Courts Jurisdictions

JURISDICTION OF REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS IN CRIMINAL CASES Criminal Action: 1. Exclusive original jurisdiction in criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body, except those falling under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan 2. All criminal cases where the penalty is higher than 6 years, including government-related cases wherein the accused in not one of those falling under the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan is within the jurisdiction of the RTC. 3. Other laws which specifically lodge jurisdiction in the RTC a. Laws on written defamation or libel b. Decree on Intellectual Property c. Dangerous Drugs Cases except where the offenders are below 16 years and there are Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts in the province 4. Appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by MTCs in their respective territorial jurisdiction 5. In areas where there are no family courts, the cases falling under the jurisdiction of family courts shall be adjudicated (pronounce by judicial sentence; pass judgment on) by the RTC 6. In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and 7. In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls Civil Action: 1. In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary (of or relating to money, financial) estimation; 2. In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds P20,000,00 or, for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such value exceeds P50,000.00 except actions for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts; 3. In all actions in admiralty (position or authority of an admiral) and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim exceeds P300,000.00 or, in Metro Manila, where such demand or claim exceeds P400,000.00; 4. In all matters of probate(official certification of the validity of a last will and testament), both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the estate exceeds P300,000.00 or, in probate matters in Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds P400,000.00; 5. In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations; 6. In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions; 7. In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Court of Agrarian Relations as now provided by law; and

8. In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of the property in controversy exceeds P300,000.00 or, in such other cases in Metro Manila, where the demand exclusive of the abovementioned items exceeds P400,000.00. Special Cases: The Supreme Court may designate certain branches of the Regional Trial Courts to handle exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and domestic relations cases, agrarian cases, urban land reform cases which do not fall under the jurisdiction of quasi-judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the Supreme Court may determine in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.

JURISDICTION OF THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT, MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT Criminal Action: 1. Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction 2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding 6 years, regardless of the fine or other accessory penalties and civil liability. Provided, however, That in offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence they shall have exclusive original jurisdiction thereof. 3. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence 4. In cases where the only penalty provided by law is a fine, it has exclusive jurisdiction over offenses punishable by a fine not exceeding P4000 5. In election offenses, cases involving failure to register or failure to vote 6. Special jurisdiction to hear and decide petitioners for a writ of habeas corpus or application for bail in the province or city where the RTC judge is absent 7. Cases involving BP 22Bouncing Checks Law 8. Those involving violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations, violations of the rental law, and such other cases requiring summary disposition. Such simplified procedures may provide that affidavits and counter-affidavits may be admitted in lieu of oral testimony and that the periods for filing pleadings shall be non-extendible. 9. Judges of Metropolitan Trial Courts, except those in the National Capital Region, of Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall have authority to conduct preliminary investigation of crimes alleged to have been committed within their respective territorial jurisdictions which are cognizable by the Regional Trial Courts. Civil Action: 1. Exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions and probate proceedings, testate and intestate, including the grant of provisional remedies in proper cases, where the value of the personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed P300,000.00 or, in Metro Manila where such personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed P400,000.00, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs, the amount of which must be specifically alleged: Provided, That interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs shall be included in the determination of the filing fees: Provided,

further, That where there are several claims or causes of actions between the same or different parties, embodied in the same complaint, the amount of the demand shall be the totality of the claims in all the causes of action, irrespective of whether the causes of action arose out of the same or different transactions; 2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer: Provided, That when, in such cases, the defendant raises the questions of ownership in his pleadings and the question of possession cannot be resolved without deciding the issue of ownership, the issue of ownership shall be resolved only to determine the issue of possession; and 3. Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of the property or interest therein does not exceed P20,000.00 or, in civil actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed P50,000.00 exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses and costs: Provided, That in cases of land not declared for taxation purposes, the value of such property shall be determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots. Special Cases: May be assigned by the Supreme Court to hear and determine cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy or opposition, or contested lots where the value of which does not exceed P100,000.00, such value to be ascertained by the affidavit of the claimant or by agreement of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or from the corresponding tax declaration of the real property. Their decisions in these cases shall be appealable in the same manner as decisions of the Regional Trial Courts.

COURT OF APPEALS 1. Original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo warranto, and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction; 2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgements of Regional Trial Courts; and 3. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgements, resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social Security Commission, the Employees Compensation Commission and the Civil Service Commission, Except those falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution, the Labor Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and subparagraph 4 of the fourth paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948. 4. The court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct hearings, receive evidence and perform any and all acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases falling within its original and appellate jurisdiction, including the power to grant and conduct new trials or Appeals must be continuous and must be completed within three (3) months, unless extended by the Chief Justice.