Terms of Use

Agreement to These Terms

By accessing or using the website of Codilla Law Office ("the Firm," "we," "our," or "us"), including any websites, pages, content, features, or services operated by the Firm (collectively, the "Website"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms") and all applicable laws and regulations.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use this website. Your continued use of the site after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, and prospective clients who access or interact with our website, contact form, newsletter, articles, or any other content published by Codilla Law Office. This website is not directed at individuals under the age of 18; see our Privacy Policy for our full position on minors.

This Site Does Not Provide Legal Advice

Nothing on this website constitutes legal advice. All content - including articles, legal opinions, case commentaries, guides, and any other materials published on this site - is provided for general informational and educational purposes only.

The information presented here reflects the personal views and analysis of Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla and does not constitute a formal legal opinion, legal counsel, or professional advice tailored to any specific individual, situation, or set of facts.

You should not act, or refrain from acting, based solely on information obtained from this website. For advice specific to your legal situation, please consult a licensed attorney directly.

This disclaimer applies to all content published on this site, including but not limited to articles on constitutional law, criminal law, family law, labor law, property disputes, and any other legal topics. The publication of legal content on this site does not create any duty of care, obligation to update, or warranty of accuracy with respect to any particular user's circumstances.

Philippine law, jurisprudence, and regulatory issuances change frequently. While we endeavor to keep our articles current, we make no representations or warranties that the information on this site reflects the most recent legal developments. Always verify the current state of the law with a qualified practitioner.

No Attorney-Client Relationship Is Formed

Visiting this website, reading our articles, submitting our contact form, sending us an email, or messaging us on social media does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Codilla Law Office or Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla.

An attorney-client relationship is established only when: (1) you have formally engaged Codilla Law Office for legal representation; and (2) a written engagement agreement or retainer has been signed by both you and Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla.

Until such a formal engagement is executed, any information you share with us - whether through the contact form, email, or otherwise - is not protected by attorney-client privilege and should not be treated as confidential legal communications.

We strongly encourage you not to share sensitive, confidential, or time-critical legal information through this website's contact form or email until a formal engagement agreement has been established. If your matter is urgent, please contact Atty. John Rey directly to discuss formal engagement options before disclosing sensitive details.

This disclaimer is consistent with the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, including its provisions on safeguarding client confidences communicated online, and the rules governing the legal profession under the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Ownership of Content

All content on this website - including but not limited to text, articles, legal opinions, case analyses, guides, images, graphics, logos, the site's visual design, and the "Codilla Law" name and branding - is the exclusive intellectual property of Codilla Law Office and Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla, unless otherwise attributed.

This content is protected under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 8293) and applicable international copyright conventions, including the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

You may:

• Read, print, or download articles for your own personal, non-commercial use
• Share a link to any article or page on this site on social media or other platforms, provided proper attribution is given to Codilla Law Office
• Quote brief excerpts (not exceeding 50 words) from our articles for commentary, criticism, or educational purposes, with clear attribution to the author and source

You may not:

• Reproduce, republish, or redistribute any content from this site in full without our express written permission
• Use any content from this site for commercial purposes without prior written authorization
• Remove, alter, or obscure any copyright, author attribution, or proprietary notice
• Scrape, copy, or systematically extract content from this site by automated means
• Represent any content from this site as your own work

To request permission for use beyond what is permitted above, please contact us at terms@codillalaw.com.

How You May Use This Site

This website is provided for the following lawful purposes:

1. To learn about Codilla Law Office, its founding counsel, and practice areas
2. To read legal articles and educational content published by Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla
3. To submit an inquiry for the purpose of exploring whether to engage our legal services
4. To subscribe to our newsletter and receive legal insights and firm updates
5. To locate our office and obtain contact information

Use of this website for any purpose not listed above - or for any unlawful, harmful, fraudulent, or deceptive purpose - is strictly prohibited and may result in suspension of access and legal action.

What You Must Not Do

By using this website, you agree that you will not:

• Submit false or misleading information through the contact form or any other communication channel
• Impersonate any person, entity, or legal professional, including Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla or any member of Codilla Law Office
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of this website, its servers, or any system connected to this site
• Introduce malicious code, including viruses, trojans, ransomware, or any other software intended to damage or disrupt the site or its users
• Conduct automated scraping, crawling, or data mining of site content beyond what is permitted by standard web indexing (e.g., Google Search). This includes scraping of any personal data published on this site, which remains subject to the Data Privacy Act of 2012 regardless of public availability.
• Use the contact form to send spam, unsolicited commercial communications, or harassing messages
• Reproduce or misrepresent our legal opinions or articles as your own work or as independent legal authority
• Use the site to solicit clients on behalf of another law firm or legal services provider
• Engage in any conduct that would violate Philippine law, including the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175)

