JURISDICTION IN

CIVIL CASES
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS,
MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS
Section 2. Section 33 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Section 33. Jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in Civil Cases. – Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
shall exercise:
“(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 Two million pesos
(P2,000,000.00), 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 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;
Cont. METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS,
MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS
“(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 any interest therein does not exceed Four hundred
thousand pesos (P400,000.00) exclusive on 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.
“(4) Exclusive original jurisdiction in admiralty and maritime actions where
the demand or claim does not exceed Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00).”
(Republic Act 11576)
RULES ON EXPEDITED PROCEDURES
IN THE FIRST LEVEL COURTS (A.M.
08-8-7-SC)
A. CIVIL CASES
(1) Summary Procedure Cases, as follows:
a. Forcible entry and unlawful detainer cases, regardless of the amount
of damages or unpaid rentals sought to be recovered. Where attorney's fees are
awarded, the same shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00).
b. All civil actions, except probate proceedings, admiralty and maritime
actions, and small claims cases falling under Rule IV hereof, where the total
amount of the plaintiff's claim does not exceed Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000,00),
exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses
and costs.
c. Complaints for damages where the claim does not exceed Two Million
Pesos (P2,000,000.00), exclusive of interest and costs.
Cont. RULES ON EXPEDITED
PROCEDURES
d. Cases for enforcement of barangay amicable settlement agreements and arbitration awards
where the money claim exceeds One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), provided that no execution
has been enforced by the barangay within six (6) months from the date of the settlement or date
of receipt of the award or from the date the obligation stipulated or adjudged in the arbitration
award becomes due and demandable, pursuant to Section 417, Chapter VII of Republic_Act No.
7160, otherwise known as The Local Government Code of 1991.
e. Cases solely for the revival of judgment of any Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court
in Cities, Municipal Trial Court, and Municipal Circuit Trial Court, pursuant to Rule 39, Section 6
of the Rules of Court.
f. The civil aspect of a violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22 (the Bouncing Checks Law), if no
criminal action has been instituted therefor. Should a criminal action be later instituted for the
same violation, the civil aspect shall be consolidated with the criminal action and shall be tried
and decided jointly under the Rule on Summary Procedure,
All other cases not included herein shall be governed by the regular rules of procedure.
Cont. RULES ON EXPEDITED
PROCEDURES
(2) Small Claims Cases, as defined hereunder, where the claim does not
exceed One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), exclusive of interest and
costs.
A small claim is an action that is purely civil in nature where the claim
or relief raised by the plaintiff is solely for the payment or
reimbursement of a sum of money. It excludes actions seeking other
claims or reliefs aside from payment or reimbursement of a sum of
money and those coupled with provisional remedies.
The claim or demand may be:
Cont. RULES ON EXPEDITED
PROCEDURES
The claim or demand may be:
a. For money owed under any of the following:
b. Contract of Lease;Contract of Loan and other credit accommodations;Contract of
Services; orContract of Sale of personal property, excluding the recovery of the personal
property, unless it is made the subject of a compromise agreement between the parties.
c. The enforcement of barangay amicable settlement agreements and arbitration awards,
where the money claim does not exceed One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), provided
that provided that no execution has been enforced by the barangay within six (6) months
from the date of the settlement or date of receipt of the award or from the date the
obligation stipulated or adjudged in the arbitration award becomes due and demandable,
pursuant to Section 417, Chapter VII of Republic_Act No. 7160, otherwise known as The
Local Government Code of 1991..
REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS IN CIVIL
CASES
Section 1. Section 19 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as “The
Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980,” as amended, is hereby amended to read as
follows:
“Section 19. Jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts in Civil Cases. – Regional Trial
Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction:
“x x x
“(2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or
any interest therein, where the assessed value exceeds Four hundred thousand
pesos (P400,000.00), except for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands
or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon the Metropolitan
Trial Courts, and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts;
Cont. RTC IN CIVIL CASES
“(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the
demand or claims exceeds Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00);
“(4) In all matters of probate, both estate and intestate, where the
gross value of the estate exceeds Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00)’
“x x x
“(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 Two million
pesos (P2,000,000.00).”
