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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Warrant of Arrest: Judge's Discretion vs Executive Review in Philippine Criminal Procedure
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on the distinction between executive and judicial determination of probable cause in warrant issuance.
Warrant of Arrest Stands: Court Power Prevails Over DOJ Review
Supreme Court rules a judge's exclusive power to issue warrants of arrest cannot be suspended by a pending DOJ petition for review.
Judicial Accountability: Gross Ignorance of Law in Issuing Erroneous Orders
When do a judge's errors become sanctionable? The Supreme Court explains in this administrative case involving a writ of seizure and a warrant of arrest.
Safeguarding Due Process: The Right to a Complete Preliminary Investigation
When an incomplete preliminary investigation leads to a warrant of arrest, the Supreme Court steps in to protect the accused's right to due process.
When Can a Judge Recall a Warrant of Arrest: Understanding Abuse of Discretion
A Supreme Court ruling explains the three-day notice rule for motions and when a judge commits abuse of discretion in recalling warrants.
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Fail to Follow Basic Legal Procedures
A judge who issued a warrant of arrest in a summary procedure case was fined for gross ignorance of the law. Learn the rules.
Limits on Judicial Authority: When Can a Judge Issue a Warrant of Arrest?
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that probable cause alone does not justify a warrant—judges must also find immediate custody necessary.