I started my “Legal Updates” blog at
https://famli.blogspot.com in 2005; as of January 2019, my website trackers reported that the blog has reached more than 1.53 million unique visits and more than 4.87 million page views. The blog posts are free, meaning that they’re not behind a paywall; without the need for registering, anyone can read the blog posts or download the PDF files that I have provided. (I have, however, closed the comments section, and any website admin or blogger must obtain my permission before reposting any of my blog posts.)
As of 2011, I began writing and rewriting my blog posts in Plain English, which means, among others, (1) using short and simple words, except for legal terms of art, and (2) using sentences that are short, simple, clear, and strong. By “clear sentences,” I tried to avoid what Bryan Garner (editor of Black’s Law Dictionary) refers to as “interruptive phrases” that come between the subject, verb, and object. By “strong sentences,” I tried to follow the “old-new” structure that was propounded by Joseph Williams (author of “Style, Towards Clarity and Grace”) and by George Gopen (professor of practical rhetoric at Duke University and author of “Reader Expectation Approach to the English Language”).
In Plain English, the word “shall” is now only used to refer to futurity; “must” is now used to mean obligation. (As Prof. Joseph Kimble has noted, the ambiguity of “shall” has led to more than 6,000 cases in US courts; Kimble was the consultant for the Plain English revisions of the US Federal Rules of Court). For the texts of Philippine laws that I cited, however, I had no choice but to keep the “shall.”
At its heart, Plain English writing is reader-centered, not author-centered. Or as journalism teachers tell their students, “Write to express, not to impress.”
For resources and more than 800 free interactive exercises on Plain English, please surf to “Plain English, Plain Language, or Clear Writing for journalism, law, business, science, academic and general writing” at
https://plain-english-resources-and-exercises.netlify.com/MOST POPULAR POSTS: IMAGE CREDIT: SLIDESHARE.NET“Adultery, concubinage, marital infidelity, and psychological violence” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/01/adultery-concubinage-and-psychological.html“Can a mother be deprived of custody of her child?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/06/can-mother-be-deprived-of-custody-of.html“Custody battles over children: what determines fitness of a parent over another?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/12/with-links_06.html“Financial support for an abandoned woman and her family” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/10/support-for-abandoned-woman-and-family.html“Divorce obtained abroad by a Filipino citizen against alien spouse recognized in the Philippines” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2018/05/divorce-obtained-abroad-by-filipino-against-alien-spouse-recognized.html“Miss, Ms, or Mrs? Philippine law on surnames for married women” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2008/04/miss-ms-or-mrs-philippine-law-on.html“Visitation rights over illegitimate children” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2008/08/visitation-rights-over-illegitimate.html“What surname should illegitimate children use?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2008/07/problems-and-issues-with-ra-9255-and.html“Did the Supreme Court order all credit card companies to reduce their interest rate of 3% monthly and penalty fee of 3%?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/08/did-supreme-court-order-all-credit-card.htmlHeirs and inheritances“If your spouse dies without a last will, who will inherit?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/07/if-your-spouse-dies-without-last-will.html“Legitimes, free portions, and intestate shares” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/07/legitimes-and-intestate-shares.html“Rights of illegitimate children when their parent dies without a last will” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/09/rights-of-illegitimate-children-when.html“Who inherits from an illegitimate child?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/09/who-inherits-from-illegitimate-child.html“The right of legitimate children to inherit” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/09/right-of-legitimate-children-to-inherit.html“Settle the estate of your deceased spouse before marrying again” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/09/settle-estate-of-your-deceased-spouse.html“Is property acquired before marriage the exclusive property of each spouse or does it belong to both spouses?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/10/properties-acquired-when-you-were.html“Do inherited properties belong exclusively to the spouse who inherited them or to both spouses?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/10/do-inherited-properties-belong.html“Last will must be probated; Preterition (when a compulsory heir is omitted in a last will)” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/10/last-will-must-be-probated-preterition.html“Can nephews and nieces inherit from their grandparents, unmarried aunts or uncles?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2009/01/can-nephews-and-nieces-inherit-from.html“Disinheriting children and descendants, legitimate as well as illegitimate” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/12/disinheriting-children-and-descendants.html“Disinheriting your spouse” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-to-disinherit-your-spouse.html“When a man is married to or living in with several women successively or simultaneously, who has the right to inherit from him?