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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Self-Defense and Defense of a Relative: Key Insights from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A police officer shot two attackers to protect himself and his pregnant wife. The Supreme Court explains when self-defense and defense of a relative apply.
Business Closure and Employee Rights: The Supreme Court's Stance on Good Faith
Understand the Supreme Court's ruling on business closure, employee rights, and the critical role of good faith in labor disputes.
Navigating Loss of Land Titles: Res Judicata and Your Rights Under Philippine Law
Learn how the Supreme Court applied res judicata to bar a quieting of title claim, and what this means for property owners and heirs in the Philippines.
Valid Land Titles and Res Judicata: Key Lessons from a Philippine Property Dispute
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why tax declarations don't prove ownership and how res judicata bars relitigating property claims.
Attorney Client Conflicts and Ethical Boundaries: Lessons from a Philippine Disbarment Case
A lawyer's zeal must not cross into harassment. The Supreme Court clarifies ethical limits in Cabarroguis v. Basa.
Navigating Easement Rights: Protecting Property Access in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court protects voluntary easements and property access rights in the Philippines, using the Castro v. Esperanza case as a guide.
Understanding Psychological Incapacity in Philippine Marriages: Legal Standards and Real-Life Implications
The Supreme Court clarifies the strict standards for declaring marriages void due to psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Filing Frivolous Lawsuits: Ethical Consequences for Philippine Lawyers
When lawyers file baseless suits against opposing counsel, the Supreme Court can suspend them. Learn the ethical rules and penalties.
Psychological Incapacity Under Article 36: Lessons from Calingo v. Republic
The Supreme Court clarifies what evidence proves psychological incapacity in marriage nullity cases under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Local Autonomy and Plebiscite Rights: Insights from the Palawan Division Ruling
Supreme Court clarifies when voters may join a plebiscite on dividing a province, applying the three-factor test for directly affected political units.
Foreign Investment Restrictions in Philippine Construction: Insights from the PCAB v. Manila Water Ruling
The Supreme Court struck down the 60% Filipino equity rule for construction licenses, reshaping foreign investment in the industry.
Understanding Disbarment in the Philippines: Identity Fraud and Professional Misconduct Consequences
A look at how the Supreme Court handles disbarment cases involving identity fraud and grave misconduct by lawyers in the Philippines.
Forum Shopping in Land Expropriation: When Separate Claims for Just Compensation Are Allowed
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing separate cases for just compensation over different lots taken by the government does not constitute forum shopping.
Investment vs. Loan: Supreme Court Rules on Return of Capital in Lending Business
When is an investment really a loan? The Supreme Court clarifies when investors can demand return of principal.
When Is Filing Two Cases Forum Shopping? Supreme Court Clarifies in De Guzman v. Republic
The Supreme Court explains when filing separate cases amounts to forum shopping, using the De Guzman expropriation and recovery case as an example.
Investment vs Loan: When a "Pay on Demand" Promise Binds the Investor
The Supreme Court clarifies when an investment becomes a recoverable obligation, and how the parties' own acts define their contract.
Voluntary Resignation vs. Constructive Dismissal: Insights from Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between voluntary resignation and constructive dismissal in Pascual v. Sitel Philippines Corporation.
Understanding Lawyer Negligence in Ejectment Cases: The Violago Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lawyer's errors in ejectment cases amount to gross negligence warranting discipline, and when they do not.
Foreclosure During Conservatorship: Can a Company's Directors Still Act?
Supreme Court clarifies that a conservator does not replace a company's board; directors may still initiate foreclosure to collect debts.
Investment Contracts in Lending Businesses: Rights, Risks, and Recovery of Principal
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when investors in lending businesses can recover their principal and how courts distinguish investments from loans and partnerships.
Unlocking the Path to Remarriage: How Philippine Courts Handle Foreign Divorce Decrees
The Supreme Court clarifies when Filipino spouses in mixed marriages may remarry after a foreign divorce, and why courts relax procedural rules for substantial justice.
Balancing Employee Misconduct With Proportionate Penalties: Insights From a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court
The Supreme Court ruled that dismissal was too harsh for an employee who took expired company products, emphasizing proportionate penalties.
Probable Cause and Government Procurement: Insights from the DOH v. Pascua Case
The Supreme Court dismissed DOH petitions against a trial court's TRO and injunction in a bidding dispute, ruling the case moot after the project proceeded.
Understanding Mootness in Philippine Legal Proceedings: Insights from a Landmark Infrastructure Project Case
The Supreme Court explains mootness doctrine through a DOH infrastructure bidding dispute, showing when courts dismiss cases as moot.