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.
Double Sale in the Philippines: Good Faith and Due Diligence in Property Disputes
A buyer who fails to inspect the property before purchase cannot claim good faith in a double sale. The Supreme Court explains why.
Judicial Clemency for Philippine Lawyers: The Ruiz Case and the Path to Reinstatement
Learn how judicial clemency works for disciplined Philippine lawyers, including the requirements under the CPRA and the landmark Ruiz case.
Judicial Clemency in the Philippines: When a Dismissed Judge Can Be Forgiven
The Supreme Court explains the rules on judicial clemency and when a dismissed judge may recover retirement benefits.
Judicial Accountability: Granting Bail Without Due Process Is Gross Ignorance of the Law
A judge's dismissal for granting bail without due process illustrates the high standard of judicial competence and accountability in the Philippines.
Eminent Domain and Prior Rights: Resolving Land Disputes in Infrastructure Projects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contract rights, port operations, and jurisdictional issues in infrastructure disputes.
Judicial Clemency and Reinstatement of Disqualified Public Officials in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when dismissed judges may be reinstated through judicial clemency, requiring proof of remorse, reformation, and public apology.
Judicial Clemency: When Is a Judge Entitled to a Second Chance?
The Supreme Court explains the strict requirements for judicial clemency, including remorse, reformation, and the five-year waiting period.
Judicial Clemency in the Philippines: Lessons from the Ong Case
The Supreme Court partly grants former Sandiganbayan Justice Ong's plea for judicial clemency, restoring benefits and lifting reemployment ban.
Reformation of Instruments When a Written Contract Fails to Reflect True Intentions
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may reform a written contract to reflect the parties' true intentions, citing Article 1359.
Substitution of Parties: Due Process Prevails Despite Procedural Lapses in Estate Cases
Philippine Supreme Court rules that failure to formally substitute deceased parties is not fatal when heirs actively participate in the case.
Reinstatement to the Bar: Proving Moral Reformation and Rehabilitation
The Supreme Court denies a disbarred lawyer's plea for reinstatement, clarifying the high burden of proving moral reformation.
Judicial Clemency: Balancing Mercy and Public Trust in the Philippine Judiciary
The Supreme Court denies a former judge's plea for judicial clemency, reaffirming that remorse and reformation must be proven, not merely claimed.
Preliminary Injunctions Preserve Status Quo, Not Final Judgments — Key Rules
Philippine Supreme Court explains why preliminary injunction orders are interlocutory, unappealable, and need not state full facts and law.
Deed of Sale or Loan Understanding: Equitable Mortgage in Philippine Property Law
When is a deed of sale really an equitable mortgage? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on when courts will presume a loan arrangement.
Reformation of Contracts in the Philippines: Navigating Unforeseen Events and Economic Shifts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contract reformation, fortuitous events, and extraordinary inflation in lease agreements. Learn key legal principles.