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.
When a Surety Can Escape Liability: Overcoming the Presumption of Regularity
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when sureties can overcome the presumption of regularity attached to notarized continuing suretyship agreements.
Notarial Negligence and Misuse of Notarial Seals: What the Supreme Court Decided
The Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers may be held liable for misuse of their notarial seals, and when they may not.
Using an Alias in the Philippines: When It Becomes a Crime and the Pequero Case
Using a name different from your registered birth name can be a crime. Learn the rules, penalties, and lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Abandonment in Agrarian Leaseholds: What Farmers and Landowners Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies when a farmer's absence amounts to abandonment—and why notarized documents alone cannot end a leasehold.
Acquisitive Prescription and Partition: Understanding Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how acquisitive prescription and partition work in Philippine property law through a recent Supreme Court ruling on family inheritance disputes.
When Does a Lawyer's Suspension Start? SC Clarifies Constructive Notice
The Supreme Court rules that a lawyer's suspension can begin upon constructive receipt of the decision when the lawyer's whereabouts are unknown.
Notarizing Without a Commission: Supreme Court Discipline for Lawyers
Learn the disciplinary consequences for Philippine lawyers who notarize documents without a valid commission, based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Forged Donation Municipality Liable FOR Taking Private Land Without Just Compensation
Supreme Court rules a municipality must pay just compensation when it builds a road on private land under a forged deed of donation.
Forged Signatures and Municipal Liability: Just Compensation for Illegally Constructed Roads
When a municipality builds a road on private land based on a forged deed, the owner may be entitled to just compensation rather than removal of the road.
Negligence in Notarization: Lawyers Must Verify Identity to Avoid Malpractice
A notary's failure to verify identity through competent evidence can lead to suspension and loss of notarial commission.
Notarial Duties Are Personal: Attorney's Lapses in Recording SPA Lead to Suspension
A lawyer cannot delegate notarial record-keeping to staff. Learn the rules and consequences from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Notarial Duty to Verify Identity: Lessons from Dionisio v. Padernal
Notarization is not a mechanical act. A notary must verify identity using competent evidence—not community tax certificates—or face sanctions.
What a Notarized Deed Must Have: Lessons from a Philippine Property Dispute
A Supreme Court ruling on notarization requirements in a family property dispute, and what it means for heirs and property owners.
Simulated Loan Contracts and Surety Liability: Lessons from ATCI v. Asset Pool A
A Supreme Court ruling on simulated loan contracts shows when a surety agreement falls with the void principal obligation.
When a Notarized Deed of Sale Fails: Consent Is Key in Philippine Property Transfers
A notarized deed does not guarantee a valid sale. The Supreme Court explains why genuine consent is essential in property transactions.
Excluding Heirs in Estate Partition: A Guide to Philippine Succession Law
Learn how the Supreme Court resolved a quieting of title case involving excluded heirs, tax declarations, and property partition in Philippine succession law.
Safeguarding Notarial Seals: A Lesson from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
What happens when a notary's seal is used without authorization? A Supreme Court ruling on a lawyer's administrative liability.
Notarial Seal Misuse: Supreme Court Ruling on Lawyer Accountability in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that lawyers cannot escape liability when their notarial seal is misused, even if signatures are forged.
Notarial Negligence and Tax Evasion: Lessons from Lopez v. Atty. Ramos
A notary's duty to verify identity and refuse unlawful deals explained through a lawyer's suspension for tax evasion.
Understanding Disturbance Compensation in Land Conversion: Insights from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on disturbance compensation claims in land conversion, including prescription periods and evidentiary requirements.
Navigating Tax Law Conflicts: Understanding the Jurisdictional Limits of Courts in Tax Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies the boundaries of judicial review in tax cases, emphasizing that courts cannot substitute their judgment for that of tax authorities.
Apparent Authority and Employer Liability: When Companies Are Bound by Employees' Acts
When are companies liable for unauthorized employee acts? The Supreme Court explains apparent authority, estoppel, and employer responsibility in Eternal Gardens v. Perlas.
Apparent Authority: When Employers Are Liable for Employees' Acts
The Supreme Court explains when a company cannot deny liability for its employees' unauthorized acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Understanding the Burden of Proof in Disbarment Cases: A Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court dismissed a disbarment complaint for lack of evidence, clarifying the burden of proof in administrative cases against lawyers.