COURSE OUTINE
LEGAL METHOD
Prof. Pacifico A. Agabin
2" Semester, S¥ 2010-2011
L THE PHILIPPINE LEGAL SYSTEM
Villanueva, “Comparative Study of the Judicial Role and its Effects on
the Theory of Judicial Precedents in the Philippine Hybrid System,” 65
Phil. LJ. 42 (1990)
~ Inre Shoop, 41 Phil. 213
Il, LAW AS PROCESS
A. The judicial process
- Holmes, “The Path of the Law,” X Harvard L.R. 457 (1987)
- Vitug, Shadow of Doubt (Part Two) (pp. 87-142)
I. LAW AND LOGIC
A. The nature of legal reasoning
- Cardozo, The Nature of the Judicial Process (1960) Paperback, Yale
Univ. Press) (Lecture )
B. Reasoning by analogy: stare decisis
= Cardozo, supra, (Lecture IV)
= Goodhart, “Determining the Ratio Decidendi of a case”, 40 Yale Law
Journal 161 (1930)
1, Inre Macasaet, A.M. 07-09-13-SC, Aug. 8, 2008
2. Inre UP Law Faculty, A.M. No. 10-10-4-SC, Oct. 19, 2010
IV. LAW AND LANGUAGE
‘A. The language of the law
- Cardozo, “Law and Literature”, 1925 Yale Review 489; also, Law and
Literature and Other Essays by Cardozo (1931, Harcourt Brace & Co.
Exercises:
- Vinuya v. Executive Secretary, G.R. 162230, April 28m 2010
- Criddle & Decent, “A Fiduciary Theory of Jus Cogens”, 34 Yale
J. of Int'l Law 331 (2009)v.
Vi.
CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPETATION
It is a Constitution We Are Interpreting
- Tribe, American Constitutional Law, (Volume 1) (2000 ed.) Ch. 1,
“Approaches to Constitutional Analysis”, pp. 21-110
Pose |
Approaches to Interpretation .
- Cardozo, The Nature of the Judicis
Process (Lectures II and III)
1. Historical or originalist approach
~ Estrada v. Escritor, 408 SCRA 1
2. Textual Approach
¥ - Secretary of National Defense v. Manalo, 568 SCRA I
3. Structural or institutional relationships
- North Cotabato v. Gov't Panel, 568 SCRA 402
4. Doctrinal or stage decisis approach
- Lambino v. COMELEC 505 SCRA 160 (Puno dissent)
Ethical Approach
Ang Ladlad v. COMELEC, G.R. 190582, April 8, 2010
9/- Chavez v. Gonzales, G.R. 168338. Feb. 15, 2008 545 SCRA 441
6. Prudential or balancing approach
& Iglesia ni Kristo v. CA, 259 SCRA 529
‘The Sounds of Silence
= Tribe, Construing the Sounds of Congressional and Constitutional
Silence”, in Tribe, Constitutional Choices (Harvard, 1985)
STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION (commun Sa )
Pound, “Common Law and Legislation,” XXI Harvard L. Rev. No. 6, p.
383 (1908)
Relation to constitutionality
~ White Light Corporation v. City of Manila, 576 SCRA 416" \
Oty bed
Harmonization with Constitution eyktikes
- Francisco v. House of Representatives, 415 SCRA 44 |"!
Spirit over the letter of the law
- Ang Bagong Bayani v. COMELEC, June 16, 2001thon
rote
(7218 onene tran Log mages ft hela PIR QM OL, bye
BO Legislative intent putt. prey Cvmmby | Serres bust Lemumig
Ejercito v. Sandigan, 509 SCRA 190. dy
eee aaa TRU Hoplshn Ay ted
Object of the law G thoes} fees
Y/ - Ortiz v. San Miguel Corp., 560 SCRA 654
les
3. // Conclusiveness of legislative findings Ou fi = subaa semm
- People v. Ferrer, 48 SCRA 382
H. Intrinsic aids to construction
1. Expresio unios
oy - Balagtas Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. CA, 505 SCRA 654
2. Proyisions in pari material
#- People v. Estrada, 583 SCRA 302
3. NoScitur a sociis
W - San Miguel v. NLRC, 161 SCRA 719
4, Bjusdem generic
of ~ Verav. Cuevas, 90 SCRA 380
5. Gerieral v. specific words
~ Borromeo v. Marciano, 41 Phil 322
——® General and specific laws
- Lagman v. City of Manila, 75 SCRA 579
7. Regendo singular singulis
W - King v. Herandez, 4 SCRA 792
8._Cagus omissus
@ - People v. Manantan, 5 SCRA 586
9. Antecedent and qualifying words
= Quisumbing v. Garcia
10, Technical words with technical meaning
~ Matibag v. Benipayo, 380 SCRA 49
‘Common words with common meaning
- Estrada v. Sandigan, 369 SCRA»
1 Extrinsic aids to construction
1._ History of statute
W - US. v. Pompeya, 31 Phil. 275
2. Legislative proceedings
/ - Gaanan v. Intermediate Appellate Court, 145 SCRA 113
3. Contemporaneous construction
/ ~ People v. Temporada, 574 SCRA 258
4, Statutes adopted from other jurisdictions
a ~ People v. Zapata, 88 Phil. 688
5. Resénacted statutes
~ Americal Bible Society v. City of Manila, 101 Phil 386
6. Bffect of repeal
~ SEC v. Interport Resources Corp., 567 SCRA 354