Legal Research & Thesis Writing Syllabus

LEGAL RESEARCH and THESIS WRITING FEU Institute of Law First Semester, AY 2015 – 2016 Atty. Gwen B. Marquez

Part I – Introduction to Legal Research A. Definition of Legal Research B. Importance of Legal Research C. Sources of Legal Research D. Sources of Law 1. Primary Sources 2. Secondary Sources 3. Finding Tools

Part II – Introduction to Philippine Law A. Historical Evolution of Philippine Law 1. Pre-Spanish 2. Spanish 3. American 4. Japanese 5. Philippine Republic 6. Martial law 7. Republic Revival B. Overview of the Philippine legal system 1. Executive President Section 1, Article VII, The 1987 Constitution  Marcos v. Manglapus, Manglap us, 177  177 SCRA 668 o Section 18, Article VII, The 1987 Constitution David v. Arroyo, 489 SCRA 160 o Vice – President Departments Bureaus Section 17, Article VII, The 1987 Constitution 2. Legislative Section 1, Article VI, The 1987 Constitution Section 26 (2), Article VI, The 1987 Constitution Tio v. Videogram Regulatory Board, 151 SCRA 208 o

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

Section 27, Article VI, The 1987 Constitution Senate of the Philippines Section 2, Article VI, The 1987 Constitution House of Representatives Section 5 (1), Article VI, The 1987 Constitution -

3. Judiciary Section 5, Article VIII, The 1987 Constitution Rule-making power Supreme Court Section 1, Article VIII, The 1987 Constitution Court of Appeals Section 9, Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 as amended by Republic Act No. 7902 Sandiganbayan Section 4, Article XI, The 1987 Constitution Court of Tax Appeals Section 7, Republic Act No. 1125 as amended by Republic Act No. 9282 Regional Trial Courts Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 4. Quasi – Judicial Agencies 5. Constitutional Commissions Article IX – A, The 1987 Constitution Civil Service Commission Article IX – B, The 1987 Constitution Commission on Elections Article IX – C, The 1987 Constitution Commission on Audit Article IX – D, The 1987 Constitution 6. Local Governments Part III – Sources of Law A. Sources of Law Primary sources of law - recorded laws and rules enforced by the state 1. Constitution Preamble Article 7, The New Civil Code (NCC)  Angara v. Electoral Commission, G. R. No. L-45081, July 15, 1936 o

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

2. Statutes or statutory law a. Statutes or Legislative enactments Enactment of laws Section 26 (2), Article VI, The 1987 Constitution Section 27, Article VI, The 1987 Constitution Repeal and amendment of laws Presumption of validity Declaration of unconstitutionality De Agbayani v. PNB, 28 SCRA 429 o Effectivity of laws Article 2, NCC Tañada v. Tuvera, G. R. No. 63915, December 29, 1983 o o Honasan II v. The Panel of Investigating Prosecutors of the Department of Justice, April 13, 2004 Article 3, NCC Article 7, NCC Article 8, NCC o Tawang Multipurpose Cooperative v. La Trinidad Water District, G. R. No. 166471, March 22, 2011 b. Executive/Presidential and other issuances of the different government agencies including GOCCs Section 1, Chapter 1, Book III, Administrative Code Section 2 to 7, Chapter 2, Book III, Administrative Code Section 7, Chapter 2, Book IV, Administrative Code Section 50, Chapter 11, Book IV, Administrative Code c. Treaties and international agreements Section 2, Article II, The 1987 Constitution Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines v. o Duque, G. R. No. 173034, October 9, 2007 Section 21, Article II, The 1987 Constitution Bayan Muna v. Romulo, G. R. No. 159618, February 1, 2011 o d. Administrative rules and regulations e. Local ordinances and resolutions Sections 1 to 2, Article X, The 1987 Constitution o  Magtajas v. Pryce Properties, 234 SCRA 255 Section 16, The Local Government Code (LGC) City of Manila v. Laguio, G. R. No. 118127, April 12, 2005 o White Light Corporation v. City of Manila, G. R. No. 122846, o  January 20, 2009 3. Case Law or Jurisprudence Article 4, NCC