Unauthorized access to this site, introduction of malicious code, or use of this site for fraud or harassment may constitute criminal offenses under Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and other applicable Philippine laws. Violations will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Information You Submit to Us

When you submit information through our contact form, send us an email, or communicate with us through social media or any other channel, you represent and warrant that:

• The information you provide is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge
• You are legally authorized to share the information you provide, including any documents or details relating to third parties
• Your submission does not violate any law, regulation, or third-party rights

You grant Codilla Law Office a limited, non-exclusive right to use the information you submit solely for the purpose of responding to your inquiry and, where applicable, delivering legal services. We will handle all submitted information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We do not accept unsolicited submissions of confidential or proprietary information. If you submit information that you consider confidential prior to entering into a formal engagement agreement, you do so at your own risk. As noted above, no attorney-client privilege attaches to pre-engagement communications.

External Websites and Services

This website may contain links to third-party websites and services, including but not limited to:

• Facebook / Meta - for our official Facebook page and Messenger channel
• Google Maps - for office location and directions
• Official Philippine government websites - such as the Supreme Court eLaw, Official Gazette, and National Privacy Commission
• Academic or legal reference sites - linked within articles for citation purposes

These links are provided for your convenience only. Codilla Law Office does not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party website. Once you navigate away from our site, these Terms of Use no longer apply. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any external site you visit.

Limits on Our Legal Responsibility

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Codilla Law Office and Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:

• Your use of, or inability to use, this website
• Your reliance on any information, article, legal opinion, or other content published on this site
• Any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the content of this site
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data
• Any conduct or content of any third party linked to or from this site
• Interruption, suspension, or termination of the website or any service offered through it

This website and all of its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. Reading a legal article on our site is not a substitute for consulting a lawyer about your specific situation - laws change, facts matter, and outcomes depend on circumstances we cannot know unless you formally engage our services.

Your Responsibility for Misuse

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Codilla Law Office, Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla, and their respective agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use or misuse of this website
• Your violation of these Terms of Use
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Any content or information you submit through this site that infringes on the rights of a third party
• Any false or misleading information you provide through the contact form or any communication with the Firm

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms of Use are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, your use of this website, or any content published herein shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the appropriate courts of the Philippines. The venue for any such proceedings shall be the courts of Davao Oriental or, where required by law or jurisdiction, the appropriate courts of Metro Manila.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable under applicable law, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Firm regarding use of this website and supersede any prior understanding on the subject.

Access from Outside the Philippines

This website is accessible from jurisdictions outside the Philippines. We make no representation that the content of this site is appropriate, legally available, or compliant with the laws of jurisdictions outside the Philippines.

If you access this website from outside the Philippines, you do so on your own initiative and are solely responsible for compliance with your local laws, including any applicable data protection laws, professional conduct rules, or restrictions on accessing foreign legal content.

In particular, international visitors should note:

• The legal information on this site pertains primarily to Philippine law and should not be relied upon as guidance on the laws of any other jurisdiction
• Legal terminology, procedures, and rights described on this site may differ substantially from those in your home jurisdiction
• Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla is licensed to practice law in the Philippines only and cannot provide legal advice governed by the laws of another country

For Filipino diaspora and international clients: If you are a Filipino national residing abroad and your legal matter is governed by Philippine law - such as family law, property in the Philippines, or citizenship matters - we welcome your inquiry. Please contact us to discuss whether and how we can assist.

Our Right to Restrict Access

Codilla Law Office reserves the right, at our sole discretion and without prior notice, to:

• Restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to this website or any part of it
• Remove or disable any content you have submitted through this site
• Take any other action we deem reasonably necessary to protect the Firm, its clients, or the integrity of the site

Grounds for such action include, but are not limited to, violation of these Terms, fraudulent or abusive use of the contact form, submission of false information, or any conduct that we determine - in our reasonable judgment - to be harmful, inappropriate, or contrary to the professional standards of the legal profession.

Upon termination, your right to use this site ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination - including those relating to intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, and governing law - shall continue to apply.

How We Update These Terms

We reserve the right to modify or replace these Terms of Use at any time. We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page whenever changes are made.

For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to provide notice - for example, by posting a prominent notice on the homepage or, where applicable, by notifying newsletter subscribers by email.

Your continued use of this website after any changes take effect constitutes your binding acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using this site.

Questions About These Terms

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to these Terms of Use, please contact us:

Codilla Law Office
Attn: Terms of Use Inquiries
Courtyard 2 (Front of Aquastar and Pan De Pane)
Martinez Subdivision, Barangay Dahican
Mati City, Davao Oriental, 8200 Philippines

Email: terms@codillalaw.com
Response time: Within 5-10 business days

These Terms of Use were prepared by Atty. John Rey Roxas Codilla, IBP Member in Good Standing, in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), and applicable international standards governing professional legal websites.

For privacy-related concerns, please refer to our Privacy Policy.