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/08/desperately-seeking-susan.html“Article 176 of the Family Code: how to compute the inheritance of legitimate and illegitimate children; an illegitimate child gets only 50% of what a legitimate child is entitled to” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2009/03/article176-of-family-code-computing.html“Who inherits from a man or woman who died single and with no last will?” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2012/04/who-inherits-from-person-who-died.htmlPrimers on the Family Code of the PhilippinesPrimer on marriage at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/11/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on.htmlPrimer on void and voidable marriages at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/12/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on.htmlPrimer on paternity, filiation, and legitimate children at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/01/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on_21.htmlPrimer on illegitimate children at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/01/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on_28.htmlPrimer on legitimation at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/02/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on.htmlPrimer on legal separation at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/01/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on.htmlPrimer on rights and obligations between husband and wife at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/12/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on_17.htmlPrimer on the family and family home at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2006/12/family-code-of-philippines-primer-on_22.htmlPrimer on the property relations between husband and wife at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/08/primer-on-family-code-of-philippines.htmlPrimer on absolute community of property at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/09/primer-on-family-code-of-philippines.htmlPrimer on donations by reason of marriage at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2007/08/primer-on-family-code-of-philippines_26.htmlPlain English revisions of some government documents“BSP Circular No. 702, Series of 2010 on protection of credit card holders” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/07/bsp-circular-no-702-series-of-2010-on.html“DepEd Order No. 88 s. 2010” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/06/deped-order-plain-english-plain.html“DSWD Travel Clearance for Minors” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/dswd-travel-clearance-for-minors-plain.html“Pantawid Pasada Program guidelines” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/06/pantawid-pasada-program-guidelines.html“PDIC notice to Banco Filipino depositors “at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/pdic-notice-to-banco-filipino.html“Public Attorney’s Office guidelines” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/pao-guidelines-plain-english-revisions.html“PVAO educational benefits” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/pvao-educational-benefits-plain-english.html “RA 9994 Expanded rights of senior citizens” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/plain-english-revisions.html“Senate rules of procedure in the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/12/senate-rules-procedure-impeachment.htmlLegal procedures in civil and criminal casesLegal Procedures 01: Jurisdiction of trial courts MTC, RTC at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-01-jurisdiction-of.htmlLegal Procedures 02: Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-02-jurisdiction-of.htmlLegal Procedures 03: Katarungang Pambarangay at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-3-katarungang.htmlLegal Procedures 04: Cases not subject to Katarungang Pambarangay at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-04-cases-not-subject.htmlLegal Procedures 05: Preliminary investigation at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-05-preliminary.htmlLegal Procedures 06: Arrest and bail at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-06-arrest-and-bail.htmlLegal Procedures 07: Search and seizure at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/05/legal-procedures-07-search-and-seizure.htmlLegal Procedures 08: Rights of the accused at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-08-rights-of-accused.htmlLegal Procedures 10: Pleadings and motions before arraignment at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-10-pleadings-and.htmlLegal Procedures 11: Arraignment and pre-trial at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-11-arraignment-and-pre.htmlLegal Procedures 12: Trial procedure in criminal cases at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-12-trial-procedure-in.htmlLegal Procedures 13: Motions during trial of a criminal case at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-13-motions-during.htmlLegal Procedures 14: Criminal cases subject to Summary Procedure at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-14-criminal-cases.htmlLegal Procedures 15: Summary Procedure in criminal cases at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-15-summary-procedure.htmlLegal Procedures 17: Promulgation of judgment in criminal cases at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-17-promulgation-of.htmlLegal Procedures 18: Remedies