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Legal Research
Atty. Daniel Al B. Delfin
Email Address: danielalbdelfin@yahoo.com
Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion
First Semester, A.Y. 2022-2023

Course Description: The course will introduce structures to the methodology of legal research and the
preparation of legal opinions, memoranda, or expository or critical papers on any subject approved
by the faculty member teaching it.

Course Objective: The orientation of the course is primarily practical. At the end of the course, the
students are expected to demonstrate competency in (a) analyzing basic legal problems, (b) preparing
research plans, and identifying the proper legal resources to tackle them, and (c) drafting basic legal
research memoranda addressing these legal problems.

In addition, students are likewise expected to be well-versed in the basic conventions on legal citation
and conscious of the principles of academic/intellectual honesty in undertaking scholarly work.

Grade Components:
(1) Attendance - 10%
(2) Class Participation / Recitation - 20%
(3) Written Assignments / Practical Work - 20%
(4) Midterm Examination - 20%
(5) Legal Memorandum (In lieu of Final Examination) - 30%

Primary Reference Material: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020).

Course Syllabus

I. Introduction to the Course

A. Legal Research, defined

B. Course Description
C. Course Objectives
D. Grade Components
E. Class Policies

II. The Legal Research Process

A. Preparing a Case Brief and/or Digest

a. The Process of Digesting Cases
v Practical Exercise / Assignment

III. Legal Research in the Philippines

A. Scope and Definition of Legal Research

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- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 1
(Introduction).

B. Significance
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Preface.
a. In Law School
b. In Legal Practice

C. Historical overview of the legal system

- Read: Mendoza, Vicente, From McKinley’s Instructions to the New
Constitution.
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 2
(Philippine History and the Legal System).

IV. Sources of Law

A. Sources
a. Primary Sources
i. Constitution
ii. Laws/ Statutes
iii. Case Law/ Jurisprudence
iv. Executive Orders/ Presidential Issuances
v. Treaties
vi. Ordinances
vii. Implementing Rules and Regulations
b. Secondary Sources
i. Commentaries
ii. Books
iii. Treatise
iv. Journal Articles

B. Legal Research on the Constitution

a. The Constitution, defined
b. Rules on Constitutional Construction
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 3
(The Constitution and its Construction).
i. Constitutional Construction in the Philippines (skip discussion on Laurence
Tribe’s six modes of interpretation and proceed to how Constitutional
interpretation is made in the Philippines)
- Read: David v. Senate Electoral Tribunal, G.R. No. 221538, September
20, 2016.
ii. Verba Legis
- Read: Francisco v. House of Representatives G.R. No. 160261,
November 10, 2003.
- Read: Civil Liberties Union v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 83896,
February 22, 1991.
iii. Intent of Framers
- Read: Civil Liberties Union v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 83896,
February 22, 1991.
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- Read: Nitafan v. Commissioner on Internal Revenue, G.R No. 78780,
July 23,1987.
iv. Constitution interpreted as a whole
- Read: Chavez v. Judicial and Bar Council, G.R. No. 202242, April 16,
2013.
- Read: Kida v. Senate of the Philippines, G.R. No. 196271, October 18,
2011.
v. Words understood as they are commonly used
- Read: Kida v. Senate of the Philippines, G.R. No. 196271, October 18,
2011.
- Read: Occena v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 52265, January
28, 1980.
vi. Prospective application
- Read: Filoteo, Jr. v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 79543, October 16, 1996.
vii. When construction is required
- Read: Sarmiento v. Mison, G.R. No. 79974, December 17, 1987.
c. Mandatory and directory provisions
- Read: Marcelino v. Cruz, Jr., G.R. No. L-42428, March 18,1983.
d. Self-executing provisions
- Read: Tanada v. Angara, G.R. No. 118295, May 2,1997.
- Read: Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, February 3,1997.
- Read: Oposa v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, July 30,1993.

C. Legal Research on Statutes

- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 11
(Legislation).
a. Legislation, explained
b. Exercise of Legislative Powers
c. Procedure for Legislation
d. Administrative Rules and Regulations
e. Basic Rules
i. Presumption of Constitutionality
- Read: Morfe v. Mutuc, G.R. No. L-20387, January 31, 1968.
ii. When Laws Take Effect
- Read: Tanada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985.
- Read: Garcillano v. House of Representatives Committee on Public
Information, G.R. No. 170338 & 179275, December 23, 2008 (Note:
Read the issues and ruling on G.R. No. 179275).
iii. Laws in force until repeal
- Read: Co Kim Cham v. Valdez Tan Keh, G.R. No. L-5, September 17,
1945.
iv. Computation of Time
- Read: PNB v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 98382, May 17, 1993.
- Read: Vir-Jen v. NLRC, G.R. No. L-58011-12, July 20, 1982.

D. Legal Research on Jurisprudence

a. Case Law and Precedent
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 5
(Case Law and Precedent).
i. Stare decisis vs. res judicata vs. law of the case
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ii. Problems with Precedent
1. Inconsistencies
2. Judicial flip-flopping
b. Sources: Philippine Reports, Supreme Court Reports Annotated
c. Analyzing court decisions
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 7
(The Decision).
d. Dissenting Opinions
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 8
(The Dissenting Opinion).
i. Value of Dissent
ii. Adopting the Dissent
e. Ratio decidendi v. Obiter Dictum v. Pro Hac Vice rulings
- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2020), Chapter 9
(Ratio Decidendi and Obiter Dictum).

V. Copyright, Fair Use and Plagiarism

A. Rules for attribution and in-text citation

B. Common pitfalls
- Read: In the Matter of the Charges of Plagiarism, etc. Against Associate
Justice Mariano Del Castillo, A.M. No. 10-7-17-SC, October 12, 2010.

VI. Law Journals/Law Reviews

A. Law reviews and their place in legal scholarship

- Read: Tan, Oscar, Foreword: Sisyphus’ Lament Part 1: The Next Ninety Years
and the Transcendence of Academic Legal Writing.

B. Legal Citation Systems

C. Editing and Proofreading

VII. Legal Memorandum

A. Kinds of Memoranda of Law

- Read: Gatmaytan, Dante, LEGAL METHOD ESSENTIALS (2021), Chapter 21
(The Memorandum of Law).

B. Structure of a Legal Memoranda

a. Heading
b. Statement of the Assignment
c. Facts
d. Issue
e. Answer
f. Discussion
g. Conclusion
h. Recommendation