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

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Article 8, NCC Spouses Benzonan v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 97973, January o 27, 1992 Silverio v. Republic, G. R. No. 174689, October 19, 2007 o Re: Resolution Granting Automatic Permanent Total Disability o Benefits to Heirs of Justices and Judges Who Die in Actual Service, A.M. No. 02-12-01-SC

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Decisions Proper

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Subordinate Decisions

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Special Tribunals

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Judicial System at present 1. Trial courts of limited jurisdiction 2. Trial courts of general jurisdiction 3. Court of Appeals 4. Court of last resort

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Principles in studying case law 1. Doctrine of Precedent 2. Stare Decisis and Res Judicata Ting v. Velez-Ting, G. R. No. 166562, March 31, 2009 o Philippine Farming Corporation, LTD. v. Llanos, et al., G. R. o No. L-21014 August 14, 1965 3. Reversal of judgment and Overruling of decision - Section 4 (3), Article VIII, The 1987 Constitution Castro v. JBC, G. R. No. 191002, April 20, 2010 o 4. Ratio Decidendi and Obiter Dictum o Obra v. Spouses Badua, G. R. No. 149125, August 9, 2007 Office of the Ombudsman v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. o 160675, June 16, 2006 5. Binding authority and Persuasive authority

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Forms of Decisions 1. Dispositive or Fallo and Ratio Decidendi Obra v. Spouses Badua, G. R. No. 149125, August 9, 2007 o 2. Minute Resolutions and Decisions Philippine Health Care Providers, Inc. v. Commissioner of o Internal Revenue, G. R. No. 167330, September 18, 2009

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

3. Opinion and Decision Disini v. Secretary of Justice, G. R. No. 203335, February 11, o 2014 4. Regulations and rulings of administrative agencies

Secondary sources of law B. Classification by authority 1. Primary authority a. Mandatory primary authority b. Persuasive mandatory authority 2. Secondary authority C. Classification by source 1. Primary sources 2. Secondary sources D. Classification by Character 1. Statute Law Books 2. Case Law Books or Law Reports 3. Combination of Stature Law Books and Case Law Books 4. Law Finders Part IV – Legal Research Process and Strategies A. Systematic Approach to Legal Research a. Identify and analyze the significant facts surrounding the particular problem b. Formulate the legal issues to be researched c. Research the issues presented d. Update – determine if your legal bases have been repealed, altered, or reversed B. Search tools and finders, legal research systems 1. Digests 2. Annotations 3. Indexes 4. Legal encyclopedias 5. Legal research systems 6. Legal knowledge management systems C. Elements of legal research D. Common methods of search 1. Topic method

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

2. 3. 4. 5.

Fact word method Case method Dictionary method Popular name method

E. Digesting cases Keep it to a useful length but do not shortchange the facts o a. Facts b. Issues c. Ruling d. Ratio o o o o o o o o o o

Orceo v. Comelec, G. R. No. 190779, March 26, 2010 Villamaria v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 165881, April 19, 2006 People v. Panis, 142 SCRA 664 People v. Ortiz-Miyake, G. R. Nos. 115338-39, September 16, 1997  Mercidar Fishing Corporation v. NLRC, 297 SCRA 440 Philippine Airlines v. NLRC, 302 SCRA 582 Samson v. NLRC, G. R. No. 121035, April 12, 2000 PAL v. NLRC, 194 SCRA 139  Judy Philippines v. NLRC, 289 SCRA 755 National Bookstore v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 146741 February 27, 2002

F. Synthesizing Cases o o o o

Santos v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 112019, January 4, 1995 Chi Ming Tsoi v. Court of Appeals and Lao-Tsoi, G. R. No. 119190, January 16, 1997 Republic v. Court of Appeals and Molina, G. R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997  Marcos v. Marcos, G. R. No. 136490, October 19, 2000 Part V – Citations

A. Citation of statutes 1. Constitution 2. Session laws 3. Codes 4. Bills, Resolutions and Committee Reports 5. Treaties and International Agreements 6. Presidential Acts 7. Administrative Rules and Regulations 8. Ordinances 9. Court Rules B. Citation of case law or jurisprudence 1. Case Names a. General rule b. Exceptions

Legal Research & Thesis Writing 2015

2. Case Reports a. Supreme Court decisions b. Court of Appeals decisions c. Other Courts decisions d. Administrative Decisions