after conviction at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-18-remedies-after.htmlLegal Procedures 19: Duration of penalties at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/06/legal-procedures-19-duration-of.htmlLegal Procedures 20: Extinction and prescription of the crime; civil liability at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/07/legal-procedures-20-prescription-of.htmlLegal Procedures 22: Filing of complaint and answer in civil cases at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/08/legal-procedures-22-filing-of-complaint.htmlLegal Procedures 23: Default or failure to answer at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/08/legal-procedures-23-default-or-failure.htmlLegal Procedures 24: Motion to Dismiss at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/11/legal-procedures-24-motion-to-dismiss.htmlLegal Procedures 25: Kinds of pleadings and motions in civil cases at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2010/12/legal-procedures-25-kinds-of-pleadings.htmlLegal Procedures 26: After the last pleading or motion at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/07/legal-procedures-26-after-last-pleading.htmlLegal Procedures 28: Pre-trial conference in civil cases (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t5bl3e1deyd8h5v/Pre-trial%20conference.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 30: Trial procedure in civil cases (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cfopq3jetdm5ogp/Trial%20procedure%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 31: Civil cases under Summary Procedure (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmx1fp9t7dyv5us/Civil%20cases%20under%20Summary%20Procedure.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 32: Summary Procedure in civil cases (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n7oi4j6j6389xb0/Summary%20procedure%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 33: Modes of discovery (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o6kexhr51upnjyb/Modes%20of%20discovery.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 34: Provisional remedies, injunction, TRO (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nzq6fgeobsgfn2m/Provisional%20remedies.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 35: Promulgation of judgment in civil cases (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mche56nqiiqa0gm/Promulgation%20of%20judgment%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 36: Motions and petitions for losing party (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y47bzdi6tto1uq7/Motions%20and%20petitions%20for%20losing%20party.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 37: Execution of judgment in civil cases (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2e7dg56bxw0o6kx/Execution%20of%20judgment%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 38: Appeal from MTC to RTC (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbqgbuz00lrlgr4/Appeal%20from%20MTC%20to%20RTC%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 39: Appeal from RTC to Court of Appeals (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7bastlkbxj5k2f1/Appeal%20from%20RTC%20to%20CA%20in%20civil%20cases.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 40: Appeal to the Supreme Court (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0qyu1566zc8noqk/Appeal%20to%20the%20Supreme%20Court.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 41: Special Civil Actions (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8cmbu4hz9ptrrz6/Special%20civil%20actions.pdf?dl=0Legal Procedures 42: Special Proceeding (PDF) at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w9ep6bthrcwgfit/Special%20Proceedings.pdf?dl=0Ad cautelam: filing of pleadings as precaution or appearing in court even as you question its jurisdiction at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/12/ad-cautelam-court-jurisdiction.htmlOther topics that I have written about are guidelines in effective legal writing. You might also be interested in my post “Plain English, Plain Language or Plain Writing for government offices and private companies in the Philippines” at
https://famli.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-is-plain-english-plain-language-or.htmlComplete text of the Family Code of the Philippines at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/fc%20table%20of%20contents%20sample%20with%20linksTitle I. Marriage at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20I%20marriage.htm#topTitle II. Legal Separation at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20II%20Legal%20separation.htmTitle III. Rights and Obligations Between Husband and Wife at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20III%20rights%20obligations%20husband%20wife.htmTitle IV. Property Relations Between Husband and Wife at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20IV%20property%20relations.htm#topTitle V. The Family at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20V%20the%20family.htmTitle VI. Paternity and Filiation at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20VI%20paternity%20and%20filiation.htmTitle VII. Adoption at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20VII%20adoption.htmTitle VII. Support at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20VIII%20support.htmTitle IX. Parental Authority at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20IX%20parental%20authority.htmTitle X. Emancipation and Age of Majority at
https://familymatters.netlify.com/family%20code/FC%20Title%20X%20emancipation%20and%20age%20of%20majority.htm