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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The Doctrine of Mootness: Resolving Association Election Disputes Beyond Expired Terms
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when election contests become moot after officers' terms expire, and the exceptions to the mootness doctrine.
How Courts Read Ballots: Voter Intent in Philippine Barangay Elections
A one-vote barangay election dispute shows how Philippine courts apply the idem sonans, neighborhood, and written-by-two rules to honor voter intent.
Homeowners Association Elections: Clarifying Final Judgments and Upholding Order
Supreme Court explains when a final judgment may be clarified in homeowners association election disputes, upholding the Office of the President's clarificatory resolution.
Party List Registration Misrepresentation and the Right to Representation
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, not the COMELEC, has jurisdiction over congressional election disputes.
Electoral Jurisdiction: When COMELEC’s Authority Ends and HRET Begins
The Supreme Court clarifies the boundary between COMELEC and HRET jurisdiction over election disputes involving proclaimed congressmen.
Handwriting Analysis and Election Disputes: Protecting the Sanctity of the Ballot
The Supreme Court clarifies when handwriting analysis may invalidate ballots in election protests, stressing that no two persons write alike.
Disputes on Barangay Existence: Supreme Court Upholds Comelec Authority on Election Matters
The Supreme Court affirms Comelec's authority to resolve questions on barangay existence in election disputes, settling the Sangcopan case.
Navigating Election Disputes: The COMELEC's Authority in Pre-Proclamation Cases
A look at Cambe v. COMELEC on the proper handling of pre-proclamation cases, including the need for division-level review and the rules on excluding election returns.
Judicial Misconduct: Upholding Impartiality and Integrity in Election Disputes
A judge's vulgar remark to a litigant draws a fine, reminding magistrates that decorum and impartiality are vital to public trust in courts.
Untimely Appeal THE Crucial Role OF Procedural Rules IN Election Disputes
Ballot Appreciation Rules and Voter Intent in Philippine Election Contests
How Philippine courts read ballots to honor voter intent, from idem sonans to marked ballots, explained through a barangay election dispute.
Premature Proclamation Annulment Upheld IN Election Dispute
Protecting THE Vote Understanding Ballot BOX Integrity IN Philippine Election Disputes
Status Quo Ante Orders and Election Disputes: The Estrella v. COMELEC Ruling
A mayor's battle for his seat shows why COMELEC commissioners cannot partially inhibit and still vote en banc. Learn the rule on quorum.
Proving Loss of Filipino Citizenship in Election Disputes: The Matugas v. COMELEC Standard
What evidence proves a candidate lost Filipino citizenship? The Supreme Court's ruling in Matugas v. COMELEC sets the standard.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Ensuring Proper Venue IN Philippine Election Disputes
Philippine election disputes require strict adherence to jurisdictional rules; this case clarifies which courts have authority.
Voting Rights and Corporate Disputes: PCGG Authority Over Sequestered SMC Shares
The Supreme Court clarifies when the PCGG may vote sequestered shares and how litis pendentia applies in corporate election disputes.
COMELEC vs. HRET Jurisdiction: When Election Disputes Shift to the Electoral Tribunal
Learn when COMELEC loses jurisdiction over House election contests and the HRET becomes the sole judge of a member's election, returns, and qualifications.
When RTCs Overstep Jurisdiction in Barangay Election Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that only the COMELEC, not the RTC, may hear certiorari cases arising from barangay election protests.
Safeguarding Due Process in Election Disputes: The Limits of COMELEC's Power
A look at how the Supreme Court defined the boundaries of COMELEC's authority in election contests, ensuring due process.
Navigating Philippine Election Disputes Understanding Comelec AND Hret Jurisdiction
A clear guide to the division of authority between the Commission on Elections and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal in election contests.
SK Election Disputes: Court Jurisdiction After Proclamation Explained
Learn when courts, not election officers, handle SK election disputes after proclamation, based on a 1999 Supreme Court ruling.