove to establish negligence.