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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Understanding Prescription Periods in Property Disputes: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Case
Learn how prescription periods work in property disputes through the Supreme Court's ruling in Selerio v. Bancasan on interrupted timeframes and written contracts.
Verbal Agreements vs Written Contracts: When a Lease or Workplace Transfer Can Be Modified
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when verbal notices and transfer orders are invalid, protecting employee security of tenure.
Oral Agreements vs Written Contracts: When Verbal Lease Changes Hold Up in Court
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when verbal agreements can modify written lease contracts, and when they cannot, in Modomo v. Layug.
Establishing Attorney Client Relationship Actions Imply Consent Beyond Written Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that lawyer-client relationships can be implied from actions, not just written contracts, in administrative case.
Parol Evidence Rule in Philippine Contracts: When Verbal Agreements Cannot Alter Written Terms
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the parol evidence rule applies and why subsequent verbal agreements to modify written contracts require credible proof.
Land as Attorney’s Fees: Enforcing Written Contracts for Legal Services in the Philippines
Philippine courts uphold written attorney’s fee contracts, even those paid in land, provided the essential elements of a valid contract are present.
Loan Foreclosure in the Philippines: Why Written Contracts Matter
A Supreme Court ruling shows why written loan terms govern foreclosure. Learn key lessons from Baluyut v. Poblete.
Interest on Loans and the Necessity of Written Agreements for Enforceability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on double sales, good faith, and why written contracts matter for property and loan enforceability.
Implied Tenancy in Philippine Agrarian Law: Security of Tenure Beyond Written Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on implied tenancy, forged contracts, and security of tenure for agricultural tenants under RA 1199.
Parol Evidence Rule Bars Verbal Conditions on Written Contracts: Allied Banking v. Cheng Yong
Supreme Court clarifies that clear written contracts cannot be varied by verbal stipulations, applying the parol evidence rule to loan and mortgage agreements.
When a Sale Is Not an Equitable Mortgage: Lessons from Molina v. Flores
The Supreme Court explains when a deed of sale is a true sale and not an equitable mortgage, and why courts respect written contracts.
Prescription in Contract Disputes: The 10-Year Rule Under Philippine Law
Learn how the 10-year prescription period for written contracts works in the Philippines, and why delay can bar a valid claim.
Documentary Evidence vs Verbal Agreements: Why Written Contracts Prevail in Philippine Courts
When a verbal claim of discount conflicts with written invoices, Philippine courts rely on documentary evidence. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling.
Statute of Limitations in Philippine Contract Law: The 10-Year Rule for Written Contracts
Learn the 10-year prescriptive period for written contracts in the Philippines, when it starts, and how the Supreme Court applied it in a stock pledge dispute.
Buyer Beware Inheriting Obligations IN Philippine Property Foreclosures
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property foreclosures: buyers may inherit seller's obligations to installment buyers, even without written contracts.