I overheard a group of employees chatting over taking the vaccine. It appears that they had all taken the Covid-19 vaccine. Their supervisor was telling them that there will come a time that only the vaccinated would be preferred to go to work whenever a lockdown or quarantine restriction would be imposed. To that, the …
Continue reading Is it discrimination in the workplace if vaccine availability is not an issue?
Those who do not know the value of back-breaking hard work to gain wealth will never understand the importance of a prenuptial agreement. When I was a younger lawyer, I used to tell as much of my friends and relatives that they consider a prenuptial agreement before marrying. Not a single one took my advice. …
Continue reading Why prenuptial agreements are valued only by people who worked hard to gain wealth
The case of Tan-Andal v. Andal (G.R. No. 196359, 11 May 2021) declares psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code as a legal concept, and not a medical condition. Accordingly, testimonies of psychologists or psychiatrists are no longer necessary. This a landmark case and a game changer for the following reasons. 1. Nullity …
Continue reading Psychological incapacity as a legal concept, and not a medical condition
There are many who are still undecided whether they should take the 2020/21 Philippine Bar Exam this coming November. Here are some thoughts to consider that might hep you decide. 1. Many will likely pass the 2020/21 bar exam. Either it will be an easier bar exam or the passing rate will be lowered to …
Continue reading Why you should take the 2020/21 PH Bar Exam
Perhaps once of the most archaic and least useful law in the Philippines (followed only by the Negotiable Instruments Law of 1911) is the anti-duel law under the Revised Penal Code (RPC). In law school, it is the usual butt of a joke by Criminal Law Professors asking the relevancy of such law in modern …
Continue reading The Anti-Duel Law in the Philippines is still in effect
A schedule is good. A routine is an improvement. A system is a whole new level. Majority of bar examinees will design a schedule for their review. Some will develop a routine. Few will create a system. If you think about it, that is somehow representative of the 80% failure and 20% passing rate. (Those …
"I'm not a cat." This legal humor will go down in legal history as one of the funniest. With a new found fame, what to do with it? Well, do a Reddit Ask me Anything (AMA). Hilarity ensues, particularly due to witty remarks, with a few coming from fellow lawyers. See: Reddit AMA by the …
Continue reading Real cat lawyer did an AMA at Reddit, comments are purrfect and hilarious
Months before the start of the 2020 pandemic, I was consulting on a peculiar case involving a handwritten last will and testament written on a yellow pad paper. While it was written by the testator, no signature appeared on the document. It was an interesting case. Philippine law via the Civil Code allows for two …
Continue reading Last will on a yellow pad paper, no signature, valid?
On the basis of Constitutional provisions on equality of women and men under the law, the Philippine Supreme Court in a recent landmark case expressly allowed a petitioner to use the surname of his mother even if he is born as a legitimate child. The petitioner initiated the case for change of first name from …
Continue reading Mother’s surname may be used by legitimate children, says Supreme Court
On Valentines Day this 14 February 2021, words from the Supreme Court on that little thing called love, to ponder on: “The heart has reasons of its own which reason does not know.” —Chua-Qua vs. Clave, G.R. No. L-49549, Aug. 30, 1990 “There can be no love where respect is gone.” —People vs. Rivera Nov. …
Continue reading The Legal Side of Love: Quotes from the Supreme Court