(Republic Act 11576)
FAMILY COURTS
Section 5. Jurisdiction of family Courts. - The Family Courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and
decide the following cases:
a) Criminal cases where one or more of the accused is below eighteen (18) years of age but not less than nine (9)
years of age but not less than nine (9) years of age or where one or more of the victims is a minor at the time of
the commission of the offense: Provided, That if the minor is found guilty, the court shall promulgate sentence and
ascertain any civil liability which the accused may have incurred.
The sentence, however, shall be suspended without need of application pursuant to Ptesidential Decree No. 603,
otherwise known as the "Child and Youth Welfare Code";
b) Petitions for guardianship, custody of children, habeas corpus in relation to the latter;
c) Petitions for adoption of children and the revocation thereof;
d) Complaints for annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity of marriage and those relating to marital status and
property relations of husband and wife or those living together under different status and agreements, and
petitions for dissolution of conjugal partnership of gains;
e) Petitions for support and/or acknowledgment;
f) Summary judicial proceedings brought under the provisions of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as
the "Family Code of the Philippines";
Cont. FAMILY COURTS
g) Petitions for declaration of status of children as abandoned, dependent o neglected children, petitions for
voluntary or involuntary commitment of children; the suspension, termination, or restoration of parental
authority and other cases cognizable under Presidential Decree No. 603, Executive Order No. 56, (Series of
1986), and other related laws;
h) Petitions for the constitution of the family home;
i) Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act, as amended;
j) Violations of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the "Special Protection of Children Against Child
Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act," as amended by Republic Act No. 7658; and
k) Cases of domestic violence against:
1) Women - which are acts of gender based violence that results, or are likely to result in physical, sexual or
psychological harm or suffering to women; and other forms of physical abuse such as battering or threats and
coercion which violate a woman's personhood, integrity and freedom movement; and
2) Children - which include the commission of all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, violence, and
discrimination and all other conditions prejudicial to their development.
(Section 5, RA 8369)
COURT OF APPEALS
Section 9. Jurisdiction. – The Court of Appeals shall Exercise:
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
Cont. COURT OF APPEALS
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 od Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
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. (as amended by R.A. No. 7902.)
(Section 9, Chapter 1 Batas Pambansa Blg. 129)
SUPREME COURT
• Exercise original jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public
ministers and consuls, and over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus,
quo warranto, and habeas corpus.
• Review, revise, reverse, modify, or affirm on appeal or certiorari, as the law or the
Rules of Court may provide, final judgments and orders of lower courts in:
• All cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any treaty, international or executive
agreement, law, presidential decree, proclamation, order, instruction, ordinance, or
regulation is in question.
• All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, or toll, or any penalty
imposed in relation thereto.
• All cases in which the jurisdiction of any lower court is in issue.
• All criminal cases in which the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or higher.
• All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved.
Cont. SUPREME COURT
• Assign temporarily judges of lower courts to other stations as public interest may require.
Such temporary assignment shall not exceed six months without the consent of the judge
concerned.
• Order a change of venue or place of trial to avoid a miscarriage of justice.
• Promulgate rules concerning the protection and enforcement of constitutional rights,
pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission to the practice of law, the
integrated bar, and legal assistance to the under-privileged. Such rules shall provide a
simplified and inexpensive procedure for the speedy disposition of cases, shall be uniform
for all courts of the same grade, and shall not diminish, increase, or modify substantive
rights. Rules of procedure of special courts and quasi-judicial bodies shall remain effective
unless disapproved by the Supreme Court.
• Appoint all officials and employees of the Judiciary in accordance with the Civil Service Law.
(Section 5, Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines)